Send us Fan Mail This time, we unpack why life in Japan feels harder right now for both citizens and foreign residents alike. The episode connects Japan's weak currency, a record-breaking tourism boom, and a sweeping tightening of visa and permanent residency rules under the Takaichi government. All framed against a backdrop of rising anti-immigrant sentiment. Key Discussion Points COVID-era border closures (2020–2022): Japan barred even permanent residents from reentry for roughly a year while citizens moved freely; tourists weren't allowed back until October 2022.Shrinking outbound curiosity: Japanese passport ownership has dropped from ~24% pre-pandemic to 17.8% currently; students show declining interest in studying or traveling abroad.Tourism boom: Foreign tourism hit record highs, 42+ million visitors in 2025 and 21+ million already in 2026, but Japan still lags far behind top destinations like France (102 million visitors in 2025) and lacks infrastructure to match the volume.Why the yen is weak: Three decades of economic stagnation, government bond-buying to keep interest rates near zero, delayed Bank of Japan rate hikes compared to the US and Europe, and the resulting sell-off of yen by currency investors.The yen carry trade: Investors and institutions borrowed cheap yen to invest in higher-return assets abroad, making Japan the largest holder of US debt; in 2026 the BOJ began selling US bonds to defend the yen, prompting US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to intervene by buying yen.Wage-price spiral: Rising cost of living has forced employers to raise wages, which in turn pushes prices higher. With wages currently outpacing inflation, though unevenly across industries.Immigration by the numbers: Foreign residents now exceed 4 million (an almost 50% year-over-year increase) but still represent only about 3% of Japan's population.New visa and PR costs: Visa fee caps rose from 10,000 yen to as much as 200,000–300,000 yen; standard visas now cost roughly 33,000–75,000 yen, and permanent residency around 200,000 yen.New PR eligibility rules: Applicants must now earn above the average household income (5.75 million yen) rather than average individual income, and must show 30 years of pension contributions or equivalent savings, a requirement I flag as vague and difficult to calculate.Political context: The ruling LDP under PM Sanae Takaichi is tightening immigration amid pressure from the far-right Sanseito party.What didn't make the cut: Protests against mosque construction, a proposed African labor program, rising "yamibaito" (criminal side-job) activity, and reseller-driven fruit theft.Main Takeaways Japan's cost-of-living crisis and immigration crackdown are two symptoms of the same underlying economic story: a structurally weak yen and decades of economic stagnation.The yen carry trade links Japan's monetary policy directly to US bond markets — making this a global economic story, not just a domestic one.New visa and PR requirements make permanent residency in Japan significantly harder to obtain, especially for single foreign workers.Rising anti-immigrant sentiment in Japan is being used, in part, as a political scapegoat for economic problems the government hasn't solved.Who This Episode Is For Anyone studying Japanese or considering a move to JapanCurrent expats and foreign residents navigating Japan's visa systemAnime and Japanese culture fans who want context on current eventsListeners interested in currency markets, monetary policy, or immigration policyFans of Like My Anime looking for the show's take on life in Japan beyond media commentaryNotable People, Media & Concepts Mentioned Anime referenced: Ghost in the Shell, Chainsaw Man (referred to informally), Rent-A-Girlfriend, and a summer anime referenced as "Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You"Political figures: Sanae Takaichi (Japanese PM), Shinzo Abe (former PM), Kimi Onoda (Minister of Harmonious Coexistence with Foreigners)Political parties: LDP (Liberal Democratic Party), SanseitoEconomic figures/institutions: Bank of Japan (BOJ), US Treasury Secretary Scott BessentRecommended external resource: The YouTube channel Japanalysis has a great video series on far right YouTubers that you should definitely watch:Japan's Loudest Man Tries to Kick Out All Chinese Tourists https://youtu.be/uQ5u16NUKMU?si=StCc4wCj4S1Q_f5A"Japanese Trump" Fails Miserably and Goes to Prison https://youtu.be/j8pxuIQVH7o?si=OUao3G61dRlXPT2EJapan’s Right Wing Is Imploding Because of a Literal Clown https://youtu.be/WCk2hYLOdnI?si=Am64_BUIFwuBVvxnReferenced past episode: Summer is Scary in Japan https://youtu.be/amFhVr-Njso https://www.buzzsprout.com/2439138/episodes/1964994Resources Mentioned Will Japan bring down the world economy? | The Economist https://youtu.be/QBorPsQpEzU?si=_T600jxEfrhO4uZ-Nobody Wants to Admit Why America Just Bailed Out Japan https://youtu.be/OC1yu0L7jT4?si=d02yZ51cUK6kEdemAre more migrants in North East Asia inevitable? - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service https://youtu.be/xiejP28Smug?si=A5N1dfbm8ZFE_cuhCrimes by loosely organized crime groups are on the rise across Japan https://youtu.be/KR8KmMUnm_0?si=01LAvzlMcl9MRZGtJapan's new criminal underworld https://youtu.be/xykfQawB6T8?si=WYNVQNSaDVaRrgkJAdditional Reading: Why did JICA withdraw from its Japan-Africa 'hometown' exchange initiative https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/4273/What Drives Xenophobia? Political Discourse and Policies on Foreign Residents - Nippon.com https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d01220/?cx_recs_click=trueFalse prisoner figure fuels anti-foreigner storm online - The Asahi Shimbun https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/16818060The impact of politicians’ behaviors on hate speech spread: hate speech adoption threshold on Twitter in Japan - Journal of Computational Social Science https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42001-024-00268-5Reported crimes rise for third consecutive year, government data reveals - The Japan Times https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/19/japan/crime-legal/japan-crime-white-paper-2025/Trends and Realities of Foreign Crime in Japan (2025): An Analysis Based on Official Statistics - EN-ICHI https://ippjapan.org/en_ichi/en/archives/1983This last one is a little bit of a stretch but the great Dr. Wes Robertson and his channel Scripting Japan just posted this video (There's a bit about Sanseito half way through): https://youtu.be/j3Qk8S5_GSI?si=CcK-bUENo77FHWF- Calls to Action Follow Like My Anime so you don't miss future episodesRate and review the podcast to help other listeners find the showShare this episode with anyone considering a move to JapanLet me know if you want a follow-up episode on Japan's population declineThanks for listening to Like My Anime! 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