So, Japan just raised its Permanent Residence application fees 20x?!?
A few thoughts.
To be fair, it was ridiculously low. I think I paid $60. So an increase of 3 to 5 could be warranted for processing fees.
But the message of 20x increase is simple. Unless you're rich, we don't want you to stay here. And even if you are rich, we can still say no.
Funny story. When I first moved to Japan in the 90's, foreigners were rare. Japanese who saw me in the street would rush up and ask 2 questions.
1 Where are you from?
2 When are you going home?
I was shocked at first, and would reply, do you want me to go home? They would be shocked back, and apologize. I realized that they couldn't conceive of anyone leaving their home country without an idea of returning.
Japan is such a huge source of identity that many find it hard to leave. Even criminals who flee prosecution in Japan have a habit of returning to give themselves up after a few years, like the Red Army bombers of the 60's.
The flip side is that many Japanese feel stifled in Japan and emigrate to places like Vancouver. These people keep back door dual citizenship open for their kids, but again the Japanese government has stated it wants to close this avenue as well.
In a country where the population is in freefall, where big spending (and admittedly coarse) tourists are villified and hard working permanent residents who raise families and businesses are asked to pay the piper, these moves signal a very worrying us vs them mentality.
But the problem is this is always what Japanese culture has been built on - 内外, insider vs outsider. Welcome to sakoku 2.0.
(Excuse the weird text, typical Blogger kludge)
