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Japan moves to tighten rules for foreigners

206 points · 623 comments · mikhael

  1. autoexec · · focus · HN ↗
    Requiring proficiency in the language is reasonable, but requiring everyone to be richer than the average member of the population and have enough money banked to live off of for 30 years seems insane. That goes well beyond simply making sure that people are able to care for themselves.
    1. Animats · · focus · HN ↗
      The US has something like this, but the income threshold is lower.[1] US immigrants in most categories have to show that they will not become a "public charge", that is, need US welfare benefits.

      [1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.uscis.gov&#x2F;newsroom&#x2F;alerts&#x2F;uscis-issues-guidance-on-making-public-charge-inadmissibility-determination" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.uscis.gov&#x2F;newsroom&#x2F;alerts&#x2F;uscis-issues-guidance-...

      1. Aurornis · · focus · HN ↗
        The US requirements are so much lower that calling them similar does a disservice.

        The proposed requirements in Japan require earnings to exceed Japan&#x27;s average and also for them to have an equivalent of 30 years of pension payouts saved up.

        The US requirements are not as specific, but for comparison one of the numbers is that that families need to have an income requirement 25% higher than federal poverty guidelines, which very low compared to average US incomes.

        1. simonsarris · · focus · HN ↗
          they don&#x27;t require 30 years saved up, only showing (somehow) that you will be able to generate such a pension equivalent over time. I suspect that will be very squishy in practice.
          1. Aurornis · · focus · HN ↗
            I was going by the article, which says this:

            &gt; Applicants will also be required to have a pension pot equivalent to 30 years of payouts.

            If there&#x27;s a better article to read, I&#x27;d appreciate a link.

            1. runamok · · focus · HN ↗
              Seriously. That&#x27;s such a fuzzy number. Why not just say X yen? None of us have a crystal ball to tell us if our investments will make the traditional 8% interest or not.
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