Is it true that Osaka's governor sold permanent residency in Japan to foreign investors in advance of the 2025 Osaka Expo? No, that's not true: Although some foreign investors wishing to invest in Osaka's economy in advance of the Expo may gain permanent residency status by meeting requirements on the amount and the period of their investments in Japan, this does not mean visas were sold or that all investors involved in the Osaka Expo have access to permanent residency visas. Permanent residency status in Japan grants applicants a maximum of five years of residency without a guarantee of extension.
The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here) by @user1013120546155 on February 20, 2024. The post claims that Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshihira is selling residency permits to foreign investors. The caption (translated from Japanese to English by Lead Stories staff) read:
When you take money from foreign investors, they get a permanent residency as a present.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Thu Feb 29 22:06:47 2024 UTC)
Foreigners who invested 120 million yen ($815,852) in Osaka's industries, providing a sustained, projected growth rate over a three-year period, are eligible to receive a recently relaxed investor's visa (archived here) that was changed to make foreign investment in Japan more attractive. According to this announcement from the Osaka Expo (archived here) (as translated):
Problem: Major foreign cities overseas provide investor visas if they invest a certain amount, but Japanese cities don't have that mechanism.
Solution: An amount of approximately 120 million Yen invested in Osaka's growth industries that span a three-year period, will offer such a visa to foreign investors wishing to do business in Japan. Follow the procedures for investor visas abroad.
This relaxed investor's visa allows recipients to stay in Japan for five years to start a business or invest in Japanese companies, with permanent residency status expiring once the five-year period is finished (archived here). Applying for renewals is always open but not guaranteed, and this investor's visa is earned only by those foreigners who meet the investment requirements. It is therefore misleading to suggest it is sold or given by the governor to foreigners.
