Privileges for Koreans in Japan (4/15)
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
October 14, 2025 edition
As of that date, there are no pages in languages other than Japanese and Korean.
Resident Tax Halved in Some Areas
In the late 1960s, Iga City, Mie Prefecture, through negotiations with the former Ueno City (now Iga City) and the local Mindan (Mindan) and Chongryon (General Association of Korean Residents in Japan), began a measure to halve the resident tax payments of Korean residents in Japan without enacting a bylaw, and this measure continued until 2006.[23]
Prior to the 1980s, when Korean residents in Japan through the branches of these organizations came to the counter, section chief-level staff, rather than general staff, would directly accept their applications and grant resident tax reductions. At the time, many people refused to pay taxes because they were victorious nations or because they were not granted the same rights as Japanese people, making collection difficult. It is said that Ueno City (now Iga City) also wanted to collect at least half the amount.
The case in question arose when a former Korean resident in Iga City sought advice because his resident tax would increase upon naturalization, and the former director of the Iga City General Affairs Department responded by urging him to give half of the money to him, and he embezzled it without paying it. Between 2002 and March 2004, the former Korean resident paid approximately 18 million yen to the director of the General Affairs Department in resident tax[24], making him a so-called high-income earner. Furthermore, naturalization would mean he would lose his right to tax reductions (the eligibility for tax reductions was determined solely by his status as a Korean resident in Japan, or Japanese). This led to coverage in weekly magazines and the media criticizing the resident taxpayers. Masahiko Katsuya criticized this as a "typical example of exemption privilege." At the time of its discovery, it was discovered that of the 400 Korean residents residing in Iga City, approximately 50 had utilized this system to receive tax reductions, excluding those employed by companies and subject to withholding tax. [25]
Special Permanent Resident Measures and Comparison with Other Resident Statuses
Comparison with Ordinary Permanent Residents
Special permanent residents are subject to special measures, including the re-entry period, deemed period, whether or not they will be denied landing upon re-entry, deportation requirements, whether or not they are required to provide personal identification information during landing inspections, and the type of identification card they are issued. Special permanent residents are exempt from the permanent residence permit requirements for ordinary permanent residents, which include "good conduct" and "independent livelihood." Forced deportation of special permanent residents is limited to "acts that seriously damage national interests, such as crimes of rebellion or incitement of foreign aggression." Forced deportation of those sentenced to life imprisonment or imprisonment for more than seven years is also limited to "cases that harm Japan's vital interests."[26]
Number and Breakdown of Special Permanent Residents
→See "Special Permanent Residents" for details.
The number of special permanent residents has been declining due to naturalization in Japan. According to Toyo Keizai Nippo, a newspaper run by Korean residents in Japan, the decline in the number of special permanent residents is due to an increase in naturalizations outpacing deaths. Until the 1980s, the average number of Korean residents in Japan was 3,000-5,000 per year. However, this number began to increase in the 1990s, reaching 10,000 for the first time in a single year in 1995. Since then, the number of naturalized Korean residents in Japan has been declining, ranging from 5,000 to 4,000 in the 2010s.[27][28] As of the end of 2024, the total number of special permanent residents was 274,023, broken down by nationality (270,560 Koreans, 1,013 Taiwanese, 881 Americans, 644 Chinese, and others).[29]
Originally, only Koreans and Taiwanese were considered to have renounced their nationality under the Peace Treaty. Therefore, the majority of special permanent residents who are "renouncers of Peace Treaty Nationality" and "descendants of those who renounced their nationality" also have these three nationalities. If both parents hold different nationalities other than Japan, their adult children may choose a nationality other than Korean or Taiwanese. Regardless of this, if one parent is a special permanent resident, they can apply for special permanent residence permission.
This special permanent residence status is permanently inherited by special permanent residents and their descendants through bloodline; ordinary permanent residents cannot apply for special permanent residence permission.
Comparison of Special Permanent Resident Statuses with Other Residence Statuses, Various Measures, and Exemptions
Special permanent residents are eligible for the following measures. However, depending on the type of residence status, the same measures are also applied to foreign nationals other than special permanent residents. (Here, "long-term resident foreigners" refer to foreigners with long-term residency in Japan, such as general permanent residents, special permanent residents, spouses of Japanese nationals, and spouses of permanent residents.)
There is no expiration date on their stay, and they do not need to renew their stay (special permanent residents, permanent residents, and highly skilled professionals (category 2)).[30]
With the exception of some civil servants, there are no occupational restrictions (long-term resident foreigners).
They are eligible to apply for welfare assistance (long-term resident foreigners).
"Descendants of those who renounced their nationality under the Peace Treaty," i.e., descendants of special permanent residents, can apply for special permanent residence permits.
The re-entry permit period is extended from three years to four years, and from four years to five years.
Special permanent residents are not required to carry their "Special Permanent Resident Certificate" at all times.[31]
When entering Japan, fingerprint and photograph screening is exempt (other visa statuses are exempt from similar procedures: foreign nationals under the age of 16, those with "Diplomatic" or "Official" visas, those invited by the head of a national administrative agency, and those equivalent to "Diplomatic," "Official," or "Guests of a Head" visas).
However, when using automated gates for re-entry, passport and fingerprint screening is required, just like for Japanese nationals. [32][33][34]
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