日本政府正研究将归化所需居住年限从现行的5年延长，可能与永久居留的10年标准趋同或更严格。2024年共有12,248件归化申请，其中8,863件获批，批准率约72%。执政联盟（自民党与日本维新会）在2025年10月的协议中提出在2026财年制定“人口战略”，并设定接纳外国人的数量目标，同时将于2026年1月敲定外籍政策基本方针。政府表态相比石破政权时期更为强硬，明确提出“探讨收紧”归化规则。

部分派系认为现行归化制度宽松，因为归化仅需5年居住，而永住需10年；日本维新会在9月建议引入撤销国籍机制，以应对严重虚假申报或反社会行为。官方则强调归化并不比永住宽松，除居住外还需良好品行、自立能力、遵宪，以及足以日常生活的日语水平。归化申请的“理由书”需亲笔日文书写，而永住申请可使用电脑并附翻译。政府也计划继续推进不允许拖欠医保或社保费用者更新在留资格等措施。

随着外籍人口上升，涉外政策在2025年参议院选举中成为重要议题。日本人口持续下降，政府承认外国劳动力对经济增长与社会维持至关重要，但首相高市早苗亦强调将打击非法入境及特定土地购置，并“在排外主义之间画出界线”，以在控制与开放之间重新平衡制度设计。

Japan is weighing extending its naturalization residency requirement beyond the current five years, potentially aligning it with or exceeding the 10-year minimum for permanent residency. In 2024, Japan received 12,248 naturalization applications and approved 8,863 (about a 72% approval rate). Under the LDP–Japan Innovation Party coalition agreement, a “population strategy” with numerical targets for foreign acceptance will be drafted in fiscal 2026, and detailed foreign-resident policy guidelines will be finalized in January 2026. Compared with the Ishiba administration, the Takaichi government has adopted stronger language signaling tighter rules.

Critics argue that naturalization is overly lenient because it requires only five years of residence, while permanent residency requires 10; the Japan Innovation Party also proposed creating a post-judicial mechanism to revoke citizenship in cases of serious falsification or antisocial conduct. Authorities counter that naturalization is not easier, citing additional requirements: good conduct, financial self-reliance, constitutional compliance, and sufficient Japanese proficiency. Naturalization statements must be handwritten in Japanese, while permanent-residency statements may be typed and translated. Policies preventing foreigners who owe medical or social-insurance payments from renewing residency will remain.

Rising foreign-resident numbers made immigration a major issue in the July upper-house election. With Japan’s population declining, foreign workers are essential to economic and social sustainability; however, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aims to tighten controls—targeting illegal immigration and some land purchases—while “drawing a line between xenophobia” and policy, attempting to balance restriction with continued openness.