Applications for business manager visas in Japan fell 96% after the government tightened eligibility requirements last October, Immigration Services Agency (ISA) data showed, highlighting the sharp impact of measures aimed at preventing the status from being used primarily as a pathway to residency.
The ISA said it received a monthly average of about 1,700 applications before the changes took effect, compared with roughly 70 applications per month afterward.
Speaking at a regular news conference Tuesday, ※immigration minister§ Kimi Onoda commented on the figures, which were released in late March, saying the government viewed the outcome positively.
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