I was reading The Mainichi this morning and saw that the Immigration Services Agency is tightening the requirements for permanent residence. As someone who values the diversity of our creative communities here in Sapporo, this news feels like a step backward.

They are raising the income requirements to match the national average and significantly hiking the fees—from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen. In the game industry, I work with so many talented sound designers and artists from abroad. These people aren't just 'labor'; they are our colleagues and friends who help us build better worlds through audio and art.

It feels wrong to treat permanent residency like a luxury for the wealthy. If we want Japan to be a place where innovation happens, we should be welcoming people, not making them feel like they're one illness or one low-paying project away from being kicked out. We need these people to sustain our society. Closing the door out of 'public anxiety' just feels short-sighted and exclusionary.