In recent years, a large number of Chinese people have regarded investing in Osaka guesthouses as a “shortcut” to immigrating to Japan. This phenomenon has sparked the attention and controversy of the Japanese public.
According to a report by the Japanese media “Yomiuri Shimbun” on April 18 titled “Guesthouses as a Way of Immigration,” due to the easy visa approval process and a capital requirement of only 5 million Japanese yen (approximately $33,333), the number of Chinese-owned guesthouses in Osaka has skyrocketed. These Chinese individuals have been using guesthouses as a pathway to immigrate to Japan.
The report revealed that on Chinese social media platforms, there are constantly posts discussing the “no requirement for education or Japanese language proficiency” and “visa acquisition in just 3 months,” as well as sharing experiences on how to relocate to Japan as quickly as possible.
While Japanese guesthouses were traditionally seen as a way to provide short-term accommodations for travelers, they have now become a favored “entry point” for Chinese immigrants.
The main reasons why many Chinese individuals target Osaka as their destination include its abundant tourism resources, as well as the availability of a large number of vacant houses and old residential properties in the city area, where real estate prices are relatively affordable.
Many Japanese residents have expressed concerns about this trend. According to the report by “Yomiuri Shimbun,” a 68-year-old grandmother who has been living in the Tenjinsanjo area of Nishinari-ku, Osaka for nearly 40 years stated, “After the epidemic, almost all the guesthouses in this area belong to Chinese people.”
This phenomenon has also sparked intense discussions among Japanese netizens: “A Chinese circle is forming within Japan. I hope the government can strengthen regulations”; “Chinese immigrants can access medical benefits for free, easily buy land, apply for driver’s licenses, and the naturalization process is so simple.” Some Japanese netizens criticized the ruling party, saying, “It’s only now making the news, this has been a problem for years.”
The “News Investigation” production team