The Japanese government has decided to officially implement the "Reward System for Reporting Illegal Foreigners Staying" from fiscal year 2026 (starting April 1), and the first pilot area is Ibaraki Prefecture. Anyone who provides effective clues to the police or the Immigration and Immigration Agency and successfully leads to the arrest of illegal immigrants will receive a reward of 50,000 yen (approximately RMB 2,300). This is the first time Japan has used bounties nationwide to encourage private participation in combating illegal immigration.
Ibaraki Prefecture was chosen as a pilot because the number of foreign workers in the county has surged and the problem of visa overstays is more prominent. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Justice, there are approximately 82,000 foreigners illegally staying in Japan (as of the end of 2025). The main countries of origin are:
– Vietnam (about 18%)
– Thailand (about 15%)
– South Korea (about 14%)
– China, Philippines, Indonesia and other countries also account for a large proportion
Among them, the number of Vietnamese overstayers has ranked first for many years in a row, and they are mainly engaged in agriculture, construction, nursing and other fields. The Japanese government believes that the bounty system can effectively mobilize private forces, make up for the lack of law enforcement resources, and at the same time deter potential defaulters.
Justice Minister Takeru Saito said: "This is not targeted at a specific country, but to maintain a fair residence order. The reward amount is set at 50,000 yen, which is the result of comprehensive consideration of the cost of reporting and the incentive effect." The governor of Ibaraki Prefecture added that the privacy of whistleblowers will be strictly protected during the pilot period and a dedicated hotline will be established.
Once this move was announced, it immediately triggered bipolar reactions on the Japanese Internet. Supporters believe that "this should have been done long ago" and can reduce the waste of social resources and security risks; opponents worry that it may lead to racial discrimination, the proliferation of false reports, and even evolve into "reward witch hunts."
Currently, this system is only being piloted in Ibaraki Prefecture, and the Ministry of Justice plans to decide whether to extend it nationwide based on the results of implementation. The Japanese Residency Administration has emphasized that rewards are only for "conclusive and effective clues" and will not reward simple "suspicions" or "malicious reports".
Source: NHK, Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun.
