Special permanent resident (Japan)

A Special Permanent Resident (特別永住者, tokubetsueijūsha) is a resident of Japan with ancestry usually related to its former colonies, Korea or Taiwan, specifically when those countries were under Japanese colonial rule. They had been subjects of the Empire of Japan, but had lost that status after the war when the Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. Korean residents of Japan, known as Zainichi Koreans, were permitted to naturalise and become Japanese citizens, but many hesitated to do so given anti-Korean prejudice in Japan. Following the 1965 treaty between Japan and South Korea, Zainichi Koreans gained Special Permanent Resident status.[1][2]

Although Special Permanent Residents are unable to vote in Japanese elections, they are usually afforded additional rights and privileges beyond those of normal Permanent Residents comparable to a citizen. For example, Special Permanent Residents are not subject to immigration control under Article 5 of the Immigration Control Act 1951. During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, Special Permanent Residents were allowed the right of return, while other permanent residents were denied permission to enter Japan.[3][4]

As of 2018, around 320,000 people in Japan were classified as Special Permanent Residents.[5]