Japan’s ‘Breeding Visa’: The Viral Hoax Explained

1. Is the Japan Breeding Visa Real? (Short Answer: No, It’s a Hoax)

No, the “Japan breeding visa” is not a real Japanese visa option. I'm sorry if you thought this was your way into Japan. However, the term "Japan breeding visa" refers to an April Fool's joke that went viral. This non-existent visa is supposed to give foreign nationals special residency rights for having children in Japan.

The term "How to get a Japanese breeding visa" has continued to be used on social media sites, such as TikTok. Millions of social media users have shared posts about the supposed program. These viral claims of a Japan breeding visa are not true!

Despite this, the hoax has grabbed worldwide attention about immigration in Japan. Additionally, it has started conversations about Japanese immigration policies among those looking to make Japan their home.

2. The Origins of the Breeding Visa Japan Hoax

The story of the Japan breeding visa hoax can be traced to a single source. The Japan news blog, SoraNews24, published the story of the breeding visa on April Fool’s Day in 2018 [1].

It was simply a throw-away joke that grew into something bigger. SoraNews24 took responsibility and removed the article from their website to stop the misinformation [3]. However, the hoax kept circulating anyway.

Meantime, new viral posts popped up on social media platforms regularly. This fake story has become a stubborn piece of misinformation that wouldn't go away.

Anyone reading the original prank article should have spotted these ridiculous requirements:

• Applicants needed to be at least 21 years old
• Good physical and mental health was mandatory
• Proof of passing a "Naruto Certification Exam" was required
• A fine of 50,000 yen would be imposed for failing to provide evidence of pregnancy [2]
  

The story found new life in June 2024 when social media users paired it with fresh images [1]. This shows how easily debunked stories can stick around and resurface years later. Japanese citizens have voiced their frustration as this false narrative continues to make rounds online [4].

3. Understanding Japan's Real Immigration Policies

Let's face it, the reason people keep believing this story is because of Japan's rapidly ageing society. It is no secret that Japanese birth rates are falling fast and because of this the country’s immigration system has changed dramatically. Over the last several years as the country tackles its demographic challenges and labor shortages. The working-age population started declining in 1996, followed by a total population decrease in 2008 [5].

For those who were hoping that they could spend a romantic night at a love hotel with their Japanese partner to get a visa, I'm afraid that's not going to work! However, there are still various legitimate pathways to get a Japanese visa.

Foreign nationals can now enter Japan through these legitimate visa categories:

• Highly Skilled Professional Visa: For specialized professional foreign workers
• Working Visa: Including categories for professors, artists, and medical professionals
• Specified Skilled Worker: A newer category introduced to address labor shortages
• Student Visa: For international students
• Long-term Resident: For those with Japanese ancestry [7]

If you do want to live in Japan, you should know that the country has slowly opened its doors to foreign workers through recent policy changes.

• From October 2024, the Immigration Services Agency introduced new rules that simplify job transfers for international trainees [8].
• These trainees can now request transfers when they face workplace problems and work part-time up to 28 hours weekly [8].
  
  

Japan's immigration control remains strict despite these reforms. The country's population is still 97.9% ethnic Japanese [9]. This reality stands in stark contrast to viral claims about easy immigration pathways into Japan's carefully managed system.

4. Impact of Viral Misinformation

The Japan breeding visa hoax has spread like wildfire online. This misinformation affects young Western internet users the most. Gen Z users believe it because their favorite content creators paint an unrealistic picture of Japanese culture [10].

This fake story refuses to die and keeps bouncing around different social media sites:

• Reddit discussions and memes
• Twitter/X viral posts
• Facebook shared content
• iFunny entertainment site

The most worrying part is how this hoax comes back year after year. People keep debunking it, but new versions pop up and go viral anyway. The latest waves hit in 2023 and 2024 [10]. Japanese citizens have grown tired of seeing this false story that never seems to go away.

This misinformation does more than just rack up likes and shares. Young people's knowledge of Japanese immigration policies has taken a hit, which creates wrong ideas about how Japan deals with its population challenges. Social media's power to shape what people think shows up clearly here, as fake viral stories can leave lasting confusion about a country's actual policies and culture.

References

[1] - https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/japanese-breeding-visas-hoax
[2] - https://knowyourmeme.com/editorials/guides/are-japanese-breeding-visas-fake-explaining-the-origin-of-the-viral-hoax
[3] - https://soranews24.com/2018/04/01/to-combat-declining-birth-rate-japan-to-begin-offering-breeding-visas-to-foreigners/
[4] - https://www.reddit.com/r/japannews/comments/1ewy8gz/i_am_japanese_if_anyone_knows_about_the_japan/
[5] - https://www.jcer.or.jp/english/historical-background-of-the-japanese-restrictive-immigration-policy
[6] - https://thediplomat.com/2024/08/japans-incremental-change-in-a-de-facto-immigration-policy/
[7] - https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/index.html
[8] - https://eiglaw.com/japan-introduces-changes-to-the-international-trainee-program/
[9] - https://www.migrationpolicy.org/country-resource/japan
[10] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODY8Y8i_9IA