Hi everyone. I’m looking for some perspective on a call I received from the Legal Affairs Bureau (Homukyoku).
My Situation:
Residency: 8 years in Japan.
Status: Full-time employee (Seishain) for several years.
Application Timeline: Applied before the April 1st rule change. Final interview was completed in early February 2026.
The Issue:
The case officer called me and suggested that I might want to retract (torisage) my application. They mentioned that because I don’t meet the new 10-year residency requirement, they "can’t recommend anything" but gave me the option to withdraw.
My Dilemma:
I was under the impression that applications filed before April 1st fell under "Minister’s Discretion." Now I’m worried that if I don’t retract, I’ll get a formal rejection (Fukyoka), which might hurt my chances when I hit 10 years in 2028.
Has anyone else with 7–9 years of residency received this call recently? Did you choose to retract or push through? If you pushed through, what was the result?
Thank you in advance for any insights!