[lmm]

The actual visa renewal fee is only JPY4000 (for full-time employees, spending one of your limited days off going down to the immigration office stings a lot more than the monetary cost). If you want to pay an advisor to prepare the documents that will cost more, but you probably don't need to do that if it's a straight renewal where nothing's changed.

> Also, is it possible to apply for permanent residence after a certain number of years?

10 years generally; there's also a fast-track points system. (You can also naturalize after 5 years, but you have to renounce any other citizenships for that).