In a country criticized for its lack of political diversity, two foreign-born assembly members are trying to make a difference.

Jon Heese, 59, who was born in Canada, is now in his fourth term as a member of the Tsukuba city assembly in Ibaraki Prefecture.

When asked why he entered Japanese politics, he said in English: “If not me, then who? If not now, then when?”

Heese came to Japan as an English teacher in 1991 and obtained Japanese nationality in 2007.

He became especially interested in Japanese politics after tougher penalties against drunken driving introduced in 2002 led to the closures of some restaurants he had frequented. He wondered if anti-drunken driving measures adopted in Canada could be introduced in Tsukuba.

Although he consulted with municipal officials and assembly members, Heese decided it would be better if he himself followed through on his own idea about drunken driving.

He ran in the 2008 city assembly race, and acquaintances helped him distribute posters and fliers. He placed second.

But since then, he has received the most votes for three consecutive elections starting in 2012.

Tsukuba is a hub for universities and research institutions, with many foreign residents, including academics and students.

According to the city government, Tsukuba has a population of about 250,000, and nearly 10,000 of them, or about 4 percent, have come from roughly 140 countries.

“With such a ratio, it is only natural to have a foreign-born member in the 28-seat city assembly,” Heese said. “In fact, I thought it was necessary to have such a representative.”

He said he never thought of becoming a politician when he came to Japan.

Heese said the city assembly must understand the needs of each resident to achieve political diversity.

“If I am giving influence, it is not because I am from a foreign country,” he said. “It is because I keep seeking what’s needed for the city.”

Anthony Bianchi, 63, is currently serving his fifth term as an assembly member in Inuyama city, Aichi Prefecture. He has even served as assembly chair.

Born in New York, Bianchi came to Japan for the first time in 1988.

He developed ties with the prefecture through a home-stay program and later became an English teacher there.

Bianchi became interested in joining politics after moving to Inuyama in 1996 and working with the city’s education board to develop an English program.

When he tried to reform English education, some board members opposed his ideas because there were “no precedents.”

He had to decide whether to keep quiet and do his job, return to the United States or speak up for himself.

He took matters into his own hands and ran for a city assembly seat in 2003.

His first election experience in Japan was baffling.

Bianchi said he was particularly perplexed by election rules that allowed campaign vehicles to only repeatedly blare out the names of candidates.

He also wanted to avoid giving loud street speeches, and he once quarreled with his campaign staff over the volume level.

The native New Yorker also overheard some people saying that his Japanese was terrible and that they didn’t want a foreigner representing them.

Still, his supporters encouraged him by saying there was nothing wrong with bringing a new perspective to the assembly. He felt that his American background worked both positively and negatively.

Bianchi gained the most votes in the election.

His first question as an assembly member was why his colleagues appeared reluctant to discuss issues with each other. He thought there were more active discussions in the United States.

He established a system of encouraging talks among assembly members as part of reforms.

When he was appointed assembly chair in 2017, Bianchi proposed the “Residents’ Free Speech” system, under which citizens chosen by lottery can speak freely about the city administration.

His effort to realize grass-roots democracy through free speech by residents attracted nationwide attention.

Bianchi feels that Japanese take a reserved stance on politics and shy away from speaking their minds. For that reason, he takes pride in encouraging discussions.

But Bianchi said he must be careful not to simply impose an American way of thinking.

“Diversity matters not only in terms of where people come from but also in terms of how they participate in politics,” he said.