Dealing with the increasing number of foreigners in Japan has emerged as an issue in the Upper House election, with parties’ policies ranging from seeking a peaceful coexistence to conducting loyalty checks.

The new specified skills visa is expected to lead to a further surge in foreign residents living in Japan to help fill labor shortages in various industries.

But several problems have already arisen, including traffic accidents and crimes caused by non-Japanese nationals. And some politicians have warned about the loss of Japanese culture in areas with large foreign communities.

The central government on July 8 said it will establish an organization in the Cabinet Secretariat early next week to strengthen its response to problems caused by foreign residents.

Political parties have come up with various other plans, which they are touting in the campaign for the July 20 Upper House election.

‘ZERO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS’

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has vowed to “accelerate efforts toward ‘zero illegal foreigners.’”

In May, the party hurriedly established a group to discuss how to deal with problems related to foreign residents in Japan.

In its campaign pledges for the Upper House election, the LDP included strengthening regulations on converting overseas driving permits to Japanese driver’s licenses and limiting real estate acquisitions by foreigners.

The party said it “will take firm action based on the law.”

The LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito, has also called for “zero illegally overstaying foreigners.”

‘ONLY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH’

Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) has made a campaign pledge to “accept foreigners for work purposes only if they can contribute to the growth of the Japanese economy.”

The Democratic Party for the People has emphasized in its campaign that “taxes paid by Japanese people will be used for policies for Japanese people.”

Specifically, the DPP calls for stronger real estate investment regulations to better protect “national land” from foreign buyers, as well as a “review of operations on social insurance for foreigners.”

DOMINANT ISSUE

One reason for the trend to push foreign resident policies is the success of the Sanseito party, whose “Japanese First” catchphrase has garnered attention from voters on social media.

Sanseito has opposed an “excessive acceptance of foreigners,” and its policies include the introduction of “a system to check the loyalty of foreigners to Japan and their actual living conditions.”

In the national defense and diplomacy section of Sanseito’s policy book, policies on foreigners are listed in 24 items.

These include suspending welfare payments to foreigners, restricting the hiring of foreigners as public servants, and establishing a government agency to centrally manage policies on foreigners.

The party made the same arguments in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election in June. Three of its candidates won the party’s first-ever Tokyo assembly seats.

Despite being labeled xenophobic by its opponents and critics, Sanseito is showing momentum ahead of the Upper House election.

According to an Asahi Shimbun survey conducted in the early stages of the election campaign, Sanseito is expected to significantly increase its number of Upper House seats from the one it gained in the 2022 election.

“This is Japan, so we must create a system that will enrich the Japanese people,” Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya said at a campaign rally in Fukushima on July 4. “Isn’t it natural to make the economic structure and taxation system favorable to our own people?”

CALL FOR MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY

On the other hand, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, Reiwa Shinsengumi, and the Social Democratic Party are showing restraint about enforcing stricter regulations regarding foreigners.

They are concerned that such policies may lead to exclusionism and discrimination.

The CDP has called for enactment of a basic law that takes into account the social changes caused by the increase in foreign residents in Japan.

The party also advocates a review of the consumption tax exemption system for foreign tourists.

“The basic principle is to create a multicultural society,” CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda has said. “What is illegal is no good, whether you are a foreigner or a Japanese.”

The JCP has pledged to “guarantee foreign workers the same rights as Japanese.”

EXCLUSION RISK

Akira Igarashi, an associate professor at the University of Osaka who specializes in immigration and discrimination issues, said politicians’ discourses that view foreigners as “threats” carry the risk of moving society in the direction of excluding foreigners.

“If politicians spread discourse that is a source of exclusionism, it could lead to the creation of an environment in which it is acceptable to express it publicly,” he said.

CAMPAIGN PLEDGES OF EACH PARTY REGARDING FOREIGN RESIDENTS

Liberal Democratic Party: Stricter regulations on converting driver’s licenses. Accelerate efforts toward “zero illegal foreigners.”

Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan: Enactment of a basic law for a multicultural society that takes into account socioeconomic changes caused by the increase in foreign residents in Japan.

Komeito: Consider establishing a system to prevent foreigners from failing to pay social insurance premiums. Aim to accomplish “zero illegally overstaying foreigners.”

Nippon Ishin: Establish a population strategy that controls the rate of increase in foreign nationals and regulates the total number of foreign nationals accepted into Japan.

Japanese Communist Party: Overhaul the Immigration Control Law. Establish an independent human rights institution to deal with discrimination and human rights violations.

Democratic Party for the People: Investigate the actual status of social insurance coverage for foreigners and ensure it is properly administered.

Reiwa Shinsengumi: Abolish the technical intern trainee law. Eliminate human rights violations at immigration facilities.

Sanseito: Suspension of welfare payments to foreigners. Restrictions on hiring foreigners as public servants. Stricter observance of Japanese culture by foreigners.

Social Democratic Party: Enact an anti-discrimination law with penalties. Do not exclude refugees and immigrants.

Conservative Party of Japan: Correct the immigration policy. Revise the Immigration Control Law and tighten its enforcement.

(This article was compiled from reports written by Kei Kobayashi, Yuki Minami and Chika Yamamoto.)