Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki expressed “grave concern” over illegal Turkish residents in Japan and called on the country’s ambassador to help resolve the matter.

During a meeting at the Justice Ministry on July 30, Suzuki told Ambassador Oguzhan Ertugrul that the number of Turkish overstayers relative to legal residents is high compared with other nationalities.

While acknowledging historically friendly relations between Japan and Turkey, Suzuki requested help in addressing the issue, saying, “We are taking strict measures against illegal residency in response to growing public anxiety.”

Ertugrul said Turkey has been encouraging its citizens already in or planning to stay in Japan to adhere to Japanese laws and social customs.

It is highly unusual for a justice minister to directly raise immigration and residency management issues with the ambassador of a specific country and make the exchange public.

The meeting was requested by the Turkish Embassy as part of a courtesy call by Ertugrul, who took office at the end of last year, according to the ministry. It was originally scheduled for March.

Only the beginning of the meeting was open to the media.

There were about 7,700 legal Turkish residents in Japan as of the end of December, according to the Justice Ministry.

In addition, 1,372 Turkish nationals were illegally staying in the country as of Jan. 1, making Turkey the country with the 10th largest number of overstayers.

With a ratio of roughly one overstayer against five legal residents, Turkey tops the list of the 10 countries and regions with the largest numbers of overstayers, ministry officials said.

Thailand, which had the second largest number of overstayers, had a similar ratio, with 11,337 overstayers against about 65,400 legal residents.

Suzuki announced in May that Japan would not tolerate overstayers by implementing a “zero illegal residents” program.

The plan calls for strict pre-entry screening, accelerated refugee recognition procedures and deportation of individuals applying for refugee status three or more times. Those with serious criminal records also face deportation.

Speaking at the Japan National Press Club on July 30, Suzuki said the issues concerning refugees and immigrants could lead to social division and political turmoil in Japan, as has been the case in Europe.

“In the Upper House election, debates over foreigners received significant attention and unverified information spread over social media and elsewhere, raising public anxiety,” he said.

Suzuki said Japan must promote a free and open society, given its shrinking population.

“If the public feels anxiety or unfairness, we cannot gain their support,” he said, emphasizing the importance of realizing a society where Japanese live in “orderly coexistence” with foreigners, a goal advocated by the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

In a development concerning Turkish residents in Japan, Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono suggested on July 28 that the central government temporarily suspend the mutual visa waiver agreement between Japan and Turkey.

Kurds with Turkish nationality, many of whom are seeking refugee status, have formed large communities in and around the cities of Kawaguchi and Warabi in the prefecture.

Ono said prefectural residents have expressed concerns about the large number of Turkish nationals repeatedly applying for refugee status.

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told The Asahi Shimbun on July 30 that the government is enhancing dialogue and cooperation with Turkey to prevent crimes and address concerns over immigration and residency management.

He said suspending the mutual visa waiver agreement will have a negative impact on relations with Turkey, in politics, economy, culture, tourism and other areas, by stalling corporate activities and slowing people-to-people exchanges.

“We do not believe the situation warrants immediate suspension,” Iwaya said. “We will continue to engage in thorough discussions with Turkey.”

Kurds of Turkish nationality have settled in Saitama Prefecture since around 1990, and the current population is estimated at several thousand.

Denied refugee status, many Kurds have been provisionally released from detention at immigration facilities.

Since around 2023, discriminatory and prejudiced rhetoric against Kurds in Japan has rapidly spread, particularly on social media.

(This article was written by Yuki Nikaido, Azusa Kato and Akira Nemoto in Istanbul.)