By HARUKA SUZUKI/ Staff Writer
November 4, 2025 at 16:25 JST
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends the meeting of a ministerial council concerning policies on foreign nationals on Nov. 4 with Kimi Onoda, the minister in charge of the issue. (Takeshi Iwashita)
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on Nov. 4 that she intends to formulate the direction of policies on foreign nationals, one of her administration’s priorities, in January.
At the inaugural meeting of a new ministerial council tasked with the issue, Takaichi instructed her ministers to accelerate discussions on issues such as compliance with existing rules, proper administration of various systems and a review of regulations governing land acquisition by foreign nationals.
“I ask that you proceed with a sense of urgency so that we can present our basic principles and the direction of our initiatives in January next year,” she said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara and Kimi Onoda, the minister in charge of “a society of well-ordered and harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals,” were among the officials in attendance.
Takaichi reiterated the administration’s basic stance on foreign national policies she included in her Oct. 24 policy speech to the Diet.
“A situation is arising in which the public feels unease or injustice in response to illegal activities or deviations from rules by some foreign nationals,” she said at the meeting. “While drawing a clear line against xenophobia, the government will stand firm in responding to such conduct.”
The government is expected to have the new council consider tightening and reviewing systems and practices concerning foreign nationals, such as immigration control, access to social security programs, educational support and overtourism.
During the recent Liberal Democratic Party leadership race, Takaichi pledged measures against illegal overstayers and stronger restrictions on land purchases.
The coalition agreement between the LDP and Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) includes a plan to formulate a “population strategy” by the end of fiscal 2026, incorporating numerical targets for accepting foreign nationals.
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