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Sixty-six percent of voters view Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s tougher immigration policies as “promising,” while 24 percent expressed concern, an Asahi Shimbun survey showed.

Similarly, 56 percent said Japan needs fewer visitors and immigrants, compared with 26 percent who said the country needs more, according to the telephone survey conducted over the weekend.

Among those who want fewer foreign nationals, 80 percent expressed high expectations for the administration’s stricter immigration policies. Only 14 percent took issue with them.

In contrast, 50 percent of those who supported an increase in foreign residents had high expectations, while those concerned about the policies rose to 42 percent.

Younger generations were more opposed to tourists and immigrants.

Eighty percent of respondents in their 30s viewed the policies as promising, and similar levels of support were observed among those in their 40s and 50s.

The trend was flipped among older generations. Support for the policies fell to 49 percent among those 70 and older, while those concerned increased to 34 percent.

Political affiliation also shaped opinions.

Among supporters of Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party, 74 percent viewed the policies favorably, while 20 percent expressed concern. Thirty-one percent of LDP supporters hoped for more foreign nationals in Japan.

This trend continued with an overwhelming 90 percent of supporters of Sanseito, a party known for its anti‑immigration stance, favoring the policies. More than 90 percent of these supporters favored having fewer foreigners in the country.

Eighty percent of voters who back the Democratic Party for the People expressed positive expectations. Likewise, 70 percent of Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin) supporters shared similar views.

On the other side, over 50 percent of supporters of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan expressed reservations about Takaichi’s policies. More than 40 percent of CDP backers were fine with more visitors and immigrants. 

And about half of Komeito supporters expressed high expectations from the policies.

Regarding gender, men were slightly more supportive of increasing the number of foreigners, with 30 percent in favor compared with 22 percent of women.

By region, opposition was particularly strong in Osaka: just over 10 percent favored more non-Japanese, while 70 percent wanted fewer.

The survey also found that the Takaichi Cabinet had a robust approval rate of 69 percent, compared with 17 percent disapproval.

Opinions on immigration issues were closely linked to views on the conservative Takaichi herself.

Among those who said they approved of the administration because of Takaichi’s leadership, 66 percent favored fewer international people.

Conversely, among those who opposed the Cabinet for the same reason, 50 percent favored more foreigners, outnumbering those who wanted less.

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