With "Japan First" on the Rise, Japan Plans to Establish New Body to Address Foreigner Issues

Amid growing calls within Japan's political circles for stricter regulations targeting foreigners, particularly aimed at appealing to conservative voters, the Japanese government has decided to establish a central command body to address foreigner-related issues in a unified manner.

Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on July 8, the Japanese government has finalized plans to set up a new secretariat early next week that will serve as the command center for addressing various issues related to foreigners, including crimes committed by non-citizens. The new organization will be established within the Cabinet Secretariat and will comprehensively review matters related to foreigners, such as the management of residency status by the Immigration Services Agency, social security systems overseen by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and tax management by the Ministry of Finance.

In Japan, calls for tightening regulations on foreigners have been growing, especially as the Sanseito party, which promotes a "Japan First" agenda, has gained prominence during the House of Councillors election campaign. In its campaign pledges, Sanseito argued that the rapid increase in the foreign population is destabilizing society and promised to implement stricter regulations on the acceptance of unskilled and low-skilled workers, end welfare support for foreigners, and toughen requirements for obtaining permanent residency.

Earlier, a Kyodo News poll conducted on July 5-6 among 1,253 respondents found that support for Sanseito in the proportional representation vote had risen to 8.1%, up 2.3 percentage points from the survey conducted on June 28-29. While the ruling Liberal Democratic Party maintained the top spot at 18.2%, Sanseito recorded the highest support among opposition parties. Analysts attribute this shift to conservative voters, who previously supported the Liberal Democratic Party, now turning to Sanseito in response to issues such as rising real estate prices due to property purchases by wealthy foreigners, certain crimes committed by non-citizens, and inappropriate use of health insurance by foreigners.

Some observers have noted that Japan is witnessing a trend similar to Europe, where right-wing forces have gained momentum by capitalizing on anti-immigrant sentiment. Amid growing self-reflection and criticism of what is being called "xenophobia," the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is also expected to order measures aimed at realizing a well-ordered society where Japanese citizens and foreigners can coexist harmoniously.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.