Regulation for Foreigners Discussed in Election

In the campaign for the Upper House election, one unusual topic is discussed among the parties. That is governmental policies for foreigners in Japan. One small uprising party advocates eccentric policies to introduce stricter regulation against foreign residents in Japan. While some conservative parties uphold regulations against foreigners, the liberal powers dismiss those movements as exclusive. It seems to have common ground with the United States where policy against immigrants is spotlighted. 

The policy on foreigners in Japan has been discussed as the matter of accepting workers from foreign countries to cover labor shortage in Japan. Former Shinzo Abe administration introduced new system of foreigners’ status for skilled workers in 2019. In this Upper House election, the discussion is more focused on whether life of the Japanese are threatened by increasing foreigners.

 

A Peruvian, who had converted his driver’s license issued by his home country to Japanese one, drove his car on the opposite side of Shin-Meishin Highway and crashed into 2 other cars in May. After the case, there rose an argument that the conversion of driver’s license should be stricter. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) included tougher regulation for conversion of driver’s license in their campaign policies, upholding a target of “no illegal foreigner.”

 

A young party established in 2020, Sanseito (Do It Yourself Party) fielded its candidates in all the prefectural district in the Upper House election. Resembling U.S. President Donald Trump, Sanseito appeals its slogan of “The Japanese First”. The party proposes establishing “Agency of General Policy for Foreigners,” introducing stricter regulation on foreign workers, on obtainment of citizenship and on purchasing land property by foreigners. It would not approve voting right of foreign residents in any elections.

 

It is estimated that Sanseito is eroding conservative votes which had been affiliated to the LDP. In a poll of Yomiuri Shimbun, Sanseito enjoyed the third position in approval rate for parties, following the LDP and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ). Sanseito is supposed to be collecting conservative votes which are not satisfied with traditional parties such as the LDP, Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin-no Kai) or the Democratic Party for the People (DPP).

 

Although the DPP promotes regulation on land property for foreigners as same as Sanseito, most opposition parties criticize excessive regulation on foreigners. The CDPJ proposes legislation of a basic law to deal with increasing foreigners. Japan Communist Party demands independent organization for managing discrimination and violation of human rights for foreigners.

 

The movement for exclusive policy against foreigners resembles rise of far-right in European countries. Sanseito’s the Japanese-First policy appeals to the voters who are feeling threatened by change of their life and society by foreign residents around them. As Japan’s economic power declines, it is likely that the Japanese people are getting less tolerant to foreign people.

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