DEBITO.ORG READERS’ ISSUES OF CONCERN, JULY 2025: ELECTION SPECIAL

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Hi Blog.  I write Debito.org SNA “Visible Minorities” columns once a month (SNA website here) and send Debito.org Newsletters to subscribers sporadically.  After sending, I archive them here, and below, Debito.org Readers have been adding recent issues and articles that concern them regardless of the content of the post over the past several years.  It’s been a good way to allow Readers to be heard and engaged.

I still put out Debito.org Newsletters, but since I’m only posting on Debito.org approximately once a month, there’s only one article to repost (my SNA column), and I have it here as Debito.org post anyway.  So it’d only be a repeat if I dedicated another post to the Newsletter.

But I don’t want to deprive Readers of a forum, so let me continue this “Issues of Concern” section (still categorized under “Newsletters”) and let it be a free space for articles and comments germane to the mission of Debito.org.

With the July 20, 2025 election with all its xenophobic rhetoric, I think there will be much to say all around. Past Reader comments on the election here and here.

Thanks as always for reading and contributing to Debito.org.  Debito Arudou, Ph.D.
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44 comments on “DEBITO.ORG READERS’ ISSUES OF CONCERN, JULY 2025: ELECTION SPECIAL”

  • Niklas says:

    Decent article which explains that even though Sanseito will most likely not form a coalition government, they already pulled everyone to the right, including the LDP (which already is on the far right if you ask me).

    https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15918756

    Another interesting article I found in the Mainichi, about someone who naturalized due to Japan‘s ban in all foreigners during covid.

    https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250721/p2a/00m/0na/019000c

    It also seems like Sanseito is capturing a lot of votes from right wingers who think that the LDP is not enough the the right.

    Only good news is that Mio Sugita lost her seat, but I doubt that it was due to her discriminatory remarks.

    https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250721/p2a/00m/0na/013000c

    https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15918010

    Reply
    • JK says:

      Right after the Upper House Elections on July 24, I usually like to give my opinion about the results. I do have an opinion (which is, in short: I think the fears of a xenophobic surge are overblown, since for decades ALL of these slogans have been said by people both on campaigns and after being elected), but I’m going to flesh it out more in my next SNA column.

      I’m not seeking a response here-and-now, but are you sure?

      Personally, I can’t help but think that things were very different this time around, and I’m not alone:

      At the same time, I can’t shake the feeling that another, more troubling shift has taken place, one quite different from the “political upheaval” captured by the headline. It is the rise of xenophobia. I have never witnessed an election in which fear of foreigners was so openly inflamed, nor one where discriminatory rhetoric was voiced with such blatant ease.

      Reference: VOX POPULI: Xenophobia gains ground in Upper House election / （天声人語）参院選が生んだもの (Japanese language paywall version)

      And based on this, I’m not optimistic that next time around will be any different:

      In “Kashika Sareru Sabetsu” (Discrimination brought to visualization), author Akira Igarashi presents the results of a very interesting experiment.

      When Japanese test subjects were asked whether they supported or opposed restricting the number of foreign workers coming to Japan, their comments were more xenophobic if their answers could be seen by other people.

      This, according to Igarashi, is the opposite of what is normally the case in Europe and the United States, where test subjects tend to hide, out of guilt, their honest anti-foreigner feelings when their answers can be viewed by other people.

      Igarashi theorizes that there exists a “standard” in Japanese society that creates the illusion that people must act xenophobically.

      They are made to believe that since xenophobes are a majority, they must conform.
      In the background, Igarashi explains, is Japan’s greater tolerance toward xenophobic celebrities and politicians, who would be severely condemned in other countries.

      Reference: VOX POPULI: Study suggests xenophobia as the ‘default’ is a conformity issue / （天声人語）日本と排外主義 (Japanese language paywall version)

      — I’m not absolutely sure, as expressing any absolute certainty about politics is a recipe for embarrassment, but let me have a think about this for a bit and I’ll probably have something a bit more focused in a month.

      Reply
      • Niklas says:

        I actually shares the original study last year here on debito.org, but I don‘t remember under which entry. Maybe someone can dig it up.

        In other news, over half of voters support a fascist party.

        https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15932679

        I agree with JK, Sanseito is not really anything new if you know about Nippon Kaigi, but the difference I see here is that they‘re way more openly racist than the average LDP politician.

        Even during Abe, every time he or someone else tried to claim that Nanjing never happened, they had to backpaddle on it when international media and politicians pushed them.

        Sanseito will not do that. They‘re proudly going around telling the media how they will end all wellfare for foreigners, stop accepting any immigrants, and the next thing they‘ll announce is probably to deport all foreigners (they haven‘t said the last one yet, but it‘s only a matter of time, see Trump and German AfD as exampmes). Rewriting history books is also on their agenda, even though it‘s not talked about in the media (probably because it‘s normalised due to Abe and the LDP pushing for it in the past).

        I mean, it‘s literally so bad that a Nippon Kaigi fascist like Koike had to step in.

        https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250712/p2a/00m/0na/021000c

        I definitely think that Sanseito is a threat to all NJ. Even if they‘re not in the government, they will pull everyone to the right.

        I‘m going to eagerly await the new column and what Debito has to say about it and I hope I‘m wrong, but all of this does not bode well at all.

        — Thanks. All this stuff is making me rethink my thesis. Maybe it’s a good thing I’m delaying this a month.

        Reply
        • JK says:

          Maybe it’s a good thing I’m delaying this a month.

          Agreed — there’s quite a bit to unpack from this election.

          For example, putting Sanseido and others of their ilk aside for the moment, I suspect you’ll will want to touch on how the SDP was barely saved from losing their status as a political party by Actor LaSalle Ishii (Japanese language paywall version here).

          Of note are these points you may wish to discuss:

          In Sapporo, a woman of Korean descent in her 20s told Ishii, “We’re so used to discrimination that it doesn’t even faze us anymore.” Ishii said he was shocked and saddened, adding, “There’s no way this kind of society is acceptable.” He warned that when society feels stifling, people are drawn to things that shine with energy, and he is wary of rising xenophobia.

          He also directly challenged the surging right-wing populist party Sanseito. “What does ‘Japanese First’ even mean? There’s no such thing as first or second among human beings,” he said, referring to Sanseito’s election slogan.

          Reply
        • JDG says:

          Sanseito is *already* telling news outlets like BBC ‘we never said we want to deport all foreigners’, as if this is supposed to reassure.
          But no one HAS accused them of saying that; they’re the ones expressing this idea (if only in denial of it) and note well, they AREN’T saying that they DON’T want mass deportations.
          They’re playing a nasty psychological word game here to foreshadow what they will do.

          Reply
        • JK says:

          Sanseito will not do that. They‘re proudly going around telling the media how they will end all wellfare for foreigners, stop accepting any immigrants, and the next thing they‘ll announce is probably to deport all foreigners (they haven‘t said the last one yet, but it‘s only a matter of time, see Trump and German AfD as exampmes).

          @Niklas, as if on cue, the heads of Sanseitō and AfD just did a meet-n-greet!:

          Sanseito leader meets in Tokyo with co-head of Germany’s AfD
           / 神谷氏、独極右党首と会談　ＳＮＳ投稿「私も欧州にいけたら」 (Japanese language paywall version)

          Reply
          • Niklas says:

            Fascists meeting eith fascists, I‘m not surprised.

            When the AfD moved into parliament in 2017 they claimed they only want to deport illegals. In 2024 they secretly met in Potsdam to discuss „remigration“. Their meeting got leaked by investigative journalists and everyone acted shocked for a week (they talked about eventually deporting all foreigners, including German naturalized citizens. A few months later they oficially campaigned for the 2025 election inder the „remigration“ slogan.

            So it took them only 8 years to drop their mask, I think that Sanseito will be much faster, because:

            1. Racism in Japan is more accepted than in Germany

            2. There‘s basically no opposition. The LDP basically joined Sanseito by announcing their „0 illegal immigrants plan“ and the press in Japan is way too weak to counter such naratives.

            My estimate is that they‘ll talk about „remigration“ next year already.

  • JDG says:

    No sooner do I comment here, that 2 days after the election, people who would usually address me with my name plus the suffix ‘san’ are now calling me ‘anata’ and ‘gaijin’ to my face (and even my wife doesn’t call me ‘anata’) in my own home! WTAF!
    There it is; the election results are emboldening racists to speak out no longer fearing their prejudices are in the minority or embarrassing, and confirming every puerile racial superiority myth they hold.

    And that’s just two days. Am I going to be safe?
    What about my kids?

    Reply
    • Baudrillard says:

      I hope you call them “anata” or even “Omae” back. Deamdn the respect you deserve, like in that scene in Last Samurai where Timothy Spall calls out a racist guard by pretending Tom Cruise in the American President. One ridiculous insult deserves another!

      Seen this in Japan many times; easily influenced by media hype or use it as excuses e.g. The company that would not pay an advance on my work which included a chapter on Korea “because last week North Korea rachi mondai was in the news”, or “not sure we should renew your contract, because of the Leeman Shock in America” etc etc.

      What if we started doing that? “Ok, so Sanseito got 15 seats in the diet so I am going to need a pay rise to take a taxi to avoid local street wacists.” This is actually happening as Japan seems a less welcoming destination high end expats at least will be in position to demand more. Ghosn and Woodford’s treatment don’t inspire confidence.

      Tangentially, the deputation of neighborhood Oyaji apparently empowered with Stop and Search on street corners in Tokyo, because of a G20 summit in Hokkaido.

      Duplicitous excuses and naive belief in rumors. I can see why the 1923 earthquake led to the massacre of Koreans based on a rumor.
      You’d think they’d know better than now, seems not.

      As I have said elsewhere, I blame the 1955 system for engraining imperial “values” into the society, so it was not really starting from a clean slate.

      Reply
    • JDG says:

      That second link!
      🤣🤣🤣🤣

      What’s the crime here? Borrowing someone’s ID. To get a job.
      Someone wants a job.
      In a country with a chronic labour shortage.
      And a massive gap between government spending and tax revenue.
      Someone wants to work and pay tax.
      But ‘control’ is more important than social and economic survival; if Japan can’t micro control NJ, well then NJ just won’t be allowed to save Japan from its demographic timebomb and world’s largest GDP/National Debt ratio🙄
      Because, facism.

      Reply
  • JK says:

    Parties with xenophobic stances gained support, and consequently, even moderate conservative parties adopted similar rhetoric. A country’s democracy becomes dysfunctional if moderate conservatism collapses.

    – Ken Endo, professor of international politics at the University of Tokyo.

    So, here we have another senmonka weighing in on the Upper House election results, right?

    Wrong!

    The above comment was made here a) regarding Europe, and b) before the election in Japan (Japanese language paywall version here)!

    Reply
  • JK says:

    In other news, while demand for rice continues to outstrip supply (for 3 years in a row!), Japanese consumers in Gunma prefecture are turning to foreigner-owned shops for rice.

    This is great for NJ and Wajin alike.

    Actually, I think it’s better deal for the Wajin: NJ-owned shops are earning more revenue thanks to Wajin customers, but the Wajin are getting access to a less-expensive alternative to bichiku-mai / J-Gov stockpiled rice.

    But wait a minute: how does this arrangement square with Sanseitō’s “Japanese First” ideology?

    “We’d like to make proposals for running a country not dependent on immigrants and foreigners.”

    So by this logic, no NJ = no NJ-shops. Ergo, no more NJ rice.

    This actually touches on a much deeper subject I’ve been meaning to explore: Due to time and circumstance, what Sanseitō (and others of their ilk) are promising will resonate with a certain audience, but in the end, all this glorified uyoku dantai  will end up delivering is misery for everyone.

    Reply
    • JDG says:

      You’re 100% right.
      Sanseito is proposing North Korea levels of self-sufficiency, and it’ll work out just as badly.
      BTW, great posts always👍

      Reply
      • JK says:

        @JDG, thanks!

        Here’s another example of the misery inherent in Sanseitō’s “Japanese First” ideology: No “Okazaki Model”.

        Reference: 「岡崎モデル」第1号の外国人バス運転士がデビューしました。

        Translated summary excerpt of the “Okazaki Model” below courtesy of o4-mini:

        😊 What Is the Okazaki Model?

        The Okazaki Model is a public–private–academic partnership designed to secure and sustain public transportation personnel by providing targeted Japanese-language education. It aims to promote foreign residents’ inflow for study and employment, support their job placement and settlement, and can be adapted across various occupations and regions.

        At this point I can stop thinking — even AI realizes the obvious:

        Prompt: Is the Okazaki Model compatible with the 「日本人ファースト」 ideology of 参政党 (Sanseitō)?

        ⚖️ Compatibility Assessment

        The Okazaki Model—which actively recruits and supports foreign workers through Japanese-language education and settlement services—is not compatible with the 「日本人ファースト」 ideology of 参政党 (Sanseito). Sanseito’s “Japan First” platform prioritizes native Japanese interests and typically opposes policies that broadly promote foreign labor inflow and integration.

        Reply
  • JK says:

    Perhaps the electorate is skeptical of Sanseitō due to the Chosŏn Rodong Dang (Workers’ Party of North Korea) vibes it’s putting out?:

    Nearly half of people in Japan expect little from Sanseito, the populist party that made significant gains in the latest House of Councillors election, according to a nationwide Mainichi Shimbun survey conducted June 26 and 27.

    Forty-six percent of respondents did not consider the party to be promising, far more than the 19% who said they had expectations for it. Meanwhile, 34% replied “not sure.”

    While it appears to have served as an outlet for dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition, the party has also drawn criticism. For example, a newly elected candidate controversially said, “Nuclear armament is the cheapest policy,” when discussing national security.

    46% in Japan have low expectations for controversial Sanseito party: Mainichi poll / 参政党に期待「できる」19％　「できない」46％　毎日新聞世論調査

    Reply
    • JK says:

      Update on this Mainichi poll: “The Mainichi analyzed open-answer survey responses to uncover voters’ true feelings.”

      Right-wing Sanseito party’s ‘Japanese First’ policy inspires both hope and worry: poll / 参政党への期待と不安　世論調査から見た有権者の「本音」 (Japanese language paywall version)

      ‘Japanese First’ policies

      The survey first asked whether respondents had positive expectations for Sanseito. Those who answered “yes” were asked to write the party policy they most favored and their reasons. Those who answered “no” were asked to write what points they were against and their reasons.

      Among those with positive expectations, the most common responses cited Sanseito’s “Japanese First” and foreigner-related policies, which the party emphasized during the upper house campaign. Comments and those who made them included, “They should establish basic policies prioritizing Japanese people” (a man in his 70s), “It’s only natural for Japan to put Japanese people first” (a man in his 30s), and “I want to support them because they think about Japanese people” (a woman in her 60s). Many also specifically mentioned concerns about foreign ownership of property, such as, “Japan shouldn’t sell land to foreigners” (a woman in her 50s), and “I expect them to address the issue of foreigners buying up land” (a man in his 60s).

      Among those who voted in the upper house election and said they “have positive expectations” for Sanseito, 76% said they “considered foreigner-related policies” when voting, far higher than the 30% among those who did not hold a positive view of the party. Sanseito’s focus on “Japanese First” played a major part in making foreigner-related policies a key election issue. A man in his 20s wrote, “I have high expectations for (Sanseito’s) ‘Japanese First’ stance. I wonder why no party has ever advocated it before.” By highlighting foreigner-related issues early, Sanseito captured the attention of voters concerned about real estate purchases by foreign businesses, rising prices and trouble associated with the post-COVID-19 surge in inbound tourism.

      Excerpt from the article:

      Discrimination and exclusion worries

      On the other hand, the most common reason for negative views of Sanseito was also its “Japanese First” and foreigner-related policies. Comments included, “I absolutely cannot agree with the idea of discriminating against foreigners” (a woman in her 50s), “The party has a strong discriminatory tone” (a woman in her 20s), and “From a humanitarian perspective, and given Japan’s declining population, calls for excluding foreigners are unacceptable even from a labor standpoint” (a man in his 20s). Many expressed concerns that Sanseito’s “Japanese First” slogan could lead to discrimination or exclusion.

      Reply
  • JK says:

    Maybe someone should request President Erdoğan of Turkey temporary suspend the mutual visa waiver agreement between Japan and Turkey due to FUD being spread by Saitama Prefectural Governor Motohiro Ono:

    The governor of requested a temporary suspension of the mutual visa waiver agreement between Japan and Turkey, indicating that crimes by Turkish nationals are causing anxiety among local residents.

    “Some foreign nationals enter Japan under the visa waiver agreement and continue to stay by repeatedly applying for refugee status without valid grounds for being recognized,”

    He said there have been cases in which such individuals commit crimes, spreading concern among residents.

    Saitama calls for temporary halt on visa waiver pact with Turkey / 埼玉知事、トルコとのビザ免除協定の一時停止を要望　議員との会議で / 埼玉知事「難民申請に課題」「治安悪化のファクトない」　ビザ問題で

    Reply
  • JK says:

    Let’s see if the J-Gov get a clue:

    Japan governors’ group seeks measures to accept foreigners, build multicultural society / 「外国人は『地域住民』」　全国知事会が法相に多文化共生強化を要望

    From the article:

    While the national government has viewed foreigners as “workers,” local governments tend to see them as residents and community members just like Japanese citizens. The association is calling for the establishment of a central organization to oversee multicultural policies, among other measures.

    The recommendations point out that with the rapid increase of foreigners in the country, Japanese language education and living support have been left in the hands of the municipalities where they live. They emphasize that the issue is not just for specific areas with concentrated foreign populations, but “will clearly become a major national issue” moving forward.

    The association calls for establishing a new central organization separate from the Immigration Services Agency, which oversees immigration administration, and for drafting a systematic and comprehensive basic law to underpin national and local multicultural policies. It also highlights the need for the national government to provide financial support for local multicultural coexistence measures and actively spread information on systems that foreign residents need to know.

    Recognizing the severe labor shortages Japan faces in rural areas, the association suggests the new training and employment system replacing the foreign technical intern training program be implemented so as to facilitate recruitment and retention of foreign workers in those regions.

    Reply
  • JK says:

    I couldn’t find an English language version available, so I asked AI to help:

    参政党はこれから「日本人」をどう定義するのか　雨宮処凛氏の考察

    What follows is a translated version using Claude Haiku 3.5:

    How Will Political Parties Redefine “Japanese Identity” Moving Forward? Insights from Karin Amamiya

    In the recent House of Councilors election, political parties championing a “Japan First” agenda and criticizing “excessive foreign immigration” made significant gains. Notably, many of their supporters were young people newly engaging with political discourse. What drove this support? We asked writer Karin Amemiya to share her insights.

    The Wounded Pride of a Former Economic Powerhouse

    Reflecting on the election results, I was struck by the profound sense of wounded national pride. With rising prices straining daily life and staple foods becoming scarce on supermarket shelves, people were overwhelmed by uncertainty.

    Simultaneously, as COVID-19 border restrictions lifted, foreign tourists returned in large numbers. They enthusiastically purchased luxury items at prices unaffordable to many Japanese, remarking on the perceived affordability. Hotel prices soared. Daily, citizens were confronted with the stark reality of Japan’s diminishing economic status.

    In recent weeks, I observed a dramatic shift in the social climate. As political parties began promoting nationalist rhetoric targeting “foreigners,” people seemed to instinctively rally behind these messages. It was as if they had finally found a convenient scapegoat for their frustrations. Supporters displayed a palpable sense of relief and excitement, as though their long-suppressed anxieties had finally found vocal expression.

    Nationalism Amidst Global Uncertainty

    Globally, tensions persist—threats from China, the uncertain situation in Taiwan, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Amid this growing unease, news from the U.S. about troop deployments during immigration protests circulated. Social media videos depicting “burning cars” and “violent demonstrations” amplified fears, warning that “unchecked immigration will lead to societal breakdown!”

    Social platforms continuously circulate controversial videos highlighting perceived misconduct by foreign tourists, perpetuating a narrative of cultural threat. In June, a widely reported incident in Tokyo’s Itabashi ward saw a Chinese-owned company abruptly raising condominium rents by 250%, forcing residents to relocate.

    Reply
    • Baud says:

      “as though their long-suppressed anxieties had finally found vocal expression.” -this scares me, its as if they think they werent allowed to act openly racist/nationalist first under the American occupation and then under the LDP- gaffes aside, which usually led to resignations or condemnations.
      Now, its like “Yippee! Finally an openly racist party I am free to vote for”.
      Yet another example of the definition of “Free Speech” in Japan disappointedly being “the freedom to hate on foreigners, deny the Asian holocaust, revanchism etc” rather than build an East Asian EU- nope, its not gonna happen. Japan is on its own by its own doing, or propped up by the USA (the humiliating reality which relates to the artciel about ‘The wounded pride of a former economic powerhouse”.

      It seems politically immature and fundamentally anti-democracy in its core, like Russia, or that old chestntut pedalled by authoritarians in Asia like Lee Kuan Yew democracy does not suit the people; Lee was an outspoken critic of Western ideals of democracy, stating that “with a few exceptions, democracy has not brought good government to developing countries.”

      “(Communisim) is a western ideology. It is not one that the Japanese people will joyfully die for (unlike imperialsm)”- Mishima Yukio

      The LDP are equally to blame for this state of affairs, as rather allowing a true culture of democracy to take root, they stifled it with Kishi’s 1955 system. Imperialist thinking lingered on, but was not spoken to outwardly lest the Americans hear of it. That is their idea of conservatism- think racist (but not against whites too much) but don’t openly use it as a vote getter.

      Thats why every now and then they get “outspoken” “rude” upstarts who dare to speak out what they themselves with their casual racism may be thinking, like Makoto Sakurai (“Whito Piggu Go Houmu”-Oops! )
      https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/japan-the-land-of-the-rising-nationalism-2125690.html

      The Land of The Rising Nationalism, indeed. Actually Its always been there, under the western veneer.

      Reply
  • Baud says:

    More on why Sanseito is the symptom of the long term nationalist disease Japan could not kick, but almost did for a brief moment under prime minister “Yukio Hatoyama flirted with what he dubbed Yuai – a fraternal relationship with old enemy China that could have brought both sides closer: more political and cultural exchanges, an EU-style Asian market, even a military alliance were discussed.

    With Hatoyama gone and both sides again in the political trenches, that initiative seems for now to be dead in the water.

    Tokyo’s right-wing governor Shintaro Ishihara said the Chinese were acting like “gangsters” and that it was time for Japan to seriously consider developing nuclear weapons. One hero of the neo-nationalist movement, Toshio Tamogami – a sacked former air force general – even floated the possibility of war. The end result was to “increase Japanese insecurity on the one hand and greater dependency on the US on the other,” points out Mark Selden, a veteran Japan-watcher based at Cornell University in the US. That twin-punch deals a serious blow to what was once seen as a potentially promising initiative of the centre-left Democrat (DPJ) government.”

    Japan reverts to neo-fascist preset mindset. I wish they would grow up.

    — Do you have a source for Tamogami and the Selden quote?

    Reply
  • JK says:

    Tsurugashima city assembly invokes rhetoric of “disruption to city operations” and “threats to public safety” in an attempt to prevent assembly member Fukushima Megumi from using her city council title when expressing opposition to discrimination against Kurdish residents in Saitama Prefecture; when these measures fail, the assembly resorts to officialdom to try and soft-censor her!:

    East Japan city councilor told to stop using title online over anti-discrimination posts / 市議肩書でSNS投稿自粛を　「外国人差別反対」市に抗議・脅迫、鶴ケ島議会が決議可決　／埼玉 (Japanese language paywall version)

    “The resolution is not meant to restrict free speech. We just want her to stop using her city council title when making remarks unrelated to city affairs, which end up affecting city operations.”

    Translation: “We want to silence you without appearing to silence you!”

    Fukushima, meanwhile, stated, “This is an unjust resolution and I have no intention of complying. It takes away my opportunity to speak freely.”

    Hell yeah!

    Reply
    • JK says:

      Update: The Tsurugashima city assembly is facing flak for employing high-handed tactics! (Japanese language version here: 発言自粛求められた市議「声上げ続ける」　共産は謝罪　埼玉・鶴ケ島)

      Cue the obligatory senmonka response:

      By imposing restrictions on the assembly member’s speech in this instance, the city assembly has inadvertently empowered the perpetrators and caused a serious distortion in freedom of expression, a cornerstone of democracy.

      While the reality may be that the city assembly aimed to peacefully resolve the situation marked by an onslaught of protests and even bomb threats, by passing a resolution that catered to the intentions of a few individuals who voiced extreme opinions, it has effectively validated their views.

      It is desirable for the city assembly to voluntarily withdraw the resolution, arguing that it is inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution.

      Reply
  • Niklas says:

    So the Kempeitai is back I guess? Doesn‘t even need Sanseito, Komeito (LDP’s right hand) seems enough.

    https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250805/p2a/00m/0na/015000c

    East Japan city councilor told to stop using title online over anti-discrimination posts

    August 5, 2025 (Mainichi Japan)

    In this unrelated photo, members of a citizen’s group opposing hate speech hold up fans and a sheet reading “No Place for Hate,” in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, on June 26, 2025. (Mainichi/Minhyang Hong)
    KAWAGOE, Saitama — A municipal assembly in Saitama Prefecture passed a resolution by majority vote urging an independent councilor to refrain from using her city council title when posting on social media, after her messages opposing discrimination against foreigners invited a flood of protests and other responses.

    Megumi Fukushima, 44, has been sharing information on social media while clearly identifying herself as an assembly member in Tsurugashima. The assembly said the deluge of opinions and protests directed at the municipal government in response to her posts had disrupted city operations. Fukushima has criticized the resolution, saying it “infringes on her freedom of speech.”

    In her posts, Fukushima expressed opposition to discrimination against Kurdish residents, many of whom live in the city of Kawaguchi and other parts of Saitama Prefecture. The city reportedly received a high volume of inquiries and complaints about her posts between May and July, which put a burden on responding staff.

    At the end of July, the municipal government received an email threatening to bomb the city hall as well as to kidnap and kill Fukushima, prompting her to file a report with Saitama Prefectural Police. The situation also led to the cancellation of a mock city council session for elementary school students that had been scheduled for Aug. 3.

    Yoshihiro Uchino, chairman of the assembly, apparently tried to persuade Fukushima to stop using her title on social media, but she refused. In response, assembly member Motomitsu Yamanaka of the Komeito party and others proposed the resolution, which was adopted.

    Yamanaka told the Mainichi Shimbun, “The resolution is not meant to restrict free speech. We just want her to stop using her city council title when making remarks unrelated to city affairs, which end up affecting city operations.”

    Fukushima, meanwhile, stated, “This is an unjust resolution and I have no intention of complying. It takes away my opportunity to speak freely.”

    (Japanese original by Takashi Nakamura, Saitama Nishi Bureau) ENDS

    Reply
  • JDG says:

    Well, that only took a couple of weeks, and the government hasn’t even had time to choose a new leader to scream and shout about NJ yet, but hey, that Overton Window is going to move to the right all by itself it seems!
    Let’s announce with much fanfare that Japan is going to *crack down* on crimes by NJ and ignore the fact that the same crimes are committed at a disproportionately higher rate by Japanese!
    NJ’s unpaid taxes, and NJ traffic accidents are the focus of this week’s Hate Minute.

    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/09/japan/japan-survey-foreigners-resident-taxes/

    https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-police-release-data-on-accidents-by-foreign-drivers-for-1st-time

    Reply
  • JK says:

    Good on her for lawyering up and calling out racism as 「レイシズム」 and not watering it down as 「人種主義」 (racism) or 「排外主義」 (xenophobia)!:

    「出版社がレイシズムとは」　作家・深沢潮さんが新潮社に謝罪求める

    Translation courtesy of GPT-4o mini:

    A column published in the weekly magazine “Shukan Shincho” by Shincho Publishing was criticized for being discriminatory towards people with foreign roots. On the 4th, Ushio Fukasawa (59), a writer named in the column, held a press conference in Tokyo and demanded an apology from the company. Fukasawa stated, “How can a publishing house that should be contributing to world literature be spreading racism? I want them to stop and think about this now.” On the same day, Shincho Publishing posted an apology on their website, saying they “caused pain to Ms. Ushio Fukasawa and inflicted significant mental distress.”

    The column was written by Masayuki Takayama, a former Sankei Shimbun reporter. In the July 31st issue’s “Changing Perspectives” column, titled “Name Change 2.0,” he discussed methods for foreign-born individuals to obtain Japanese citizenship and argued that “foreigners who disguise themselves as Japanese to disparage Japan cannot be eliminated.” He specifically named Fukasawa and other public figures, concluding with “You can dislike Japan and Japanese people if you want, but at least stop using Japanese names.”

    Fukasawa requested that Shincho Publishing provide a written apology and ensure an opportunity for her to respond in the magazine. Her lawyer, Katsuhiko Tsukuda, criticized the column, saying, “It essentially vilifies people with foreign roots who criticize Japan. The concept of ‘name change’ is an arbitrary attempt to force names, and it’s an unforgivable human rights violation.”

    Shincho Publishing’s apology acknowledged their “lack of capability as a publishing company” and promised to be more attentive to social changes when commissioning and reviewing articles. They also stated they would carefully consider Fukasawa’s requests.

    Fukasawa, who won the Shincho Publishing’s “R-18 Literary Award for Women by Women” in 2012, expressed disappointment, saying, “I’m saddened that Shincho Publishing is moving in a direction that excludes diversity and promotes division. I hope my actions can be a wedge to help them return to their original form of producing valuable literary works.”

    Reply
  • JK says:

    Hmm….I wonder how the Hotline for Consumer Consultations for Foreign Tourists is going to explain why “the menu had different prices for Japanese and foreign languages”.

    「客室狭い」「二重価格なぜ」外国人観光客からトラブル相談増加

    Translation courtesy of Llama 4 Scout:

    “Rooms are too small,” “Why double pricing?” Increase in trouble consultations from foreign tourists

    “The room was small,” “The menu had different prices for Japanese and foreign languages,” and “The purchased bag was a counterfeit (from a famous brand).”

    Complaints of troubles from foreign tourists visiting Japan have been increasing. According to the National Consumer Center, which has set up a consultation counter, the number of consultations in fiscal 2024 reached nearly 400, the highest ever. Many consultations are about accommodation and dining (restaurants).

    The National Consumer Center opened a phone consultation counter, “Hotline for Consumer Consultations for Foreign Tourists,” in December 2018, where foreign tourists visiting Japan can consult in case of consumer troubles. Currently, it accepts consultations in seven languages, including English, Chinese, and Korean.

    In fiscal 2024, the number of consultations was 388, an increase of 161 from fiscal 2023, surpassing the previous record of 264 in fiscal 2019.

    By language, Chinese consultations were the most common, with 231 cases (59.5%), followed by English with 97 cases (25.0%), Japanese with 39 cases (10.1%), and Korean with 19 cases (4.9%). Japanese consultations were made by Japanese speakers or through Japanese acquaintances.

    The most common consultation content was about accommodation, accounting for 27% of the total. The complaints included: “There was trash and hair in the room,” “The room was smaller than the photo on the reservation site,” and “Luggage was handled roughly, and purchased items were damaged.”

    Reply
    • Niklas says:

      Oh yes, I would absolutely love to hear the mental gymnastics going on there. My guess is that they‘ll probably use the „weak yen“ and „other countries are doing it too“ excuse.

      Reply
  • JK says:

    I’ve been experimenting with ways of extracting auto-generated subtitles from YouTube videos, then translating the text in the subtitles from Japanese to English using AI.

    To date, my progress has been limited due to the AI models available. However with GPT-5, the constraints on output have essentially disappeared, so it’s now possible to translate large amounts of text quickly with high fidelity.

    For example, here is an M365 Copilot GPT-5 generated translation of text extracted from auto-generated subtitles from the video 【解説人語】外国人労働者が急増　受け入れの歴史と起こりうる危機

    The number of foreign workers in Japan has reached 2.3 million, about three times more than 10 years ago. Since the second Abe administration introduced Japan’s strongest measures, the number of foreign workers has continued to increase. There’s also the question of whether people will actually come to Japan even if we say, “We really don’t have enough workers, and no one applies.”

    Reporter Yoshida, who has been covering foreign workers, joins us now. Yoshida-san, thank you for being here.

    How many foreign workers are currently in Japan?
    I think everyone has noticed a big increase in foreign workers at restaurants and convenience stores. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, as of the end of October last year, the number of foreign workers was 2.3 million—the highest since reporting became mandatory in 2007, and about three times more than 10 years ago.

    By visa category:

    * Technical Intern Training (common in construction and manufacturing): about 20% (470,000 people)
    * Highly skilled professionals (engineers, interpreters, etc.): about 18% (410,000 people)
    * Specified Skilled Worker (for sectors like nursing care, construction, agriculture): about 9% (210,000 people)
    * Student visas (common in convenience stores and restaurants): about 14% (310,000 people)

    Others include permanent residents and long-term residents. By nationality, Vietnam ranks first, followed by China, the Philippines, and Nepal.

    Researcher Makoto Kato from Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting analyzed labor force surveys and found that in 2009, after the Lehman shock, only 1 in 112 workers in Japan was foreign. By 2024, it was 1 in 29—a sharp increase.

    Why has the number of foreign workers increased so much?
    We need to go back in history. Japan began accepting foreign workers in the late 1980s during the bubble economy due to labor shortages in manufacturing and construction. The 1989 Immigration Control Act revision allowed more people of Japanese descent from countries like Brazil. In 1993, the Technical Intern Training Program was introduced to transfer skills to developing countries. However, because Japan officially did not accept “unskilled labor,” this was seen as a backdoor policy. The program has long been criticized for wage non-payment and human rights violations, even being called “slave labor.”

    In 2008, Japan launched the “300,000 International Students Plan.” Under the second Abe administration, starting in 2014, Japan introduced stronger measures, adding new visa categories for highly skilled professionals and emergency measures for construction, as well as caregiving visas. In 2019, the Specified Skilled Worker visa was introduced, marking the first time Japan openly accepted foreign workers. Despite saying “we won’t adopt an immigration policy,” Japan gradually created systems, and the number of foreign workers kept growing—driven by rapid population decline. Japan’s population peaked at 128 million in 2008 and is projected to fall by about 40 million to 87 million by 2070, shrinking by about 780,000 people per year.

    Are there regions with particularly high numbers of foreign workers?
    Yes, mainly in urban areas along the Pacific Belt. In Tokyo, 1 in 14 workers is foreign, followed by Aichi and Gunma (1 in 18). Compared to 2009, rural areas have seen the fastest growth: Okinawa (8.1x), Kagoshima (7.8x), Hokkaido (7x). By industry, manufacturing, construction, wholesale/retail, lodging, food services, and healthcare have the most foreign workers. In food manufacturing, 1 in 7 workers is foreign—the highest ratio. In lodging, it’s 1 in 14; in food services, 1 in 13. In some sectors, like fisheries in Hiroshima, nearly all workers in their 20s are foreign.

    What do employers say?
    We visited fisheries, factories, caregiving facilities, hotels, food processing plants, farms, and small businesses. Everywhere, we heard: “We can’t survive without foreign workers.” For example, in Ibaraki Prefecture, which supplies vegetables and fruits to the Tokyo area, one strawberry farm employed 11 foreign workers under the Technical Intern and Specified Skilled Worker programs. One worker even holds a Specified Skilled Worker (ii) visa, which allows for permanent residency. Farmers said, “We rely on foreign workers to keep going. If we think they’ll always come without effort, we’re making a big mistake.” The average age of local farmers is 70, and the prefecture hopes foreigners will eventually become farm owners. Even in Akita, which has the fewest foreign workers, a car dealership turned to foreign hires after getting zero applications from Japanese candidates.

    What challenges come with this increase?
    More foreigners can lead to friction with local residents over things like garbage disposal and noise. Many foreign workers only travel between their dorms and workplaces, with little interaction with locals. Yet, they harvest the vegetables we eat, catch the fish, process the food, and serve us in convenience stores and restaurants. Most work diligently without causing trouble. We need to recognize their role in sustaining our lives and address misunderstandings caused by language and cultural differences. Governments, companies, and communities should create opportunities for communication. Another long-standing issue: many students and trainees arrive burdened with heavy debts from recruitment fees—this needs fixing.

    What did you personally feel during this coverage?
    I’ve reported on foreign workers in Korea and Europe too. Japan has avoided calling this an immigration policy, leaving integration efforts to local governments and NGOs. In July, the National Governors’ Association called for a basic law and a central body to promote multicultural coexistence, recognizing that foreign workers are not just laborers but residents and community members. They will form families, pay taxes, consume, and help build society. Experts warn that without proper support like orientation and Japanese language education, Japan could face social divisions like Europe. Meanwhile, global competition for talent is intensifying as countries like Korea, Taiwan, and China also face aging populations. Japan’s ability to attract workers is uncertain—actual intake under the Specified Skilled Worker program is far below the 2019 target (345,000), at only 208,000. Japan may be at a crossroads: to attract good talent, it must improve living and working conditions and send a clear message that Japan is a welcoming place.

    What if foreigners stop choosing Japan?
    Industries like agriculture, fisheries, and manufacturing would collapse. It’s not that Japanese workers are being displaced—there simply aren’t enough applicants. Hiring foreigners is costly for companies, yet they have no choice. If foreign workers leave, our food supply, construction, and even hotel cleaning would be in crisis. We need to imagine what would happen if they all left—and act now.

    Japanese text extracted from auto-generated subtitles:

    外国人労働者数は230万人、10年前の 約3倍になります。第2次安倍政権が日本 最高戦力を打ち出し外国人労働者はさらに 休増します。本当に人手がないんだと募集 してもこないんだと日本に来てくれるかと いう問題もあります。 外国人労働者の取材をしている吉田子記者 です。それでは吉田さんよろしくお願いし ます。よろしくお願いします。 日本で働く外国人の数は現在どのくらいいるんでしょうか? 皆さん飲食店やコンビなどで外国人労働者の方を見かける機会がすごく増えたと思います。 厚生労働省の雇用状況の届け出状況による と昨年10月末の外国人労働者数は 230万人で届け出が義務化された 2007年以降過去最多でした10年前の 約3倍になります。材料資格別で見ると 建設や製造業に多い技能実習が約20%で 47万人。エンジニア通訳など高度人材 向けの材料資格、技術、人文知識、国際 業務が約18%で41万人。介護や建設、 農業など人手不足の分野で受け入れ、一定 の技能や専門性が必要な特定技能が約9% で21万人。コンビニや飲食店などでよく 見かける留学が約14%の31万人です。 その他日経人やあ、低住者ら英者もいます 。国籍別ではベトナムが最も多く中国、 フィリピンネパールと続きます。三菱 UFJリサーチ&コンサルティングの加藤 誠研究員が総務省の労働力調査と厚生労働 省の外国人雇用状況の届け出し たところ日本で働く労働者のうち外国人の 割合はリーマン後の2009年には112 人に1人だったのが2024年には29人 に1人と急激に増えています。 どうしてこれだけ外国人労働者が増えたんでしょうか? これはちょっと歴史を遡る必要があるんですけれども、日本が外国人労働者を受け入れるようになったのは 1980 年代後半のバブル機からです。製造現場や建設現場で労働力不足に迫られて 1989 年の入間法の改正でブラズジル人をはじめとする米からの経人の入れが増しました。 そして1993年には途上国への技術移転 を目的とする技能実習制度が創設されまし た。国の単純労働者は受け入れないという 方針があったためサイドドアからの 受け入れと言われています。技能実習は 賃金の見払いや人権侵害などトラブルが 多発し、奴隷労働などと長年批判されてい ます。2008年には留学生30万人計画 も打ち出しました。第2次安倍政権が 2014年に日本最高戦力を打ち出して からは外国人労働者はさらに休増します。 人手不足を背景に新たに高度専門職や建設 増分野の緊急措置を取り留資格に介護を 設けるなどしました。2019年からは 在留資格特定技能を設けようやく正面から 外国人労働者を受け入れるようになりまし た。移民政策は取らないと言いつつサだれ 式に制度を作り外国人労働者はどんどん 増えていきました。背景には急速に進む 人口減があります。人口は2008年の 1億2800万人をピークに減り続け、 2070年には約4000万人減の約 8700万人になるとされています。 現平均78 万人が減るとの計算で小規模の件が つずつなくなっていく感覚です。外国人の数が特に多い地域や教というのはあるんでしょうか? [音楽] 外国人労働者が特に多いのは太平洋ウェルトと言われる都市部です。 加藤研究員の分析では外国人労働者の割合 は最も高い東京都では14人に1人、愛知 県と群馬県の18人に1人が続きました。 2009年との比較では地方の伸び率の高 さが目立ちます。沖縄県は8.1倍、 鹿児島県は7.8倍、北海道は7倍でした 。産業別に見ると外国人労働者の人数が 多いのは製造業や建設、おろし修理、氷業 、宿泊業、飲食サービス業、医療福祉の 分野です。外国人労働者の割合では製造業 の中でも食料品製造業の7人に1人が最も 高いです。宿泊業では14人に1人、飲食 サービス業では13人に1人でした。あ藤 研究員は2020年の国政調査で建別、 産業別、年代別の分析も行っていますが、 例えば、え、広島の20代の漁業は1人の うち1人が外国人、つまりほとんど外国人 だということです。茨城県の農業では14 人に1人、20代の2人に1人が外国人 でした。地方や若い世代で、あの、特に 外国人の割合が高いが浮き彫りになってい 受け入れをする人たちは外国人労働者についてどういう風に話していますか? 今回の取材では漁業、製造業、介護、宿泊業、食品加工業、農業、小業の現場に入りました。記者たちが各地で耳にしたのは外国人がいなければ成り立たないという切実な声でした。例えば私が取材した茨城県と秋田県を例にあげ話します。 加藤研究員の国調査を元にした分析では 茨城県の農業では14人に1人、20代の 、え、2人に1人が外国人でした。茨城県 は首都県に野菜や果物を多く出荷している ことから首都県の台所と呼ばれています。 私が取材したイチゴ農家では11人の特定 技能や技能実習性が働いていました。1人 は特定技能2号で永住も視野に入れてい 農家では安定的に働いてもらうには外国人 に頼るしかなく日本の職は外国人に支え られている。何もしないでいつまでも来て もらえると思っていれば大間間違いだなど と話していました。県の農業従事者の返金 年齢は70歳と高く県の方でも外国人が 将来的には経営者になることも期待してい ます。秋田は全国で最も外国人労働者が 少ないですが、その秋田でも自動車 販売会社が自動車整備に携わるスタッフを 募集したところ、一見も応募もなく外国人 の受け入れに家事を切ったと言います。 最初は言語や生活習慣の違いに戸惑ったが 、今ではなくてはならない存在になったと いう風に話していました。 外国人の割合がますます高まる中で何か課題はあるんでしょうか? えっと、外国人が増えればゴミの捨て方や騒音など地域住民との摩擦はどうしても起きてきます。外国人労働者の多くは事務所と宿泊施設を往復するだけで地域の人たちと直接設接する機会はほとんどありません。 しかし私たちは外国人の人たちが作った 野菜や取ってきた魚、外国人の人たちが 加工した食品を食べ、コンビニや飲食店で は外国人のサービスを受けています。当然 のことながらほとんどの外国人はトラブル を起こすことなく真面目に働いています。 私たちの目にあまり触れないだけで私たち の生活を支えていることに私たちはもっと 想像力を働かせる必要があるんじゃないか と感じています。摩擦や問題は言語や生活 習慣の違いによるちょっとした誤解や偏見 から生まれることも多いです。問題や不成 が事実であるのであればそれを是正し、国 や自治体、企業が地域住民と外国人が コミュニケーションを図れる場を積極的に 設けることも必要でしょう。あと長年これ は言われてきましたけれども留学生や技能 実習生は来日の段階で手数料など多額の 借金を背わされている場合も多いです。 これも解決すべき課題の 1つだと思います。 今回の取材を通じて吉田さん自身が何か感じたことはありますか? 私は韓国や欧州でも外国人労働者の取材をしたことがあります。これまで日本は移民政策は足らないという前提を取ってきために外国人労働者の受け入れや強制策というのは自治体や企業市民団体に任せきりになっていました。 全国知事会は7月外国人労働者は単なる 労働者ではなく生活者であり地域住民で あるとし多分化強制政策の根換となる体型 的根的な基本法の策定や司令党となる組織 を設置することを求めました。外国人は 単なる一時的な労働者、使い捨ての労働力 ではなく、今後家族を作り、生活者として 社会保障や税金をめ、消費してもらい、共 に地域社会を作っていく仲間という視点が 必要になっていくのでしょう。関西国際代 の免教授は外国人労働者をオリエンテや 日本語教育できちんとサポートしていか なければ、やがては欧州のような移民問題 が生まれ、社会の分断につがると懸念して います。国際社会では韓国や台湾、中国も 日本と同じように少子高齢化が進み海外と の人材獲得競争が厳しくなっています。 外国人労働者の人がまず日本に来てくれる かという問題もあります。実際特定技能の 受け入れ人数は政府が2019年に設定し た目標34万5000人を大幅に下回り 20万8000人にとまっています。実は 日本は外国から選ばれる国の瀬戸屋にある のかもしれないとも思っています。 議論すべき課題はまだまだたくさんありますけれども、良い人材に日本に来てもらうには国内の受け入れ体制をまずは整え、日本は意味にとって働きやすい暮らしやすい国というメッセージを発することが大切なんだと思います。 外国人がもし日本を選択しなくなったらどうなるんでしょうか? 農業とか漁業の現場、製造業の現場で外国人労働者の方が働いているという現実があって、それは何も日本人がいるのにやってるわけじゃなくって、現場の方を取材すると本当に人手出がないんだと。で、募集しても来ないんだと。そういったような状況の中で実は企業にとっては外国人労働者を雇うっていうのは金銭的ストがいんですね。 それにも関わらずそれでもやらざるを得 ないというような状況があるわけです。な のでもし本当に彼らが来なくなってしまっ たら日本を選択しなくなってしまったら 私たちの食卓に並ぶ食べ物もあのおそらく 困るでしょうし使っているもの立てている 建築物まホテルとかの清掃業務もそうです よね本当にあの困ってしまう産業が回ら なくなってしまうっていうのがあると思い 日の実性が本当に全員引き上げてしまったらどうなるんだろうということをもうちょっとあの私たちは想像しなきゃいけないんじゃないかなと思っています。

    Reply
  • Niklas says:

    In other news, Japanese residents flood the cities of Imabari, Kisarazu, Sanjo and Nagai with xenophobic hate mail and calls after they announce a partnership with cities from Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania.

    City officials and even the chief cabinet secretary had to step in and explain that being a partner city doesn‘t mean that any immigration will take place.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/27/attempt-to-partner-african-countries-with-japanese-cities-triggers-xenophobic-backlash

    Reply
    • JDG says:

      I’ve been following this story too the last week.
      I don’t know what to make of it at all; is LDP really so incompetent in its messaging as to give people the wrong impression (especially right now with Sanseito’s rabble-rousing)?
      It looks like spectacularly bad timing for this particular gaffe.
      Or was the LDP message deliberately misinterpreted by someone in the bureaucracy with an agenda?
      It really is a curiously self-harming mistake for the LDP. I can’t help but think that this is a function of LDP cliques trying to make Ishiba look bad and force him to resign so they can install that bonkers woman Takaichi.

      Reply

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