Navigating Concerns and Economic Realities: Can Japan’s New Leader Balance Immigration Rhetoric with Future needs?
sanae Takaichi, recently appointed as Japan’s Prime Minister, campaigned on a platform emphasizing stricter immigration controls and a focus on national security concerns linked to foreign residents. Her pledges include a crackdown on illegal immigration and visa overstays,restrictions on foreign land purchases – particularly those made by Chinese nationals – and enhanced border security. To oversee these policies, she appointed Kimi Onoda, a figure known for her firm stance on immigration, as minister responsible for ”a society of well-ordered and harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals.”
Takaichi has also voiced concerns regarding crime rates among foreigners, despite official statistics demonstrating a decline in such offenses over the past decade. She recently highlighted alleged misconduct by tourists, citing reports of foreign visitors disturbing the sacred deer in Nara Park.
Experts suggest Takaichi’s approach is a response to both societal anxieties and political pressures. Gracia Liu-Farrer, professor of sociology at Waseda University, noted the rise of populist sentiment and the success of the Sanseito party as contributing factors. “The sudden increase of foreigners might be a bit alienating. At the same time, inflation has caused pain. Sanseito’s success has given LDP politicians a warning sign. I was not surprised that Takaichi campaigned with this populist discourse,” she explained to Newsweek. While her selected cabinet suggests a continuation of existing immigration control policies, Liu-Farrer believes Takaichi’s rhetoric emphasizes social order, a long-standing priority, even if previous administrations, like that of fumio Kishida, showed greater openness to expanding foreign worker intake.
Sheila Smith, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, posits that Takaichi’s strong stance is less driven by personal anti-foreigner sentiment and more a reflection of Japan’s challenges in adapting to a rapidly changing demographic landscape. She suggests the Prime Minister’s signaling may also be a strategic move to appease the sanseito party,a growing force in parliament,and prevent being overtaken by more conservative factions. “My sense is Takaichi and the LDP want to ensure they address popular concerns so that others don’t outflank them from the right,” Smith stated.
However, observers caution that a solely restrictive approach could harm Japan’s long-term economic prospects. yasuo Takao, a research fellow at curtin University, points to the absence of a clear vision for integrating foreign residents into Japanese society. He argues that Japan’s economy and welfare system are increasingly reliant on foreign labor, a dependence that will only intensify with the country’s declining population and shrinking workforce. “Denying this reality while framing it as a cultural threat risks leaving Japan unprepared for the future,” Takao wrote in an analysis for East asia Forum.
Ultimately, Takaichi’s governance faces the challenge of balancing public concerns with the economic realities of a nation increasingly dependent on foreign workers.Whether she can navigate this complex landscape will be crucial for the future of Asia’s second-largest economy.
