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Takaichi’s victory delays Japan’s reckoning with immigration reform

Release Date
2025-10-12
Media
EAST ASIA FORUM
Summary
Japan’s new Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader, **Sanae Takaichi**, won the 4 October 2025 leadership election by appealing to nationalist and anti-immigration sentiment, marking a rightward shift in the party’s stance toward foreign residents. Her victory reflects the LDP’s attempt to reclaim conservative voters drawn to the populist **Sanseito**, which campaigns on “Japan First” rhetoric opposing foreign acceptance.

During the campaign, immigration and foreign resident policy took center stage. Takaichi’s emphasis on cultural protectionism and social strain proved more persuasive than inclusive or pragmatic policy proposals. Even reformist rival **Shinjiro Koizumi** adopted tougher rhetoric, showing how anti-foreigner narratives became a loyalty test within the LDP.

However, many of the fears underpinning this sentiment — such as claims that foreigners overuse welfare or drive crime — are contradicted by government data. Foreigners make up roughly the same proportion of welfare recipients (3.2%) as of the population (3.1%), and crimes by foreigners have sharply declined over the past two decades.

The article argues that Japan’s deep dependence on foreign labor, amid population decline, requires a **comprehensive immigration and integration policy** — not reactive restrictionism. Yet for decades, Japan has expanded technical worker programs while avoiding the term “immigration,” leaving no framework for long-term coexistence.

In contrast, **local governments** like Hamamatsu and Kawasaki, along with all 47 prefectural governors in the **2025 Aomori Declaration**, have called for a **Basic Law on Intercultural Coexistence** and stable funding for integration. This reveals a widening gap between national-level restrictionism and local-level pragmatism.

Takaichi’s leadership deepens that divide. Her focus on policing foreigners may strengthen conservative support but fails to address Japan’s demographic and labor challenges. The LDP remains locked into short-term politics, and with **Komeito withdrawing from the coalition** over value differences, Japan faces political uncertainty. Takaichi may need to moderate her stance during coalition talks, but her rise signals a continued delay in Japan’s reckoning with immigration reform.
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Immigration Policy

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