Japan Immigration News

As election day nears, magazine takes objective look at Japan's alleged 'foreigner problem'

Release Date: 2026-02-05
Media: Japan Today
Summary: A Newsweek Japan cover story on the “foreigner problem” was published ahead of the Diet elections, reflecting how immigration has become a major campaign issue. Despite political attention, Japan’s foreign population remains small compared with other OECD countries, at about 3.0% of the total population, far below nations such as Luxembourg, Australia, Canada, or Germany.

The article discussed issues like overtourism and proposals to charge higher fees to foreign visitors, such as at museums or theme parks. Some experts warned that such two-tiered pricing could trigger public backlash and damage Japan’s image as a country known for its hospitality.

On public safety, the foreign resident population has grown to about 3.96 million, but crime statistics show no major increase in offenses by foreigners. Still, surveys indicate that many Japanese feel safety has worsened. Experts attribute this gap to instinctive social reactions in a relatively homogeneous society and stress the need for calm, evidence-based dialogue.

Scholars argue that Japan cannot simply copy immigration models from English-speaking countries, and instead should look to Northern European welfare states with similar linguistic and social structures. They emphasize the need to institutionalize immigration policies, improve communication of rules to newcomers, and adopt flexible, trial-and-error approaches rather than relying on unspoken social expectations.

The article also highlighted the importance of responsible media coverage. One example involved a political candidate who falsely claimed that 98% of Swedish prisoners were immigrants; independent data showed the figure was actually about 16.7%. The incident illustrated the spread of misinformation in the election debate and the need for fact-checking.
Tags: Immigration Policy

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