Japan Immigration News

Sanae Takaichi is not who you think she is

Release Date: 2026-02-16
Media
Summary: The article argues that many foreign observers are mischaracterizing Sanae Takaichi’s election victory as a far-right or anti-immigration shift, when in reality her positions largely reflect Japan’s longstanding policies and social attitudes. While some conservatives celebrate her as a hardliner and some liberals fear a move toward extremism, the author says these views are disconnected from the actual content of her policies.

Japan has traditionally been cautious about large-scale immigration, expecting foreign workers to learn the language, follow the rules, and not settle permanently in large numbers. Takaichi’s approach does not call for reducing the foreign population, but instead focuses on managing the expected increase in migrant workers through orderly systems, integration measures, Japanese language education, and appropriate handling of overstayers and criminals.

On foreign policy, although she is more hawkish toward China than her predecessor, her stance aligns with mainstream international positions that emphasize alliances and security cooperation, including strong support for Ukraine. Labeling her as an extremist or militarist is therefore misleading.

Overall, the article concludes that Takaichi’s administration represents a historic change, especially as Japan’s first female leader, but not the dramatic rightward shift many observers claim. She should be judged by her actual policies and actions within Japan’s political system.
Tags: Immigration Policy

News Articles including "Immigration Policy"

1
2
3

Released on

Article Title

Tags

2026-02-16

Sanae Takaichi is not who you think she is()

Immigration Policy

2026-02-15

Sanae Takaichi Wants to Make Japan Great Again. It Won’t Be Easy.(TIME)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-15

Japan Tightens Immigration Policies: New Rules for Tourists from US, UK, Canada, EU Nations (TTW)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-10

Kimi Onoda, the mixed-race woman leading Japan's anti-immigration policy in the Takaichi era(Elmundo America)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-08

Japan’s Leader Wins in a Landslide, Clearing Way for Hard-Line Agenda(The New York Times)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-07

Takaichi talks tough on immigration on eve of vote(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-06

How Foreign Residents and Immigration Became a Front-Line Election Issue(JAPAN Forward)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-05

Conservative parties push for capping of foreign resident population(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-05

Japan election debate stalls over definition of 'immigration'(The Mainichi)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-05

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

Immigration Policy

2026-02-04

Farm stresses foreign workers' vital role in Japan as politicians eye tighter immigration(The Mainichi)

Immigration Policy

2026-02-04

Japan Considers Significant Increase in Immigration-Related Fees(Newland Chase)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-30

Japan to stop notifying lawyers of deportations in advance(The Mainichi)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-24

Government shifting away from inclusion of foreigners(The Asahi Shimbun)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-23

Japanese govt. draws up basic policies on foreign nationals(NHK)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-19

Japan’s Governors Speak Out on Need for a Better Foreign Resident Policy(nippon.com)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-19

Top execs at Japan convenience stores stress foreign workers' role as gov't eyes clampdown(The Mainichi)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-17

Japan’s Immigration Debate — and Where Indian Workers Fit In(Observer Research Foundation)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-16

Japan is right to rethink its immigration approach(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2026-01-14

Government panel proposes mandatory integration program for foreign residents(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-12-22

Advisory council calls for digital border controls and tighter immigration oversight(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-12-22

Panel calls for tighter Japan immigration control, help with language learning(The Mainichi)

Immigration Policy

2025-12-08

Japan Continues Cracking Down on Foreigners, for Some Reason(Unseen Japan)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-28

Policy talks on foreigners start; land deals, visas high on agenda(The Asahi Shimbun)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-27

Don’t believe everything you read in the media about Japan’s strong anti-immigrant sentiment(the Lowy Institute)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-18

Japan’s Stalled Immigration Experiment(Foreign Affairs)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-18

Fixing immigration without sparking xenophobia(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-18

Survey: 66% back Takaichi’s tougher policies on immigration(The Asahi Shimbun)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-12

Japan’s Takaichi Pushes Stricter Rules on Foreign Nationals(The Diplomat)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-05

New Japanese government puts foreign nationals in focus(NHK)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-04

Takaichi leads first ministerial meeting on policies regarding foreign residents(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-11-01

Ministers to coordinate policies on foreign nationals in Japan(NHK)

Immigration Policy

2025-10-25

Can Japan’s New Leader Afford to Go Hard on Immigration?(Newsweek)

Immigration Policy

2025-10-23

Onoda says she’ll push Takaichi’s stronger stance on foreigners(The Asahi Shimbun)

Immigration Policy

2025-10-22

Japan’s economy needs foreign workers, not the nationalist approach pushed by its new leader(The Conversation)

Immigration Policy

2025-10-20

“Japanese-First” – The Rise of the Sanseito Party and Anti-Immigration Efforts in Japan(PA Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-10-15

Japan’s baby boom among foreign-born population spotlights demographic timebomb(The Guardian)

Immigration Policy

2025-10-15

Asia can learn from Europe’s immigration mistakes(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-10-12

Takaichi’s victory delays Japan’s reckoning with immigration reform(EAST ASIA FORUM)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-26

LDP presidential hopefuls take hard-line stance on immigration(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-23

Vietnamese Immigration in Japan: Finding the Key to Successful Integration(JAPAN Forward)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-19

‘Japanese first’: the mini-Trump on the rise as population crisis bites(Guardian)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-19

Nippon Ishin urges cap on foreign residents in Japan(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-16

Japan needs an immigration debate, not social media myths(TAIPEI TIMES)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-12

Japan needs an immigration debate, not social media myths(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-03

Osaka protests are just the start of Japan’s immigration backlash(UnHerd)

Immigration Policy

2025-09-01

Japan to review long-term foreign resident policy as population ratio rises(The Mainichi)

Immigration Policy

2025-08-29

Fearing Europe-style rifts, Japan weighs tighter immigration(The Asahi Shimbun)

Immigration Policy

2025-08-29

Japan to launch broad review of immigration policies amid rise in foreign nationals(Japan Times)

Immigration Policy

2025-07-31

Japan governors' group seeks measures to accept foreigners, build multicultural society(The Mainichi)

Immigration Policy