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▼ Japan Gov't Compiles Foreigner Policy Plans Ahead Of Snap Election
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The government on Friday compiled a policy package to toughen rules for foreigners in Japan and promote social cohesion, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aims to show commitment to the issue before a snap election on Feb. 8.
Billed as measures to promote "well-ordered and harmonious coexistence," the proposals approved by a meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers include tougher rules on permanent residency and naturalization, as well as measures to prevent delinquent tax and social insurance payments.
They also include facilitating discussions on creating rules for foreign nationals' land acquisitions, which is considered a national security issue, and considering the establishment of a program to teach foreigners Japanese and its social norms.
Pundits have said that one of the key campaign issues for the upcoming House of Representatives election is how to better engage with foreign residents in Japan.
"We have put together a new framework for initiatives to ensure public safety and security, and outlined measures that will be carried out quickly," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who chairs the meeting, said.
The measures increase the number of years that individuals seeking Japanese citizenship must live in the country and make application inspections stricter.
The proposed education program is expected to influence decisions about granting residency, and the government will determine which residence categories the program will apply to. By this summer, a framework of rules on foreign land acquisitions, informed by the approaches of other countries, will be compiled.
As of June 2025, the foreign population in Japan stood at around 3.95 million people, or some 3.2 percent of the population. The largest group was Chinese, followed by Vietnamese and Korean.
Billed as measures to promote "well-ordered and harmonious coexistence," the proposals approved by a meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers include tougher rules on permanent residency and naturalization, as well as measures to prevent delinquent tax and social insurance payments.
They also include facilitating discussions on creating rules for foreign nationals' land acquisitions, which is considered a national security issue, and considering the establishment of a program to teach foreigners Japanese and its social norms.
Pundits have said that one of the key campaign issues for the upcoming House of Representatives election is how to better engage with foreign residents in Japan.
"We have put together a new framework for initiatives to ensure public safety and security, and outlined measures that will be carried out quickly," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who chairs the meeting, said.
The measures increase the number of years that individuals seeking Japanese citizenship must live in the country and make application inspections stricter.
The proposed education program is expected to influence decisions about granting residency, and the government will determine which residence categories the program will apply to. By this summer, a framework of rules on foreign land acquisitions, informed by the approaches of other countries, will be compiled.
As of June 2025, the foreign population in Japan stood at around 3.95 million people, or some 3.2 percent of the population. The largest group was Chinese, followed by Vietnamese and Korean.
- 23/1 19:26
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