Japan’s quiet reckoning with fringe xenophobia and immigration anxiety

Latent anti-foreigner sentiments must be tackled alongside concerns over the economy and employment.

While Japan is one of the few ethnically homogeneous countries in the world, it is welcoming of foreign talents who can contribute to Japanese society.

PHOTO: NORIKO HAYASHI/NYTIMES

Lim Tai Wei

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The issue of foreigners in Japan was a hot topic in

Sunday’s Upper House election

. It was a race where the populist right-wing Sanseito party, running on a Japan First agenda, emerged as one of the biggest winners with 14 more seats. The lead up to the election saw mass media fuel discussion of the controversial issue of foreigners.

But xenophobia did not win. Parties in favour of immigration, like the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, maintained their 38 seats in the Upper House election.

Japan’s quiet reckoning with fringe xenophobia and immigration anxiety

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