As Japan’s ruling LDP prepares to pick a new leader, immigration is becoming a hot topic. Frontrunners Takaichi Sanae and Koizumi Shinjiro are striking harsh tones, warning about “illegal foreign workers” and public safety.
This comes as Japan, with just 3% of its residents born abroad, faces an aging and shrinking population. Meanwhile, far-right voices like the Sanseito party call immigration a “silent invasion,” blaming foreigners for everything from rising rents to bad driving.
Yet in places like Warabi, home to Kurdish and Turkish communities, many migrants say they feel welcome. With CEOs demanding more foreign workers and voters uneasy, will Japan’s next prime minister tighten borders or open doors?
