Japan saw rare anti-immigration protests this weekend, with demonstrators in Osaka and other cities marching peacefully against what they feared was a surge in African visa approvals. Concerns flared after a JICA programme announced “home towns” for Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Mozambique, and a deleted Nigerian embassy post hinted at special visas.

The government quickly clarified that the scheme involves short-term internships, not mass immigration. Still, the protests highlight Japan’s deep unease over immigration, rising support for the populist Sanseito party, and fears of cultural change. With Japan’s population shrinking fast, will stricter visa rules calm these worries or fuel even more substantial backlash?