After official campaigning for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency kicked off earlier this week, the five candidates have each demonstrated a hard-line stance on immigration-related issues.
Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, a Lower House lawmaker from Nara Prefecture, began her policy speech on Monday by condemning foreign tourists who “kick” and “punch” the local deer, and dangle on torii gates like “monkey bars.”
Takaichi, a long-time conservative champion, also argued that releasing foreign nationals under arrest before charges can be filed due to a lack of interpreters is unfair.
“We witness and hear about such stories every day. But Japanese people are extremely tolerant, so everyone is swallowing their words,” she said, adding that she will put an end to that by revising immigration policies “from scratch.”
“For those who come (to Japan) with financial motives and claim that they are refugees, I’ll have you go home. I’ll also have illegal immigrants strictly follow the law,” Takaichi said.
In each of their manifestos, Takaichi and agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi — both frontrunners in this year’s contest — proposed establishing a “control tower” to tackle issues such as visa overstayers and the growing number of land purchases by foreign nationals.
In July, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba set up a cross-agency administrative body to tackle crime and overtourism as the topics were catching the attention of voters who sympathized with the small, right-wing Sanseito party’s “Japanese First” rhetoric.
Koizumi — who has long sought to cast himself as the poster child of the more liberal, reform-oriented wing of the LDP — pledged to “not pursue a so-called immigration policy” on Tuesday during a public debate hosted by the party’s youth and women divisions.
His anti-immigration stance reflected widespread concern among lawmakers who worry that accepting more foreign residents could spark a backlash.
Former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi also took a tough stance on foreign residents.
“We need to aim for zero illegal foreign nationals and crack down on the ones who can’t follow the rules,” he said, reflecting on his visit to the city of Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture, known for its clashes between Kurdish residents and locals, on Sept. 20.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi promised to tighten restrictions on the conversion of foreign drivers licenses in Japan, which locals fear have led to an increase in car accidents.
Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi underscored the importance of creating a system in which Japan is not dependent on foreign nationals for labor.
In his manifesto, Kobayashi promised to upgrade immigration control by imposing stricter background checks and tightening visa application rules.
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