TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, established a new administrative body to address public concerns over the recent rapid increase in foreign residents. This issue has become a central talking point in the upcoming national general election, scheduled for Sunday.
According to reports from CNA and The Japan Times, this new body will act as a cross-agency "control tower" to respond to various issues, including crimes and overtourism involving foreign residents.
Japan has historically maintained population homogeneity through stringent immigration laws. However, these regulations have been progressively relaxed to compensate for its shrinking and aging workforce.
The number of foreign residents reached a record high of approximately 3.8 million last year, though this still represents only 3 percent of Japan's total population.
The establishment of this administrative body follows a June proposal from a group of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Their proposal aimed to foster a "society of orderly and harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals."
Measures suggested included stricter requirements for foreign residents to obtain Japanese driving licenses and purchase real estate.
"Crimes and disorderly conduct by some foreigners, as well as the inappropriate use of various administrative systems, have created a situation in which the public feels uneasy and cheated," Ishiba said at the opening ceremony.
Concerns regarding the influx of temporary and permanent foreign residents have resonated with voters. Polls indicate a rapid surge in popularity for the small populist party, Sanseito, which advocates a "Japanese First" agenda.
Public opinion surveys also suggest that the LDP and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, are at risk of losing their majority in the upper house election on July 20.
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