Episode Transcript
I think this will be of some relevance to anyone coming to Japan in the future.
Japanese politics is at a turning point.
A major change is the way policies toward foreigners are being implemented. Until now, Japan has been a society where Japanese people were in the majority and foreigners were in the minority. With that in mind, I'd like you to consider what would happen if we accepted a large number of foreigners before putting laws and rules in place.
For example, the United States is a country based on immigration, so its legal system takes into account both external and internal influences. Therefore, most problems can be resolved through US domestic law.
The problem with Japan is that its legal system only deals with Japanese people, and while it is able to crack down on foreigners, unexpected situations are currently occurring within the country.
As a result, Japanese people today are sensitive toward foreigners. So, I hope you won't be offended if a Japanese person is rude to you.
Basically, Japanese people are friendly toward the outside world and are not xenophobic. However, due to a lack of legal and enforcement systems, Japan has not been able to keep up with the current situation. The Japanese public is becoming allergic to this.
This has been a long introduction, but in response to public opinion, the Japanese government has clearly defined anyone coming from abroad as a foreigner, and is implementing various restrictions.
If you're only staying temporarily as a tourist, common sense will be sufficient. However, if you're studying abroad, staying short-term or long-term, or conducting business in Japan, I recommend carefully monitoring future changes to Japan's legal system.
Japan's current legal system is vulnerable to external threats, leaving many legal loopholes. Depending on the results of Japan's elections in February 2026, Japan's stance toward foreigners will change significantly, and these loopholes will be closed.
Well, that's complicated, but if the Liberal Democratic Party wins the election, there will be some restrictions on foreigners' activities, or they will require notification and permission, with an eye toward China. If another party wins, Japan will continue as usual.
That's all for today.
Next, I'll explain why Japanese public opinion has shifted.
