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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Why sentiment in Japan has turned against foreigners despite a worker shortage

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Foreign residents in Japan, like Nikki Maruschak and Miguel Carmichael, report increased instances of hostility and unwelcoming behavior.
  • This shift coincides with the rise of anti-immigration politics, exemplified by the far-right party Sanseito gaining parliamentary seats on a nationalist platform.
  • Public opinion surveys indicate a growing sentiment against immigration, with a majority of respondents believing Japan does not need more foreign residents.

Nikki Maruschak, who arrived in Japan in 2019 hoping to build a life, now finds herself feeling increasingly unwelcome. She and her partner, Miguel Carmichael, have experienced a noticeable rise in hostility, including intentional physical contact known as "butsukari" in public spaces.

There's been a number of times where in a train station or in a very crowded public area someone will bump into me, get very upset and say … 'go back to your country.'

— Nikki MaruschakMaruschak describes the increased instances of hostility she has faced as a foreigner in Japan.

Maruschak recounts incidents where individuals have bumped into her and reacted with anger, sometimes telling her to "go back to your country." One particularly disturbing event involved a man shoving her from behind at a subway station. The man's flimsy excuse, that she couldn't read Japanese, highlighted the arbitrary nature of the aggression.

This personal experience reflects a broader societal shift in Japan, where anti-immigration sentiment is gaining traction. The far-right party Sanseito has moved from the political fringes to become a significant opposition force, campaigning on a "Japan-first" and anti-foreigner platform. Their success has influenced Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to adopt a tougher stance on immigration policies.

The excuse was 'well, she can't read Japanese' which had nothing to do with the situation. He just needed to make up an excuse for why he felt he was justified in walking past me, then turning around and shoving me from behind.

— Nikki MaruschakMaruschak explains the baseless justification given by a man who shoved her in a subway station.

New government policies include stricter requirements for foreign property owners, increased visa costs, and caps on the number of foreign residents. National surveys reveal a public increasingly wary of immigration, with a significant majority of respondents supporting these new measures and expressing the view that Japan does not require more immigrants or visitors.

It is definitely something that is tangible, the shift in the general impression of a foreigner in Japan.

— Miguel CarmichaelCarmichael comments on the noticeable change in how foreigners are perceived in Japan.

For Maruschak and Carmichael, the changing atmosphere has prompted them to reconsider their future in Japan. "It is definitely something that is tangible, the shift in the general impression of a foreigner in Japan," Carmichael stated, noting the palpable change in how foreigners are perceived and treated.

I would say in the week that the election where Sanseito suddenly won a lot of seats … there was a sudden increase in Japanese people being stand-offish or staring at you with an

— Nikki MaruschakMaruschak notes a correlation between the rise of the Sanseito party and increased unwelcoming behavior from the public.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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