"Treated Like Potential Criminals": Backlash Grows Over Japan's 'Japanese-First' Policy

[Anchor]

One of the notable changes since Prime Minister Takaichi took office in Japan is the country's immigration policy. By leaning into anti-Chinese sentiment, the government has been tightening requirements for permanent residency and visas. Now, Korean residents in Japan are also feeling the impact.

Tokyo correspondent Mun Junmo reports.

[Reporter]

Cha Yoon-jung, who has been running a travel service business in Tokyo for three years, went to renew her essential business management visa, only to be met with unexpected news.

The capital requirement, which was around 50 million won, has been increased sixfold to 300 million won. Furthermore, a new condition has been added requiring the mandatory hiring of a Japanese national or a permanent resident.

[Cha Yoon-jung/Travel Service Business Owner: It is already difficult to maintain a profitable business. Who could possibly meet the requirement of 30 million yen? In the end, I have no choice but to take out a bank loan.]

She had heard that regulations on foreigners were being tightened, but she did not expect existing business owners to be affected.

[Cha Yoon-jung/Travel Service Business Owner: They should just crack down on the individuals causing problems. It feels like they are trying to weed out all foreign business owners as if they were potential criminals. It seems less about preventing illegal activities and more like a policy driven by hostility.]

As many Koreans, including nearly 3,000 self-employed individuals, face difficulties in Japan, Mindan, an organization for Korean residents in Japan, held a protest rally.

[Kim Yi-jung/Head of Mindan: We demand understanding, not division; coexistence, not exclusion.]

The Takaichi cabinet's regulation of foreigners has intensified since last year, following heightened tensions with China. The government created a new ministerial position for foreign affairs and appointed Onoda Kimi, a young conservative, to the post.

[Onoda Kimi/Minister in charge of Foreigner Policy (Inaugural Press Conference): We will firmly respond to the illegal acts and deviations of some foreigners, and ensure that not a single person who engages in such bad behavior remains in Japan.]

The government is significantly raising the bar for permanent residency and visas through what is called a total volume control, which limits the number of foreign residents.

This is interpreted as an attempt to regain support from the conservative base with policies reminiscent of the Japan-first ideology promoted by far-right parties in the country.

However, critics argue that these policies are actually setting back Japanese society, which is already suffering from a chronic labor shortage due to a rapidly declining population.

(Video reporting: Han Cheol-min, Mun Hyun-jin | Video editing: Ahn Yeo-jin | Graphics: Jo Su-in)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.