Japan’s Immigration Policy Faces Major Overhaul
法務大臣が外国人政策の大胆な見直しを提言――今こそ、欧米の失敗に学び、日本独自モデルをつくる最大のチャンスだ！（文春オンライン） - Yahoo!ニュース
Foreign resident policy has become a central topic in Japan’s ruling party leadership race — a stark contrast from the last election. On August 29, Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki released a bold report calling for a comprehensive review of Japan’s immigration and residency policies.
From “Workers” to “Residents”
The report criticizes past policies as “short-sighted and reactive,” emphasizing the need to see foreign nationals not merely as laborers, but as community members and long-term residents. Suzuki warns that neglecting “social integration” risks repeating Europe’s mistakes.
A Narrow Window for Reform
While OECD countries average a 10% foreign population, Japan’s remains around 2.8%. Suzuki stresses that Japan still has time to design its own integration model before challenges escalate — making this moment a crucial turning point for the nation’s foreign resident policy.
