Shizuoka Gov.’s Proposal on Living Together with Foreigners Draws Criticism, Comments Call It ‘Inhospitable to Japanese People’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:44 JST, August 19, 2025

A policy proposal on coexistence with foreign residents in Japan has drawn a strong response after it was compiled by Shizuoka Gov. Yasutomo Suzuki at a meeting of the National Governors’ Association held in Aomori Prefecture in July.

The proposal calls on the central government to establish a comprehensive basic law and set up a central coordinating body for multicultural coexistence policies.

Suzuki compiled the proposal as leader of a project team. The proposal noted that Japanese language education and livelihood support for foreign residents had been left to the discretion of municipalities. It also stated that while the central government views foreigners as workers, from the perspective of local communities, they are residents and members of the community.

The Shizuoka prefectural government has received a flood of critical emails and phone calls regarding the proposal, it was learned on Monday.

According to the prefectural government, as of Monday morning, it had received approximately 200 emails and phone calls. Many were critical, with comments such as, “It is unreasonable to use tax money to support foreigners,” or “This is inhospitable toward Japanese people.”

An official from the prefectural multicultural coexistence division expressed concern, saying, “Denying a multicultural society could lead to xenophobia.”