Japan Immigration News

(Le Monde)Japan defends its immigration policy, amid Joe Biden's accusations of xenophobia

Release Date: 2024-05-07
Media: Le Monde
Summary: In response to U.S. President Joe Biden's comments suggesting that Japan's economic struggles are due to "xenophobia" and a reluctance to accept immigrants, Japan rejected the criticism. On May 3, Tokyo stated that Biden's remarks were "regrettable" and not based on an accurate understanding of Japan's immigration policies. Biden had made these comments during a fundraising event in early May, stating that countries like China, Japan, Russia, and India were facing economic difficulties because they "don’t want immigrants."

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre later clarified that Biden's comments were meant to highlight the importance of being a nation of immigrants, which he believes strengthens the U.S. National security advisor John Kirby also downplayed the impact of Biden’s statements, emphasizing that U.S. allies, including Japan, understand Biden's respect for their cooperation across various issues.

This exchange occurred just three weeks after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to the White House, during which Biden had praised the "unbreakable alliance" between the U.S. and Japan, particularly on security matters.
Tags: Immigration Policy

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