Japan Immigration News

(Japan Times)As immigration rises, Kawasaki’s foreign council shows path toward inclusion

Release Date: 2026-05-31
Media: Japan Times
Summary: Kawasaki has operated a Foreign Resident Council since 1996, giving non-Japanese residents a formal platform to discuss issues affecting immigrant communities and propose policy recommendations to the city government. The council, made up of representatives from around 20 countries, meets regularly to discuss concerns such as visa fees, tax systems, education support, language access, and community integration. Meetings are conducted entirely in Japanese, and members must have lived in Kawasaki for at least one year while not holding Japanese citizenship.

The council has gained greater significance as Japan’s foreign worker population reached a record 2.57 million in 2025 and immigration policy debates intensified nationwide. Members expressed concern about stricter immigration rules and rising permanent residency fees while also emphasizing the importance of building stronger connections between foreign residents and Japanese society. Some participants proposed digitalizing multilingual information through social media and messaging apps to improve accessibility for newcomers.

Kawasaki has long been known for progressive multicultural policies, including becoming the first municipality in Japan to criminalize hate speech in public spaces in 2020. The city now has more than 63,000 foreign residents. Officials say the council was created partly because of Kawasaki’s historically large Zainichi Korean population and a desire to increase civic participation among noncitizens.

Although the council is advisory only and lacks voting power, it has produced practical results. Past proposals led to simplified “easy Japanese” guides for long-term care insurance and multilingual support materials for foreign residents. Council members say these efforts help newcomers navigate Japanese bureaucracy and daily life more smoothly, while also giving foreign residents a rare form of civic representation despite lacking citizenship.
Tags: Coexistence

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