Is Japan Souring on Immigration? Analyzing Public Discourse from the July 2025 Upper House Election

YCAPS is delighted to announce next event in the Community Conversations seminar series in the Okinawa community! This event will feature Professor Yunchen Tian, Japan Foundation - Nichibunken Fellow with the International Center for Japanese Studies.

Although lacking an official immigration policy, Japan's foreign population has grown rapidly in recent years to reach over 3.5 million in 2025. Despite government initiatives at 'multicultural coexistence', migration has surged to become one of the most salient political issues in Japan as upstart political parties such as Sanseito have rallied supporters under its pledge to address Japan's 'foreigner dilemma'.

In this conversation, we will discuss the main claims of the new political challengers and discuss how the LDP government's failure to implement policy reforms in several key areas have fanned the flames of populism in Japan. We will end the discussion by highlighting several key trends to watch in the coming months and years as Japan's approach to migration and internationalization faces greater scrutiny than ever before.

Registration: Optional via this Google Form.

Schedule:

• 14:30-15:15 Refreshments & Networking (food & drinks)
• 15:15-16:30 Presentation and Q&A

Location: (for parking, see below )

Vessel Hotel Campana Okinawa

〒904-0115 Okinawa, Nakagami District, Chatan, Mihama, 9−22

goo.gl/maps/PsF7icULPM3rgoKx9

Parking:

Depot Island Parking Lot

〒904-0115 Okinawa, Nakagami District, Chatan, Mihama

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Ti7CyGnTBwieDVo6

Speaker:

Yunchen Tian is a Japan Foundation - Nichibunken Fellow at the International Center for Japanese Studies (until end of September) / Specially Appointed Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of Kyoto University (starting October) in Kyoto, Japan and a member of Cohort 7 of the Mike and Maureen Mansfield Foundation's US-Japan Network for the Future. They research the discursive construction and governance of migration in Japan and hold a PhD in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University. Tian’s work has been published in the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Social Science Japan Journal, International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, and Citizenship Studies. Outside of academic journals, they have been published in Foreign Affairs and have spoken on immigration issues in Japan with both foreign and Japanese media sources.

Format: This event will be off-the-record.
Moderators: Luc Maccioni
Seminar Cost: Free of charge

Registration: Optional via this Google Form