INTERVIEW: Japan to Grasp Foreigners’ Land Acquisitions

Tokyo, Nov. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese economic security minister Kimi Onoda has stressed the need to swiftly create a system that enables the government to grasp the actual situation regarding land acquisitions by foreign nationals in Japan. “The biggest problem is that we don’t have the full picture” of the situation, Onoda said in an interview with media organizations Monday. Onoda said the government hopes to “give a boost” to efforts to create a system to find out the real situation so that it can decide on the direction of policies by next January. She expressed a wish to cooperate with Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi on the issue of whether to regulate the total number of foreign people to be accepted in Japan. Onoda said that the government’s policy of promoting a society of orderly coexistence with foreign people is aimed at removing the Japanese public’s feelings of anxiety and unfairness by responding firmly to criminal acts by some foreign nationals in a way clearly separated from xenophobia. “Accepting those who are needed and refusing those who violate rules do not contradict each other at all,” she stressed. Onoda said Japan’s collaboration with its ally and partners is “essential” for strengthening the international supply chains for critical mineral resources, apparently with China’s rare earth export controls in mind. The government intends to “accelerate efforts to secure alternative supply sources through mining development, investment in smelting facilities and assistance through subsidies,” she said. On Japan’s content industry such as anime and manga, Onoda said improving the working conditions for creators is a “serious issue” for the entire industry. She said the government plans to disclose the results of a fact-finding survey regarding business practices in the sector. Based on the results, it will establish guidelines regarding the application of the antimonopoly law, she said. Asked about her relationship with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Onoda said she has supported Takaichi since she was a local assembly member. “I believe we share the same beliefs.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]