Opposition Sanseito Submits Bill for Foreigner Policy Agency

Tokyo, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Opposition Sanseito on Wednesday submitted a bill to establish a Japanese government agency to coordinate policies related to foreigners across ministries and agencies. The bill, introduced in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, calls for creating the agency as an external bureau of the Cabinet Office and appointing a minister in charge. It is also designed to abolish the Immigration Services Agency, which is affiliated with the Justice Ministry, whose duties would be absorbed by the envisaged new agency to coordinate policies related to foreigners, in areas such as labor, social security and public security, across relevant ministries and agencies. Policies on foreigners under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration are “extremely insufficient,” Sanseito chief Sohei Kamiya told reporters. “We need stronger and clearer policies.” He also called for setting an upper limit on the total number of foreigners living in the country. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]