2026 POLLS: JIP, Sanseito Call for Cap on Foreigners in Japan

Tokyo, Feb. 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Innovation Party and Sanseito have called for setting a cap on the percentage of foreign nationals in Japan’s population in their promises to voters for Sunday’s House of Representatives election. By contrast, the Liberal Democratic Party, the JIP’s ally in the ruling camp, makes no mention of such a cap in its election platform. The Centrist Reform Alliance, a new opposition party created by Lower House lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, considers such a cap a premature measure. Last month, the government adopted a comprehensive package of measures, showing its basic policy on foreign nationals. The measures include tightening conditions for the acquisition of Japanese nationality, enhancing steps against nonpayment of medical fees under the public health insurance system and setting rules on land purchases. Regarding whether to restrict the number of foreign nationals in Japan, the government only said it will consider such an option. Preliminary data from the Immigration Services Agency have shown that the number of foreigners admitted into Japan logged a record high of 42.43 million in 2025. The proportion of foreign nationals in the country’s population is forecast to exceed 10 pct in 2070, according to the National Institute for Population and Social Security Research. In light of the increase in foreign residents, the JIP has made a cap on foreign nationals a core policy, while Sanseito has proposed tightening restrictions on the total number of foreign nationals admitted into Japan. The Conservative Party of Japan has called for a halt to an inflow of foreign nationals, saying that it will suspend immigration. The LDP’s platform includes no restriction on the number of foreign nationals in Japan in line with the government’s package, apparently in consideration of concerns in the business community, which hopes to have more foreign workers to address labor shortages. The Democratic Party for the People calls for a new law to regulate property acquisition by foreigners that will also cover areas other than those around defense facilities. New party Team Mirai has proposed raising the entry tax and the fixed asset tax for nonresidents. The Tax Cuts Japan & Patriotic Alliance, another recently established party, says Japan should deal strictly with foreigners who do not abide by rules. Meanwhile, the Centrist Reform Alliance, the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party seek to create a society where Japanese and foreign people live together harmoniously. “It’s too early to limit the total number of foreign nationals,” said Yoshihiko Noda, co-leader of the centrist party. He indicated that his party will set up an agency for a society of multicultural coexistence. The JCP and SDP emphasize their opposition to discrimination and xenophobia. Reiwa Shinsengumi opposes policies it says violate foreigners’ rights. Policies on foreign nationals have drawn strong attention on social media. Posts including words such as “immigrants” increased just before and after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced her intention to dissolve the Lower House, a survey by web analysis tool Brandwatch shows. Many posts apparently by supporters of Sanseito and other conservative parties said that the LDP promotes immigration. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]