Japan has also become deeply xenophobic since the recent House of Councillors election. While xenophobia inevitably surfaces in any country once the foreign population reaches a certain level, excessive escalation is essential. Allowing this escalation to continue will ultimately undermine the values we have cherished and nurtured to date, such as freedom, equality, diversity, and inclusiveness.

What particularly concerns me is the way China and the Chinese are treated. It seems like they’re being targeted. It’s true that Chinese purchases of real estate in Japan warrant caution, and frankly, their eagerness to buy up properties is unsightly. In the case of Chinese buyers, it’s difficult to know whether they’re buying out of personal choice or as part of a Communist Party plot, so we must keep a close eye on them in case of unforeseen circumstances. However, many owners are struggling with what to do with land that is valued at next to nothing in Japan and only attracts substantial property taxes. The Chinese are now buying this negative legacy for 1 billion yen. From their perspective, they may seem like a savior. When Chinese people buy land in Japan, it means that there are Japanese people selling land in Japan. Unless this structure is addressed, there will be no fundamental solution.

Also, although I don’t think either the Japanese or the Chinese truly wish this, if an emergency were to break out between Japan and China, if there were a significant number of Chinese people living in Japan, China would be reluctant to invade Japan carelessly. This would be because there is a risk of hurting their own people. On the other hand, if there were a significant number of Chinese people living in Japan, it could give China a convenient justification. They might say that the Chinese in Japan are suffering unfair discrimination, and that they would attack Japan to help them. This is a fallacy that Hitler used as an excuse for invading Poland, but there is no guarantee that China won’t use the same tactic.
Having foreigners living in Japan can be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage. The bottom line is that we need to broaden our perspective and be more thoughtful than usual. (Kei Kitajima)

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