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Oct. 31, 2025 | Japan’s foreigner problem: Kimi Onoda and the politics of coexistence
Thursday, 30 October, 2025
When Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister on Oct. 21, one of her new cabinet pick's stood out. Kimi Onoda was appointed minister for economic security and the “Cool Japan” strategy — but also given a new title: Minister for Promoting an Orderly Coexistent Society with Foreigners. It’s a phrase that says a lot about how Japan sees outsiders. In this week’s Japan Today Spotlight, we look at how anti-foreigner sentiment is gaining political traction, why “coexistence” has become such a loaded word and what that means for Japan’s future. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-vDNg-hhBZo Chapters 00:00 Intro: Japan’s first female prime minister 01:36 Blame the foreigners 03:48 The coexistence policy 04:33 Kimi Onoda’s appointment 05:51 Anti-foreigner rhetoric in Japan 06:30 Japanese labor needs foreigners 07:57 Fear of foreigners and the facts 09:30 Cultural misunderstandings 11:08 Sanseito’s argument 12:32 Outro: The choice ahead Do you think Japan’s “foreigner problem” is really about policy or fear? Tell us in the comments.
