Xenophobia in Japanese COVID-19 Policies

Individuals waiting to pass through immigration at an airport in Japan during the pandemic-era strict border entry restrictions. Photo courtesy of the Japan Times. 

Under the surface, Japan is bubbling with pervasive issues of racism and xenophobia. Much of this can be attributed to the island nation’s predominantly homogeneous ethnic Japanese population, as well as its history of geographical and political isolation. Despite cities with a more cosmopolitan reputation such as Tokyo, Yokohama, and Kyoto, the country’s population is 98.5% ethnically Japanese. Foreigners without citizenship and non-ethnically Japanese citizens alike have long complained about the racial and ethnic discrimination that results from this homogeneity. Despite immigration reforms in the past few years, anti-immigration sentiment persists, expressed against both those seeking asylum and those wanting to immigrate and join the workforce. This attitude is not a new phenomenon, and the country has arguably not made recognizable progress. The United States embassy in Japan has noted this prejudice when releasing a statement on December 6, 2021 about local police racially profiling foreigners. Further, United Nations human rights experts critiqued Japan for its palpable “racism, discrimination, and exploitation of migrant workers” and its strict policies regarding acceptance of refugees, granting refugee status to only 44 of 10,375 applicants in 2019. 

Japan’s COVID-19 foreign entry policies have exacerbated pre-existing xenophobic sentiment and incited discourse among those who do not hold Japanese citizenship. These policies, which began in 2020 with the onset of the pandemic, have garnered attention within the nation, due to the hypocrisy and toll they have taken on families. Internationally, Japan’s current border controls are the strictest in the Group of Seven, an organization consisting of the seven most developed economies internationally, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Unfortunately, Japan’s COVID-19 policies have restricted entry for everyone but Japanese nationals, residency cardholders, and those entering on humanitarian grounds. The government also invalidated many short-term visas during the pandemic, forcing individuals to remain in Japan illegally or rendering them unable to return home to Japan for an indefinite period of time. These rigid entry policies have most pertinently affected three groups—families, students, and members of the workforce—creating long-lasting, national implications. 

These restrictions have resulted in the separation of families—some for the entire three-year duration of the pandemic. This forced distance significantly affects families who live and work in Japan but do not hold Japanese citizenship. In many cases, children or spouses went to their home country and were not able to return, uprooting their lives. A survey conducted among tens of thousands of individuals separated from overseas family members reported that more than one hundred individuals experienced “mental or physical damage,” while others reported that they filed for divorce amidst the pandemic due to Japan’s strict policies driving them apart.

Furthermore, international students who were encouraged by Japan’s pro-immigration efforts in the pre-pandemic years are now unable to enter the country and must reconsider their study plans. One of the main difficulties of these restrictions is that Japan has not provided a timeline for when it plans to allow international students into the country, creating financial and personal turmoil as students have little consolation or ability to plan for the future—even those with foreign-government-sponsored scholarships. What many “banned” international students find issue with is that the policies lack scientific backing. Many students are “100% willing” to be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival and follow routine quarantine protocols—the same procedure that Japanese nationals go through when they enter the country—making it seem as though Japan is enforcing baseless restrictions, serving no purpose other than to satisfy public opinion. In January 2022, 88% of the public wanted to continue with the strict policies, which further disincentivizes Prime Minister Fumio Kishida from loosening the border entry restrictions.

In addition to prohibiting relatives and students from entering Japan, the policies have displaced countless people from the Japanese workforce. Half a million foreigners and approximately 150,000 students’ lives have been forever transformed as a result of Japan’s strict policies on the unreasonable basis of nationality. Not only is this affecting people on a micro level, but these restrictions also have broader implications for Japan’s economy and international image. In addition to simply negatively impacting workers’ livelihoods, restricting entry is also taking a toll on Japan’s economy. Contributing to this economic instability is competition from economic rivals, such as neighboring Asian countries, and the country’s declining population. The gradual decrease in the working population has contributed to Japan’s growing reliance on foreigners in its workforce—despite the persistent xenophobia present among Japanese nationals. A study done at the beginning of February 2022 indicates that there must be an increase of “four times more foreign workers by 2040 to achieve the growth path the government has outlined in its economic forecast.” Without Japan’s workforce operating at its full potential, neighboring countries’ economies have continued to grow, fostering greater economic competition and a larger gap to close post-pandemic. The COVID-19 restriction policies, coupled with a declining population, will cause imminent detriment to Japan’s economy. 

The most hypocritical aspect of Japan’s stringent policies is surrounding the COVID-19 policies within the country. Once in Japan, there is a lack of vaccination and testing opportunities compared to many countries that Japan currently bans entry from. For instance, getting a COVID test to exit the country costs approximately $200 USD, which inherently caters to a wealthier socioeconomic demographic. Even in Tokyo, a city with a population over four times the size of New York City, it is rare to find testing that is accessible in terms of distance, accuracy, and cost. The World Health Organization Health Emergencies Programme Chief Mike Ryan called Japan out for its “nationality-based criteria” for border entry, instead advising them to develop stronger testing protocols, as well as domestic restrictions, such as implementing penalties or tangible consequences if individuals do not comply with the local COVID-19 regulations. The lack of reasoning from a healthcare standpoint—maintaining unsubstantiated restrictions reliant on individuals’ nationalities—is what renders the policies so unfair. With little proof that foreigners are wholly responsible for the spread of the virus, coupled with the country’s entrenched history of nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment, Japan must change its pandemic-era foreign entry policies, in order to dispel this narrative of xenophobia and make strides toward creating a more diverse and accepting public. 

Elise Wilson is a staff writer for CPR and a second-year at Barnard, studying Political Science and English with an intent to attend law school.