You might have read that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning to "import millions of Africans and Kurds” into Japan — and that this is why he’s stepping down.
Maybe you’ve seen the plans for Tokyo to designate special "hometowns” within the country that will become free havens for African immigrants on special visas. Or perhaps the recently announced suggestion to bring half a million Indians into the country?
There’s a common thread to these stories: They’re all complete fiction. There’s no mass immigration from the Global South into Japan, though you might not know that if you primarily consume your news on social media. But these stories fill a vacuum — the lack of a proper discussion on immigration. It’s one that should be at the center of the race to be the next prime minister.
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