A foreign residents' advisory council to the Tokyo governor on Tuesday had its most heated debate.
The politically sensitive topic of whether long-term non-Japanese residents should be allowed to participate in local elections and work in local governments split the panel.
The issue is one of most controversial among ethnic North Koreans and South Koreans, the largest foreign groups in the country. While many Pro-Pyongyang residents, fearing loss of their ethnic identity, firmly oppose the idea, Pro-Seoul residents wanting more opportunities in their communities ardently support it.