To address long-running calls for tighter regulations and closer monitoring in cases where foreign firms buy land near Self-Defense Force bases, the Cabinet on Friday approved a bill that would create tougher regulations for such transactions in the hope of alleviating national security concerns.
But the bill, which includes a requirement that prior notification be sent to the government for certain real estate purchases, has also raised concerns about the violation of privacy rights. An intense debate over the bill’s provisions and constitutionality is likely, as the main opposition parties have vowed to oppose it, while many details about how it would operate in practice remain unclear.
“The bill identifies zones from the viewpoint of national security necessity and based on the special characteristics of the Self-Defense Forces and Japan Coast Guard (JCG) facilities, critical infrastructure facilities, border islands and the situation in areas they are located," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato on Friday.