Japan’s national borders have acquired an infamous reputation for being seemingly impenetrable.
During the first months of the pandemic, the rule of who belongs and should be granted access to Japanese territory became painfully clear for many long-term foreign residents as they were not allowed to reenter the country after traveling abroad — a privilege that Japanese nationals enjoyed.
Japan has frequently been criticized for its lack of multiculturalist policies due to ethno-nationalist imaginings of the nation and an emphasis on jus sanguinis (inherited nationality from one’s parents) as a prerequisite for national citizenship. In some extreme cases, this has compromised human rights.