In the lead up to Japan’s Upper House elections, scheduled for 20 July, “foreign nationals” have unexpectedly become a topic of discussion during the campaign. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru’s assertion that Japan needs to determine “who to permit entry into the country” and his Liberal Democracy Party’s demand for “zero illegal foreign nationals” indicate a resurgence of the security-focused rhetoric that has long been a part of Japan’s immigration debate.
Migration remains a contentious issue across the Global North, often leveraged by right-wing political factions to garner votes and deflect blame for economic uncertainties. Migration is regularly scapegoated and portrayed as the source of social tensions and government shortcomings in addressing economic challenges.
This has become increasingly the case in Japan. Its national migration policy has reflected a hesitancy to accept a role as a destination for immigrants, even its then- thriving economy began facing a shortage of labour. As of the end of 2024, Japan’s foreign population grown to almost 3.8 million people, according to the Immigration Services Agency. This marks an increase of 10.5% year-on-year, and represents the third consecutive record annual high.
The populist party Sanseitō has launched a campaign centred around migration issues, advocating for “Japanese First” policies similar to the “America First” approach promoted by Donald Trump. Recently, Sanseitō secured its first two seats in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly at elections held on June 22, and polls suggest it will significantly increase its representation in the national Diet after Sunday’s upper house election.
Fears among Indonesians
Indonesia is one important source of migrant workers living in Japan. A netnography analysis I employed for this article, which involves observing and analysing online communities, cultures, and behaviours on social media platforms, reveals various reactions to Sanseitō’s mobilisation of “Japanese First” sentiment from Indonesians living in Japan.
On 9 July an Indonesian influencer residing in Japan revealed in an Instagram post that he had been contacted by an “important Japanese figure” who urged him to encourage Indonesian migrant workers in Japan to maintain proper conduct to avoid potential rejection in the future. The revelations followed media coverage of “problematic” behaviours of Indonesians in Japan, ranging from visa overstaying to pretty crime to more serious crimes. Within the Indonesian community, concerns were heightened about Indonesian migrants potentially being “blacklisted” by Japan in 2026.
A concern with defending the good name of the Indonesian migrant community has marked many of the responses to the rise of anti-foreigner political rhetoric. Many comments have centred on the supposedly problematic behaviour of certain Indonesian migrant workers, which has been perceived as drawing increased scrutiny on migration issues during the upper house election campaign.
For example, the Indonesian Community of Japan (ICJ), one of the largest social media groups of Indonesians in Japan, has also addressed this migration concern. A member, referred to as A (pseudonym), shared his thoughts in a status update on the ICJ platform, highlighting the importance of preserving a positive image within the community:
“I felt sad when I first read this thread, especially during the campaign season like now, and so many people are agreeing. I hope that those of you who are currently in this position will be kind when picking up and dropping off your children. There may be some people around you who are a little less pleased, even though they don’t really understand the rights regulated by law, but they want to change the law, which seems impossible.” (ICJ, FB, July, 2025)
A’s post was a response to a Japanese thread that expressed concerns about childcare fees, which the author believes do not serve the interests of Japanese society. The thread questioned why some foreigners can leave their children in daycare while studying, highlighting that newcomers to Japan often have very low childcare fees due to not having a reportable income from the previous year, while Japanese citizens typically pay around ¥50,000– 60,000 (A$500–600). The post also raised questions about how someone can be a student with small children—and expressed confusion about why a particular individual was attending a Japanese university despite not speaking the language.
The social media group Japan Guide Indonesia, a platform that shares everything about Japan for Indonesians on Instagram has also been a space for similar discussions. One member posted news regarding Prime Minister Ishiba’s plan to create a special unit to monitor foreigners and his plans to review regulations that tighten the entry of foreigners. The post was widely responded to by various comments, most of which blamed “irresponsible” Indonesian people and communities in Japan who they considered unable to maintain the good name of the nation while living there.
Among the posts expressing concern, some also attempted inject balance by presenting rebuttals written by Japanese NGOs rejecting negative narratives that marginalise foreigners, including an 8 July statement by 274 NGOs voicing their rejection of xenophobia in the election campaign. Eight Japanese NGOs, including the Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan (Ijuren) and the Anti-Poverty Campaign, led the organisation of this joint statement, which opposed the baseless xenophobic comments made by several legislative candidates in the Upper House election campaign.
More recently the ICJ issued an official statement aimed at the Japanese people, addressing concerns and issues regarding misunderstandings about foreigners. Following this, an official statement was issued by the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo to clarify the chaos surrounding the rumour on social media that Indonesia will be blacklisted in 2026.
Subsequently, Indonesia’s Minister of Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers, Abdul Kadir Karding, addressed influencers with an important message: “Please understand the impact of your posts before sharing them. It’s not just about your image; it can influence Japan’s willingness to employ Indonesians. We must not let the actions of a few individuals jeopardise the opportunities for hundreds of thousands of prospective migrant workers, especially when inaccurate information is spread through social media.” He then stressed the importance of upholding the nation’s good reputation in response to several Indonesian individuals facing issues in Japan that could potentially harm Indonesia’s image.
Japanese dreams and unrequited love
Amid the prevalent “Japanese first” narrative and chaotic reactions on social media, Indonesia stands out as one of the countries actively sending migrant workers to Japan. For more than 30 years, the pathway for cooperation on labour migration has been kept open through the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP). During this time, Indonesian migrant workers have played a vital role in addressing gaps in key Japanese industrial sectors, including construction, agriculture, fisheries, food processing, and nursing and aged care.
But the Japanese government’s policy of openness in accepting workers in these fields has been criticised as sluggish, often leading to the exploitation of migrant workers as if they were disposable. The “temporary” policies, crafted under the guise of preserving the integrity of “Japaneseness,” illustrate Japan’s lack of genuine commitment to facilitating the integration of foreigners into society. Meanwhile, Indonesia, as a sending country, remains entranced by this type of cooperation, which offers a temporary solution to the high unemployment rates at home. The mutual interests of both nations have transformed the migration issue into a bartering transaction.
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In reality, not everyone has the privilege to migrate safely. Many Indonesian migrant workers who choose to migrate to Japan to fulfill their dreams face numerous challenges. They often encounter difficulties such as accumulating debts before departure, having their documents withheld (such as diplomas and land certificates), and being coerced into signing agreements that violate their human rights. Not to mention the inhumane departure training system, such as asking prospective workers to sign agreements not to marry, get pregnant, or leave the house, and more. All of these obstacles must be navigated in the hope of escaping uncertainty in their home country and improving their lives in Japan. Upon arriving in the destination country, sometimes they have to accept the painful reality that their love is unrequited.
Who really needs to maintain their “good name”?
Overall, framing the issue of migration as a security challenge instead of a humanitarian matter frequently results in policies that violate migrants’ human rights. Moreover, migration is often commodified by irresponsible parties—like labour brokers and so-called “black companies”—by selling the dreams of a better life by exploiting prospective migrants’ vulnerable conditions.
In the end, the phrase “Japanese first” is being leveraged by certain individuals or groups from the sending country as a means to position themselves as a “gatekeeper’’ (in that they control and regulate movement), instilling anxiety and fear among migrants about the potential loss of opportunities for those unable to meet the “compliance” standards they have set for entering the migrant worker market in Japan. This approach encourages discourages migrants from speaking out, questioning their rights, seeking protection, or simply finding solace amidst the fatigue of the often inhumane working conditions.
The political climate in Japan as the election approaches has indeed been strategically exaggerated to create fear among potential migrant workers. This approach could potentially normalise, legitimise, and perpetuate inhumane practices in the pre-departure process, purportedly for the sake of ensuring discipline and compliance once workers arrive in Japan. Such a scenario potentially undermines the urgent need for reform in the pre-departure mechanism.
Indeed, it is essential to maintain the good reputation of your nation wherever you are. Upholding the values and following the rules of the country you reside in is equally important. However, in the end, who should be on blacklists, and be at the centre of politicians’ attention, are the corrupt systems, agencies, brokers who exploit the vulnerabilities of migrant workers, restrict their rights, weaken their solidarity, and prevent their advocacy in the name of gratitude, patience, and obedience.
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