Portrait of Taro Kono
Politician · policy
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Taro Kono on Immigration

Pro-immigration reform (strong)

TL;DR

Taro Kono advocates for Japan to open its doors to more immigrants to mitigate the country's demographic crisis and labor shortage.

Key Points

  • He has advocated for Japan to open its doors to blue-collar foreign workers to help with the labor shortage as of 2017.

  • During a 2007 discussion, he stated that Japan is not a country of immigration and refused to pardon undocumented workers with amnesty.

  • He participated in a 2017 symposium where he openly and positively discussed the need to accept immigrants to cope with demographic problems.

Summary

Taro Kono is recognized as a politician within the Liberal Democratic Party who supports more acceptance of immigrants into Japan, contrasting with some within his party. His core position stems from recognizing the serious demographic challenges, particularly the aging and shrinking population, and the resulting insufficient labor force. He has publicly advocated for opening the country to immigrants, including blue-collar foreign workers, to address these labor shortfalls. The taboo surrounding open discussion of immigration in Japan has begun to dissipate, partly due to figures like him engaging positively on the necessity of migration.

Historically, Japan has maintained a relatively closed stance, but Kono's views align with those seeing the need for proactive policy adjustments to ensure a dynamic and sustainable future. His stance is also evidenced by his participation in policy dialogues where he openly and positively discussed the need for increased immigration. Furthermore, his past engagement suggests a focus on ensuring fairness and equal treatment for residents, which is a critical component of any reformed immigration system, as the pace of change creates public unease.

Key Quotes

Japan is not a country of immigration and does not want to attract immigrants by granting amnesty to illegal workers.

I still have faith that real market economy leads to democracy as the middle class it creates will eventually crave for political freedom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Taro Kono is known to support opening Japan's doors to more immigrants to address the country's declining and aging population, according to reports from 2017 and later. While he has historically been critical of illegal immigration, his stance leans toward accepting foreign workers to supplement the labor force. His position reflects a growing need for policy change in Japan to maintain a dynamic future, as stated in policy discussions.

No, in a 2007 round table discussion, Taro Kono stated that the government would never grant amnesty to illegal workers for violating immigration law. He reportedly advised that such workers should voluntarily leave and re-enter Japan with the proper visas. This position contrasts with his later public support for reforming immigration to bring in necessary labor.

His public engagement suggests an evolution toward advocating for increased immigration to solve demographic issues, as detailed in a 2017 policy dialogue. While he firmly opposed amnesty for law-violating undocumented workers in 2007, he has since publicly supported opening the country to immigrants to mitigate labor shortages. This shift shows a pragmatic adaptation to Japan's worsening demographic crisis.