Today's Close-Up S2025E55 - Japan's "Foreigner Anxiety": How Misinformation and Complaints Fuel Unease

Since the JICA Hometown Project was withdrawn in September, NHK has found that about 60 municipalities and other entities received complaints and protests from the public. In areas that have sought to coexist with foreigners, things are starting to go wrong, with some residents saying, "Originally, we didn't have any particular complaints, but now we're starting to feel anxious because of what we see on social media." On the other hand, we also spoke with companies exploring the possibility of not being able to function without foreign workers. We consider how Japan should deal with its ever-increasing number of resident non-nationals.

Guest: Ito Masaaki (Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Seikei University)