I basically welcome immigrants, as long as they respect our culture, customs, and tradition, and of course, follow Japanese laws like we do.
I know there are many honest and hardworking foreign people who come here legally, and I truly welcome them. But unfortunately, I heard the number of illegal immigrants has been increasing and the government is forced to deal with the problem.
Maybe Japan is very attractive. Because it’s relatively safe, clean, advanced and comfortable to live in.
But what attracts illegal immigrants most is said to be the social system, such as welfare, unemployment benefits and affordable health care system in Japan.
When it comes to illegal residents in Japan, I often hear that some people from other Asian countries—mainly China—come here just to take advantage of welfare programs or access affordable medical insurance services.
I’m not exactly sure how that’s even possible, but people say there are loopholes in the system, and that the government and relevant authorities don’t do enough to crack down on the problem.
Of course, not everyone abuses the system, but I think stricter control is necessary to keep things fair for everyone.
So I personally think that the government should take stricter measures to reduce illegal stay, illegal employment and abuse of the welfare system.
My opinion is more about the system, not individual people. I just hope Japan has a fair immigration policy that protects both society and the people who come here legally and sincerely.
However, when we look at the global situation, it seems that many countries—especially in Europe—are shifting from globalism toward more conservative policies. In other words, there's been a move from left-leaning views that support accepting immigrants to right-leaning views that aim to reduce or restrict immigration.
I think this shift is a reaction to various problems, such as rising crime rates involving immigrants, financial pressure on citizens, and social tensions between local communities and immigrant populations.
Many countries may have realized that accepting too many immigrants can lead to serious challenges and even threaten social stability.
But in contrast, Japan’s government is now trying to increase the number of immigrants. To me, that feels like it's going against the current global trend. I’m honestly quite concerned about the government loosening immigration policies too much.
One of my concerns is that if too many people from the same background or faith settle in one area, it could gradually change the moral values and social norms that Japanese society has developed over many many years.
One example is Kurdish people in Saitama prefecture. Many of them came to Japan to escape conflict and persecution in Turkey, but Japan doesn't officially recognize them as refugees. As a result, they can't get proper legal status. But they have continued to live in Japan while applying for asylum multiple times. I have no idea how that could be possible?
Anyway, there's a saying: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do.".
I believe that if you choose to live in a certain country, you should try to respect and follow local traditions and rules. If you strongly feel they cannot, then, perhaps living in another country might not the best fit for you.
