(OSAKA) Elon Musk set off a fierce debate in Japan’s immigration politics after he replied “Good” to a video of an anti-immigration rally held in Osaka on August 30, 2025. The post on X, formerly Twitter, quickly drew attention inside Japan and abroad, highlighting a policy crossroads that arrived just one day after Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki announced a top-to-bottom review of immigration rules.
The rally featured banners such as “Don’t make Japan Africa” and calls for deportation of illegal immigrants. It landed at a moment when the government is weighing possible caps on foreign residents even as labor shortages worsen.
Musk’s influence and political context
Musk’s one-word endorsement fits a pattern. He has recently boosted far-right, anti-immigration voices in Europe, including Germany’s AfD and British activist Tommy Robinson. In Japan, his comment was seen as a clear nod to groups that reject a broader role for immigrants in the economy and communities.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the billionaire’s global reach can amplify fringe messages and push immigration arguments into the mainstream, especially when local politics are already tense.
The Osaka protest unfolded after the July 2025 Upper House elections, where the Sanseito party expanded from 2 to 15 seats and now holds 3 seats in the Lower House. Sanseito’s “Japanese First” platform targets what it calls elitism and globalism, promising to “bring power back to the people.” The rally’s language reflected those themes, with hard-line messages about identity and borders.
- Supporters argue a firm stance is needed to keep order.
- Critics counter that such slogans scapegoat immigrants and could harm Japan’s economy and global standing.
Policy review accelerates amid demographic strain
Japan’s policy rethink is driven by numbers. The country’s birth rate fell below 690,000 in 2024, a level demographers did not expect until 2039. Meanwhile, the foreign resident population has more than doubled over the last decade, though it still sits well below the share seen in many OECD countries.
Justice Minister Suzuki, announcing the task force on August 29, 2025, said the government would study the social effects of rapid change and consider tools — including possible caps on foreign nationals — to keep cohesion while meeting labor needs.
Key policy shifts and timelines:
– In 2024, officials dissolved the controversial Technical Intern Trainee Program (TITP) and expanded the Specified Skilled Worker System (SSWS).
– The SSWS now opens more paths for family reunification and potential permanent residency for qualifying workers.
– Authorities raised the cap for lower-qualified workers to 820,000 over five years starting in 2024, signaling continued reliance on foreign talent.
– In January 2025, the government announced tougher enforcement: from June 2027, long-term residents who fail to pay taxes or social security could lose their visas.
Officials frame enforcement as a fairness measure meant to defend public trust. Business groups caution that overly rigid rules could push needed workers to competitor countries.
Financial and travel-related changes:
– Startup Visa holders can now open bank accounts without waiting six months, following guidance from the Financial Services Agency in early 2025.
– An Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system is planned by 2028 to speed short-term entries — a measure that could help tourism and business visits.
Practical effects for foreign residents and employers
For people already in Japan, and those planning a move, the debate raises urgent questions.
Important administrative steps and timelines:
1. Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) remains the starting document for most long-term visas.
– Processing typically runs 1–3 months.
– CoE validity is about three months once issued.
– Official guidance, forms, and updates are available on the Japan Immigration Services Agency portal: https://www.isa.go.jp/en/index.html.
2. Startup Visa holders can open bank accounts immediately (no six-month wait). Keep copies of visa approval and city hall registration.
3. From June 2027, long-term residents who do not pay taxes or social insurance risk visa revocation. Set reminders for city tax, national tax, and pension deadlines.
4. The SSWS expansion (2024–2025) allows more family reunification and clearer paths to permanent residency. Consult employers or attorneys about category fit, skills tests, or language requirements.
5. The planned eTA by 2028 should make short stays easier; travelers should watch for phased rollouts by nationality.
Day-to-day consequences:
– Foreign residents face growing public scrutiny; a policy cap could make it harder for new arrivals to secure slots in high-demand categories.
– SSWS expansions allow more families to stay together, helping employee retention.
– Employers in elder care, construction, food services, and manufacturing warn that any broad limit on foreign workers could slow critical projects.
Real-world examples:
– A family in Kobe may feel staffing shortages at a parent’s nursing home.
– A small tool-and-die shop in Aichi may depend on a skilled grinder from abroad to meet orders.
– A chef in Fukuoka may hire trainees who later bring spouses under SSWS terms, adding children to local schools.
Public reactions and programs adding heat
JICA’s new “African Hometown Initiative,” announced in August 2025, added heat to the public argument. Some activists miscast the program as a pipeline for African immigration. JICA officials say it is a development cooperation plan focused on local growth in partner countries, not a mass migration scheme.
Still, its timing — so close to the Osaka rally and Musk’s post — ensured it would draw attention and become a talking point for anti-immigration voices.
Elon Musk’s role remains a flashpoint:
– Supporters say he champions free speech and hard questions about border control.
– Opponents say his posts embolden groups that target minorities.
In Japan’s context, where national identity weighs heavily on politics, a one-word message from a global figure can shape the mood far beyond social media. Local community groups report more questions from foreign residents worried that policies might swing sharply after the task force reports later this year.
The task force’s findings, due in late 2025 or early 2026, could outline caps, compliance steps, or new integration plans. The coming months will likely be decisive for how Japan balances control and openness.
What readers and employers should do now
Practical checklist:
– Prepare employer letters and proof of qualifications early for the 1–3 month CoE processing window.
– Keep visa approval and city hall registration copies handy when opening bank accounts or handling administrative steps.
– Set payment reminders for taxes and social insurance to avoid visa revocation risks from June 2027.
– Ask employers or immigration advisors which SSWS category applies and what tests or documentation are required.
– Monitor rollout details for the planned eTA by 2028 to ease short-term travel planning.
– Employers should map hiring plans to the 820,000 target and prepare for more audits on tax and social insurance.
Political outlook and concluding perspective
Policy advocates are split. Nationalist and populist groups, strengthened by Sanseito’s rise, want strict controls and sharper removal measures for overstayers. Business leaders push for more visas tied to real labor gaps. Migration scholars describe Japan’s move as careful, even slow, but say the country has little choice if it hopes to keep factories running and care for an aging population.
The politics will likely get louder before they settle. If the Osaka protest — now linked in the public mind with Elon Musk’s post — signals anything, it’s that a fight over identity is unfolding alongside a hard math problem: Japan must keep the economy moving with fewer local births, or risk shrinking tax bases and slower growth.
Officials emphasize avoiding social division. Stronger enforcement for taxes and social insurance is framed as a fairness promise. Clearer rules for Startups aim to draw entrepreneurs who can create jobs. A possible eTA aims to cut friction for short visits, even as the country weighs caps for longer stays.
In a season where a single word can shift the debate, clear rules and calm planning matter most. Japan’s choice — how open, how fast, and on what terms — will shape workplaces and neighborhoods long after the Osaka rally fades from feeds.
For official procedures and forms, consult the Japan Immigration Services Agency portal: https://www.isa.go.jp/en/index.html.
This Article in a Nutshell
Elon Musk’s terse endorsement of an anti-immigration rally in Osaka on August 30, 2025, intensified debates as Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki announced a full review of immigration policy. The rally, aligned with Sanseito’s rise after July’s elections, came amid worsening demographics: Japan’s birth rate fell below 690,000 in 2024 while foreign resident numbers have doubled in a decade. Recent reforms include dissolving the TITP and expanding the SSWS to allow family reunification and paths to permanent residency; the government raised a cap to 820,000 lower-qualified workers over five years starting in 2024. From June 2027, nonpayment of taxes or social insurance can lead to visa revocation. Other measures include immediate bank access for Startup Visa holders and a planned eTA by 2028. The task force’s report due late 2025 or early 2026 will be decisive for caps, compliance, and integration strategies, with significant implications for employers, foreign residents, and Japan’s economic resilience.
