Foreign workers in Japan are essential but resisted

Kutchan, Niseko, and the foreign workforce behind Japan's tourism boom

In Hokkaido, near the ski resort of Niseko and the nearby town of Kutchan, tensions are running high. Niseko, well known to both Japanese and international tourists, attracts a global clientele. The entire Kutchan area has benefited from this tourism surge, which now represents a market worth 50 billion dollars.

To sustain this growth, developers plan to build housing for seasonal workers, with capacity for up to 1,200 people, most of them being foreigners. Already, foreign residents make up 22% of Kutchan's population. Like many regions in Japan, the town cannot function without them. Its population is aging rapidly, young people are leaving and not returning, and the community is slowly shrinking. Expat workers are helping to keep it alive.

But the new housing project has divided locals. Some residents are demanding that the government block it. They are backed by the nationalist Sanseitō party, which argues that foreigners pose a threat to Japan's safety and identity.

Racism on the rise: A Nepali resident speaks out

These hostile words echo with Jigyan Kumar Thapa, a Nepali who has lived in Japan for 25 years. One evening, as he headed home after work, a Japanese man in his thirties harassed him for wearing a topi, Nepal's traditional hat. Startled and frightened, Thapa said nothing.

A few days later, he took to the social media platform X to share his love for Japan, his confusion, and his pain. His post went viral—but it also drew racist comments that left him deeply hurt.

Despite this, Thapa stands by his message: Japan needs multicultural exchange. An official interpreter for the Embassy of Nepal in Japan and a member of the International Foundation, he works to promote respect between cultures.

Immigration policy at a crossroads

According to Japan's Immigration Services Agency, the country counted 3.8 million foreign residents at the end of 2024, a record high. The issue loomed large during the July elections, reviving old tensions.The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled Japan almost continuously for over 70 years, has recently hardened its stance—even though it was once behind efforts to relax immigration rules. Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected LDP president and the first woman to hold the position (as of October 4), openly brands herself as “anti-immigration.” During her campaign, she claimed that foreigners lacked manners and were responsible for crime.Will Japan move toward stricter immigration rules? For now, analysts doubt it. Without a solid parliamentary majority, Takaichi has limited room to act, and Japan's aging society continues to rely heavily on foreign labor. Yet for Thapa and many other long-term residents, the real challenge is perception: foreigners should be recognized not just as temporary workers but as full members of Japanese society, contributing to its vitality, diversity, and growth.