Japan Not Conducting ‘Mass Deportations,’ Ministry Clarifies

Foreign nationals in Japan have become the focus of misleading claims across social media platforms following the appointment of the country’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Widespread posts on X and Facebook falsely assert that Takaichi has established a ministry dedicated to “mass deportations” – a claim that has no basis in fact despite receiving millions of views online.

The misinformation specifically targets Kimi Onoda, who was appointed this week to several governmental positions, including economic security minister and minister in charge of a “society of well-ordered and harmonious coexistence with foreign nationals.” While this department was initially created under former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Onoda’s appointment as cabinet minister overseeing the department is new.

During her first press conference on Wednesday, Onoda did state that Japan “will strictly handle foreign nationals who do not follow the rules,” but made no mention of mass deportations. She noted that “inappropriate use of various systems by some foreign residents, their crimes and misbehaviour are causing anxiety and a sense of unfairness among Japanese people.”

The circulation of these false claims comes amid growing tensions around immigration in Japan. Despite having immigration levels that remain low compared to other developed economies, Japan faces significant demographic challenges with an aging population, critically low birth rates, and widespread worker shortages across multiple industries. These factors have led to a gradual increase in foreign workers entering the country.

The increasing presence of foreigners, including tourists, emerged as a contentious issue during the recent Liberal Democratic Party leadership race. Takaichi herself made controversial comments during her campaign, including accusations that foreigners were mistreating deer in her hometown of Nara.

Social media has amplified the misinformation, with one post on X falsely claiming Takaichi “was sworn in and IMMEDIATELY created a ministry for mass deportations” receiving over nine million views. Another fabricated claim circulating on Facebook suggested that Japan’s emperor had approved “the nationwide deportation plan.” These false narratives have spread beyond English-speaking audiences, appearing in Thai, German, and Spanish language posts as well.

This wave of immigration misinformation follows several recent incidents in Japan. Last month, a cultural and social exchange program with four African nations was canceled after being mischaracterized as a new immigration policy, triggering floods of complaints. Similarly, Kitakyushu city reportedly received numerous complaints following false claims about plans for Muslim-friendly school lunches.

The spread of such misinformation coincides with the rising popularity of anti-immigration sentiment in Japanese politics. The Sanseito party, which runs on an anti-immigration platform, significantly increased its representation in the upper house elections in July, growing from two seats to fifteen. The party also holds three seats in Japan’s lower chamber.

Sanseito’s political agenda mirrors populist movements seen globally, with rhetoric against “elitism” and “globalism,” and promises to “bring power back to the people.” The party’s growing influence reflects increasing concerns among some Japanese voters about immigration and cultural change.

As Japan navigates its demographic challenges while addressing concerns about immigration, the spread of false information threatens to complicate public discourse on these critical issues and potentially inflame tensions between Japanese citizens and foreign residents.