Officials Debunk Claim of Subsidy for Hiring Foreign Workers

Japanese officials are pushing back against a surge of misinformation on social media claiming that the government offers special financial incentives to businesses that hire foreign workers or serve foreign customers.

The false claims have gained traction as Japan approaches its February 8 Lower House election, where immigration and foreign policy have emerged as divisive campaign issues. Several candidates have incorporated these misleading assertions into their platform speeches, further amplifying the misinformation.

One widely shared falsehood suggests that companies receive government subsidies specifically for hiring foreign nationals. In reality, the labor ministry does offer a grant program, but it serves a different purpose. The program helps businesses cover costs related to integrating foreign workers, such as translating company regulations and internal documents into multiple languages.

“It is never provided solely for hiring a foreigner,” clarified a labor ministry official. The subsidy is limited to 800,000 yen (approximately $5,100) per business, regardless of how many foreign employees they have on staff.

Another false claim circulating on X (formerly Twitter) alleges that rental car companies receive government subsidies specifically for renting vehicles to foreigners. The transport ministry confirmed this is inaccurate. While they do offer partial subsidies to rental agencies, the funding covers multilingual website development and translation device installation, not the actual vehicle rentals.

“There is no program that provides a subsidy just for renting out a car,” a transport ministry representative stated.

Social media analysts note that content suggesting preferential treatment for foreigners often triggers public outrage and spreads rapidly across platforms, particularly during election seasons. This pattern was observed during last year’s Upper House election when candidates incorporated similar unverified claims into their campaign rhetoric.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which manages Japan’s official development assistance programs, has repeatedly found itself in the crosshairs of these misinformation campaigns. Last August, JICA was forced to cancel a cultural exchange initiative that designated four Japanese cities as “hometowns” for African nations after being overwhelmed by false accusations that the program would lead to mass immigration.

As the current election cycle unfolds, calls to “dismantle JICA” have resurfaced on social platforms. A senior Foreign Ministry official noted, “Since the start of the Lower House election, there has been an increase in posts critical of international cooperation.”

On January 27, a viral post on X falsely claimed: “JICA gives about 100 million yen per company just to prepare Africans to work in Japan! And all they have to do is have two people research it for a year! If you have that kind of money, you should give it to the ‘hyogaki sedai’ (ice age generation)!” This reference to Japan’s “ice age generation” invokes the cohort who struggled to find employment following the collapse of Japan’s economic bubble.

This particular post garnered over 1.7 million views by February 4, despite being factually incorrect. JICA representatives clarified that the referenced project is actually a research study examining potential overseas employment opportunities for African workers and corresponding demand in Japan.

The agency explained that the initiative aims to provide Africans with temporary work experience in Japan, allowing them to develop specialized skills before returning to contribute to their home countries’ development. Contrary to claims about funding numerous companies, JICA awarded a single contract worth approximately 80 million yen to a joint venture between two firms.

Media literacy experts warn that such misinformation risks inflaming xenophobia and complicating Japan’s efforts to address its aging population and labor shortages through measured immigration policies.