🇯🇵🔥📹 On July 5, 2025, Japanese political figure Naoki Hyakuta, leader of the Conservative Party of Japan, ignited intense controversy after delivering a speech labeled by critics as “hate speech” and “xenophobic.”
In the footage, Hyakuta accused migrants of “disrespecting Japanese culture,” contributing to crime, forming “no-go zones,” and living off welfare rather than contributing through labor. The comments sparked backlash across the political spectrum, with rights groups and opposition lawmakers condemning his rhetoric as inflammatory and dangerous.
🔻 The incident comes amid a shifting national policy. Since the cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan has adopted more open immigration policies, inviting migrant workers from Southeast Asia and the Middle East to fill gaps in low-skilled labor sectors. While aimed at combating Japan’s aging population and labor shortages, this move has triggered growing backlash from nationalist and far-right groups.
Hyakuta’s remarks are being seen by analysts as a political strategy to galvanize populist support, riding a wave of discontent over cultural and economic anxieties. However, civil society warns that such rhetoric could fuel social division and discrimination.
As Japan balances demographic needs with cultural cohesion, this flashpoint reveals rising tensions over immigration, national identity, and populist politics.
