Let’s take a minute to share an unbelievable scene currently taking place in Japan. Imagine a sea of Rising Sun flags flowing through the streets, with people marching for a cause and proclaiming a chilling message in a country known for peace, order, and technology.
The Japan First Party recently took to the streets and demanded the deportation of Islamists, largely are aiming at the now small, but growing community of Kurds in Japan. This feels antecedent to spectacular unsettledness in a way that we may never fully understand, but its relevance is not lessened by that unknown.
Who are Japan’s First Party?
Japan’s First Party, officially known as the Japan First Party (Nihon/Nippon Daiittō), is a far-right political party founded by Makoto Sakurai. Sakurai, a prominent figure in Japanese ultranationalism, established the party on August 29, 2016, following his announcement at a protest against the Hantenren (an anti-war group) in front of Yasukuni Shrine. The party’s core ideology revolves around prioritising Japanese interests, opposing immigration, and preserving Japanese cultural and ethnic homogeneity.
So why is this happening?
Japan has been facing a demographic crisis, a shrinking workforce, and an ageing society. With its shrinking labour force, Japan have been importing workers, including Kurds, to fill job vacancies, especially in construction. It is important to mention that there is no real welcome or attempt to integrate Kurds, which is of growing tension on many levels. The Japanese see that Kurds, who number somewhere around 2,000-3,000 (as of 2025), have not sought to integrate, except in appearance.
A significant share of Kurds are either working illegally or living quasi-legally in Japan without any long-term commitment; the Japanese increasingly find themselves in a limbo too, caught in this semi-garbled arrangement. These people, faced by the public, often tend to disobey the societal norms of Japan.
Recently, there has been growing alarm in increased tension, adopted when peers invite, and intends to create an increase of tension and clarify more reasons in public perceptions of possible danger.”
The History Here.
Japan has, and continues to have, a very rigid refugee policy and rarely grants asylum (acceptance rate of refugees in 2024: 190 people out of 12,373 applicants). They followed the same policy with Kurds, which just leaves them in limbo, which has caused conflicts, particularly in and around Saitama Prefecture. The level of hate speech in the media is rampant, while demonstrations that look more and more like this one are happening. It’s an odd place for a nation that prides itself on all its progressive mantra to say, “Enough is enough.”
What’s the deal with Kurds in Japan?
Well, they’ve been here since the early 2000s, initially seen as a solution to labour shortages. But over time, they’ve become a target. Their story is one of global migration issues, but in Japan, it’s amplified by a deep-seated desire for cultural uniformity.
So, why Japan of all places?
Because even the most peaceful societies have their limits. This march isn’t just about Kurds; it’s about Japan wrestling with its identity, asking how much change it can handle before it loses what makes it, well, Japan. It’s a story, really, about preservation versus transformation, and it’s one that’s got everyone talking.
Sources:
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“Kurds in Japan” – Wikipedia
“Japan’s Immigration Policy and the Kurdish Population” – Foreign Policy Research Institute,
“Japanese Hate Groups Targeting Kurdish Community” – Nippon.com
