Japanese Politicians voice opposition to Suffrage for “Foreign” Nationals

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100418a1.html

High profile politicians from five of Japan's political parties have voiced stanch opposition to proposals to allow foreign suffrage in local elections. Out of Japan's population in 2008, 912,400 foreign nationals were registered with Japan's government, and 420,300 of these people were special permanent residents of Korean and Taiwanese descent who had been forced to take Japanese Nationality during past colonialism. Several generations of Korean and Taiwanese who were born and live in Japan still do not have citizenship, which is a tedious and complex process. The DJP has been accused of supporting suffrage for foreign nationals to gain support for the upcoming Upper House election. Financial Services Minister Shizuka Kamei stated that, “it was obvious that granting suffrage will destroy Japan.”

While it seems logical to deny foreign residents born in other countries the right to vote, denying families that have been born and living in Japan for centuries suffrage rights makes less sense. The process of becoming a Japanese citizen is difficult, because Japanese citizenship primarily held by people who are ethnically Japanese. Before citizenship laws were changed, new citizens were forced to adopt Japanese names. Minorities of other Asians (Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese, etc.) have faced discrimination within Japan, and even 3rd and 4th generation Koreans and Taiwanese are still denied citizenship. Holding notions of a “Japan for only the Japanese,” leaves impressions of xenophobia that damage Japan's international credibility. Internal policies towards the citizens of other countries living with in your borders, can also have an effect on your relations with those countries. Like with internment camps of Japanese Americans during WWII, xenophobia and discrimination play larger roles in our international relations. Post-9/11 treatment of Muslims and Arab-Americans have also fueled animosity between the US and Arab states.