When Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister on Oct. 21, one of her new cabinet pick's stood out. Kimi Onoda was appointed minister for economic security and the “Cool Japan” strategy — but also given a new title: Minister for Promoting an Orderly Coexistent Society with Foreigners.
It’s a phrase that says a lot about how Japan sees outsiders.
In this week’s Japan Today Spotlight, we look at how anti-foreigner sentiment is gaining political traction, why “coexistence” has become such a loaded word and what that means for Japan’s future.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-vDNg-hhBZo
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Japan’s first female prime minister
01:36 Blame the foreigners
03:48 The coexistence policy
04:33 Kimi Onoda’s appointment
05:51 Anti-foreigner rhetoric in Japan
06:30 Japanese labor needs foreigners
07:57 Fear of foreigners and the facts
09:30 Cultural misunderstandings
11:08 Sanseito’s argument
12:32 Outro: The choice ahead
Do you think Japan’s “foreigner problem” is really about policy or fear? Tell us in the comments.
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When Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister on Oct. 21, one of her new cabinet pick's stood out. Kimi Onoda was appointed minister for economic security and the “Cool Japan” strategy — but also given a new title: Minister for Promoting an Orderly Coexistent Society with Foreigners.
It’s a phrase that says a lot about how Japan sees outsiders.
In this week’s Japan Today Spotlight, we look at how anti-foreigner sentiment is gaining political traction, why “coexistence” has become such a loaded word and what that means for Japan’s future.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-vDNg-hhBZo
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Japan’s first female prime minister
01:36 Blame the foreigners
03:48 The coexistence policy
04:33 Kimi Onoda’s appointment
05:51 Anti-foreigner rhetoric in Japan
06:30 Japanese labor needs foreigners
07:57 Fear of foreigners and the facts
09:30 Cultural misunderstandings
11:08 Sanseito’s argument
12:32 Outro: The choice ahead
Do you think Japan’s “foreigner problem” is really about policy or fear? Tell us in the comments.
Aug. 1, 2025 | Why these Japanese homes are so cheap (and so creepy)
Japan This Week
8 minutes 41 seconds
3 months ago
Aug. 1, 2025 | Why these Japanese homes are so cheap (and so creepy)
Would you live in a house where someone died?
In this episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we explore the world of jiko bukken — Japan’s so-called “stigmatized properties.” These are homes where someone died by suicide, accident or murder, and they often sell or rent for 30% to 50% below market value. We look at what the law requires real estate agents to disclose, why so many Japanese still avoid these homes, and what it says about cultural views on death, bad luck and the supernatural.
We also check out the eerie website where you can search your own building to see if anything tragic happened nearby.
📺 Watch the video with presenter Jeff Richards on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/qpgw6E6XpNU
💬 Ever lived somewhere with a dark history — or would you?
Let us know what you’d do if offered a "jiko bukken" at half the price. 👇
Japan This Week
When Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister on Oct. 21, one of her new cabinet pick's stood out. Kimi Onoda was appointed minister for economic security and the “Cool Japan” strategy — but also given a new title: Minister for Promoting an Orderly Coexistent Society with Foreigners.
It’s a phrase that says a lot about how Japan sees outsiders.
In this week’s Japan Today Spotlight, we look at how anti-foreigner sentiment is gaining political traction, why “coexistence” has become such a loaded word and what that means for Japan’s future.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-vDNg-hhBZo
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Japan’s first female prime minister
01:36 Blame the foreigners
03:48 The coexistence policy
04:33 Kimi Onoda’s appointment
05:51 Anti-foreigner rhetoric in Japan
06:30 Japanese labor needs foreigners
07:57 Fear of foreigners and the facts
09:30 Cultural misunderstandings
11:08 Sanseito’s argument
12:32 Outro: The choice ahead
Do you think Japan’s “foreigner problem” is really about policy or fear? Tell us in the comments.
