Japan Press Weekly

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2026 June 24 - 30 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Koike at Mindan rally calls for abolishing system that revokes permanent residency

The Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) on June 23 in the Diet building held a rally in protest against the government’s measures disregarding the human rights of foreign residents in Japan, such as the expansion of the permanent residency visa revocation system.

Mindan Central Headquarters President Kim Yi-joong, speaking on behalf of the organizer, appealed for the need to increase public understanding of the serious impacts of such measures on foreign residents’ livelihoods and rights.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira attended the rally and delivered a speech in solidarity. Along with Koike, lawmakers of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the “Komeito” party, the Centrist Reform Alliance, and the Social Democratic Party also delivered speeches in solidarity.

Koike stated, “The adversely revised Immigration Control Act significantly violates the human rights of foreign residents in Japan. This will destabilize the status of foreign residents and their families, many of whom have lived, worked, and shared common responsibility in Japan for many years.” He stressed that the revised system that allows the revocation of permanent resident status of foreigners who accidentally fail to pay taxes and social insurance premiums should be abolished.

Koike criticized the government for implementing discriminatory and xenophobic measures as well as its lack of reflection on historical wrongs associated with Japan’s past war of aggression and colonial rule.

Koike referred to the historical background of Korean residents in Japan. He said that although Koreans were forced to hold Japanese nationality under the decades of Japanese colonial rule, those who remained in Japan were deprived of their citizenship by the Japanese government after the war and were classified as aliens. He went on to say, “Through blood, sweat, and tears, Koreans in Japan succeeded in achieving the expansion and restoration of their rights. It is unacceptable for the government to turn back the wheels of history.”

Past related article:
> Motomura opposes a proposed stipulation revoking permanent residency [May 9, 2024]