Permanent Residents Want The Vote

[IkemenTommy]

[james]

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: Should we let foreigners vote? / Giving permanent residents that right would affect local governments

Moves have been gaining momentum to have a bill submitted to the Diet that would give non-Japanese permanent residents the right to vote in local elections. Is such local suffrage necessary? Granting such a right would involve constitutional issues as well as create problems in terms of local government management and would threaten to change the nature of this nation. The following is the background to the issue in question-and-answer format:

Question: Moves are afoot to have a bill submitted to the Diet that would grant permanent residents the right to vote in local elections. Why?

Answer: The Democratic Party of Japan called for "early legislation" in respect of that goal as part of its basic policies adopted when the party was established in 1998. It submitted a bill to that end to the Diet in October of that year when it was an opposition party. The DPJ did not include this issue in its manifesto for the Aug. 30 House of Representatives election due to the cautious stance taken by some party members. However, such a bill may be submitted eventually because of support by many DPJ leaders, including Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa.

Q: When will the bill be submitted to the Diet?

A: There was a plan to submit a bill sponsored by DPJ members. But the plan was abandoned due to anticipated opposition from within the party and because its coalition partner, the People's New Party, has reservations about such legislation. Ozawa has insisted that the government should pursue such legislation by submitting a bill to the ordinary Diet session next year. Speaking at a press conference Monday, Ozawa said, "The South Korean government and Korean residents in Japan are strongly calling for such legislation."

Q: Who are defined as permanent foreign residents?

A: They comprise general permanent residents who are permitted by the justice minister to live permanently in Japan based on the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law and special permanent residents who are permitted to reside permanently here under the special immigration control law. Special permanent residents are people from the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan who moved or were brought to this country before or during World War II and their descendants. As of the end of 2008, permanent foreign residents totaled about 912,400, about 423,000 of whom were special permanent residents. Local suffrage is aimed at enhancing the status of permanent foreign residents and encouraging their political participation.

Q: What are the main concerns about granting permanent residents the right to vote?

A: Local governments are empowered to regulate the rights and obligations of residents and establish ordinances, including punitive measures. They are asked to closely cooperate with the central government in line with the law to protect the people. It would be problematic if permanent foreign residents with connections to countries that take a confrontational stance toward Japan exercise their right to vote, creating the possibility that their votes could affect cooperation between the local and central governments.

Q: What issues arise from a constitutional viewpoint?

A: Article 15 of the Constitution stipulates that "the people have the inalienable right to choose their public officials and to dismiss them." In its 1995 ruling on a lawsuit filed by South Korean residents in Japan who demanded the right to vote in local elections, the Supreme Court said the right resided with people of Japanese nationality based on the principle of popular sovereignty. In an obiter dictum to the ruling, the top court said the Constitution does not prohibit permanent foreign residents from being given the right to vote in elections for municipal heads and assembly members, and legislatures should decide whether to give them that right. But the obiter dictum is not legally binding.

Q: Do permanent foreign residents have any existing means to acquire the right to vote?

A: If they become naturalized citizens of Japan and obtain Japanese nationality they may vote and run in local elections. Nearly 10,000 Korean residents here are naturalized annually, and the number of special permanent residents has been decreasing.

Q: Shouldn't the right to vote be given to permanent foreign residents who fulfill their obligation to pay taxes?

A: Permanent foreign residents receive general administrative services. Taking the tax-payment yardstick to its logical extension could invite a line of argument that people who do not pay taxes should not be permitted to vote.

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: Prefectural assemblies say 'no' to foreign voting rights

Fourteen prefectural assemblies have adopted statements opposing legislation that would give permanent foreign residents in Japan the right to vote in local elections, The Asahi Shimbun has learned. The statements were adopted from October to December after the Democratic Party of Japan, which favors foreign suffrage, took power from the conservative Liberal Democratic Party. Of the 14 assemblies, seven reversed their stances on the issue. One assembly member even acknowledged that the previous support for granting voting rights to foreign residents was simply a token gesture. In each case, LDP assembly members led the drive to pass the statements, which all said, "The awarding of suffrage rights to foreigners--who are not Japanese nationals--is problematic from the standpoint of the Constitution."

The moves appear to be a concerted attempt by the LDP to differentiate itself from the DPJ ahead of the Upper House election in the summer. LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki has adopted the slogan of "upholding conservative values" to rebuild the party following its humiliating defeat in the Aug. 30 Lower House election. Ahead of that election, the DPJ included the early realization of local voting rights for permanent foreign residents in its list of key policies. In December, DPJ Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa said he believed that foreign suffrage "will likely become reality during the regular Diet session." The DPJ has faced protests and rallies from right-wing groups who say that granting voting rights to foreign nationals could allow them to take over the country. According to the Justice Ministry, 910,000 permanent foreign residents live in Japan.

Akira Fukumura, secretary-general of the LDP Ishikawa prefectural chapter and a prefectural assembly member, said the assembly's about-face in its stance on foreign suffrage reflects the "new circumstances brought about by the change in government. "In the past, we showed support because the legislation was unlikely to happen" under LDP rule, Fukumura said. "We figured that it was just good policy to preserve the honor of those who wanted to show support."

Seo Won Cheol, secretary-general of a task force on foreign suffrage at the pro-Seoul Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan), said the recent developments are "unfortunate, but in a way, show the true colors" of those who pretended to support the drive. Seo said the deaths in 2000 of former Prime Ministers Noboru Takeshita and Keizo Obuchi, both of whom supported foreign voting rights, and a rise in nationalism within the LDP turned the tide against granting suffrage. According to the National Association of Chairpersons of Prefectural Assemblies, 30 of Japan's 47 prefectural assemblies had adopted statements supporting voting rights of foreign nationals by 2000.

The Shimane prefectural assembly, for example, adopted its supportive statement in 1995. Shimane was the home turf of Takeshita, who also headed a Japan-South Korea parliamentarian league. However, the assembly reversed its stance in December. "In upholding conservative values, this is one thing we cannot give in to," said Hidekazu Ozawa, an LDP Shimane prefectural assembly member. He added that many people even outside the LDP are concerned that granting suffrage to foreigners could have a large impact on local elections, in which the margin of victory is considerably thin.

An official at the LDP's headquarters in Tokyo said it has sent statements adopted by the assemblies to any prefectural chapter that shows interest in the issue. One LDP Saitama prefectural assembly member who submitted a statement opposing foreign suffrage to the assembly after obtaining a sample from the party headquarters, said the move was an attempt to shake up the DPJ, "which is divided" on the issue.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Though I don't think there's any reason to give permanent residents the vote I find it funny that people are worried that 0.75% of the population would be able disrupt relations between the central and local governments or take over the country.

[Number11]

The US neocons, comprising 0.75% of the US population, did it for 8 years.

[sublight]

Yeah, it's not like they ever listened to the other 99.25% while they were in power, what are they worried about now?

[Ganma]

Yeah, it's not like they ever listened to the other 99.25% while they were in power, what are they worried about now?

Uyoku nuts like the one who burst into Hatoyamas office and 'killed' his computer a month or so back because he was angry about the idea of evil foreigners getting the vote.

[Mulboyne]

[YT]5nKhrMTDUm0[/YT]

Here's a video clip of the kid who maced the anti foreign suffrage demonstrators in Shinjuku last week. The video has a slo-mo section where you can see him in action.

[FG Lurker]

I don't really care one way or the other about getting the vote in local elections. If by chance it happens though I'll be sure to vote every chance possible just to piss off the nutjobs.

[Yokohammer]

I don't really care one way or the other about getting the vote in local elections. If by chance it happens though I'll be sure to vote every chance possible just to piss off the nutjobs.

Totally with you on this. I won't cry myself to sleep if I don't get the right to vote, but if I do I'll sure as hell use it.

So how many PRs are there now? The most believable estimate I can find after a brief search is around 700,000. Is that significant enough to make politicians who want to scrounge up every last possible vote treat us nicely?

[FG Lurker]

Japan mulls granting right to franchise to permanent foreign residents
IDSA, January 21, 2010

In a move intended to gain the trust of Seoul and Beijing, the Japanese government has completed ground work to present a bill in the Japanese Diet which will grant right of franchise to foreign nationals registered as permanent residents, a majority of whom are South Korean and Chinese. The ruling Democratic Party of Japan has taken this step as part of its strategy of reconciliation with China and South Korea, its two erstwhile colonies and with whom the incumbent Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama wants to form an East Asian Community.

[...]

The party positions in the 480 member House suggests that the bill will sail through without much resistance. Apart from the DPJ which has 308 seats the New Komeito which won 21 seats, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which has seven seats and the Japanese communist Party with nine seats are in favour of granting the right of franchise to foreigners. The opposition will come from the LDP which managed to get only 119 seats and People's New Party (PNP) which has three seats.

Like the parliamentarians, the general public also appears to be in favor of granting such rights. A 2009 opinion survey conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun covering 1,066 people revealed that 59 per cent of respondents supported granting local-level suffrage to permanent foreign residents, while 31 per cent opposed the measure.

According to the Japanese Justice Ministry's Immigration Bureau, there were more than 910,000 foreign nationals registered as permanent residents at the end of 2008.

[...]

The foreigner local suffrage bill which is in the offing however is unlikely to grant the right of franchise to North Koreans citing the reason that Pyongyang has no formal diplomatic relations with Tokyo. But analysts believe that the ruling party has apparently excluded ethnic North Koreans to appease the public over North Korea's previous kidnappings of Japanese citizens and also to appeal to conservative lawmakers who oppose the bill.

(Full Story)

So it looks like there are about 910,000 of us, less whatever number of PR/SPR holders from North Korea. I didn't realize they weren't going to be included (assuming this does actually pass).

It will be interesting to see what becomes of this and hilarious to watch the nutjobs freak out if it passes.

[Takechanpoo]

Recently Chuo Univ professor Nagao, whose theory have been regarded as the ground of consititutionality of permanent resident's franchise, changed his opinion and recognized his theory was wrong.

[Yokohammer]

So it looks like there are about 910,000 of us, less whatever number of PR/SPR holders from North Korea. I didn't realize they weren't going to be included (assuming this does actually pass).

It will be interesting to see what becomes of this and hilarious to watch the nutjobs freak out if it passes.

Almost a million! By my rough calculations that's about 0.7% of the population (the population in 2009 being 127.614 million). No wonder the xenophobe squad is out in force.

That's probably enough to make things a bit less second-class for us barely-tolerated minions. Don't piss off the gaijin, they have the vote! I'm not going to hold my breath in the hope that the bill will pass, but it will be fun if it does. Buy your earplugs in advance ... the sound trucks will be blaring up a storm.

[Greji]

Recently Chuo Univ professor Nagao, whose theory have been regarded as the ground of consititutionality of permanent resident's franchise, changed his opinion and recognized his theory was wrong.

Good find Take. That could definitely slow down the movement on this, given his influence. But, as a regional law/policy and I think he is probably right. However, having said that, if it were to pass, I would probably vote LDP anyway, just to piss off the PM....

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Dragon Quest has joined in the protest against giving foreigners the vote.
Story (in Japanese) here.

[Mulboyne]

The Sankei carries a report in Japanese where a former Supreme Court judge says the local suffrage deal is primarily a political move to mollify special permanent residents so it shouldn't be extended to other permanent residents. The DPJ says that would be impossible.

[Mulboyne]

In English:

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Here are some big names lining up to oppose the idea this weekend:

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[Yokohammer]

[hakosukajd]

Here's a video clip of the kid who maced the anti foreign suffrage demonstrators in Shinjuku last week. The video has a slo-mo section where you can see him in action.

That amazes me.....we always hear about how the investigative officers are brutal in their interrogations....

....but everytime I see the street cops in action, they seem to act like a bunch of pussies. How many times do the protesters attempt to literally plow through the cops to get to a suspect.....that would probably get you the Rodney King treatment in the U.S.....

[Behan]

That amazes me.....we always hear about how the investigative officers are brutal in their interrogations....

....but everytime I see the street cops in action, they seem to act like a bunch of pussies. How many times do the protesters attempt to literally plow through the cops to get to a suspect.....that would probably get you the Rodney King treatment in the U.S.....

Does anybody know who the sprayer is or what happened to him?

[Taka-Okami]

Only citizens should get the vote. If the PR's in Japan want to vote then they should become j-citizens. If PR's don't want to be citizens because they will lose citizenship in their home countries, then they don't show full commintment to Japan, and therefore should not be given the right to vote.

Case closed.

[Ganma]

Only citizens should get the vote. If the PR's in Japan want to vote then they should become j-citizens. If PR's don't want to be citizens because they will lose citizenship in their home countries, then they don't show full commintment to Japan, and therefore should not be given the right to vote.

Case closed.

Not all countries give PRs the vote, but a lot of those that don't have dual citizenship. Even Korea, another 'anti-foreigner' country with a declining birthrate has addressed these problems and given PRs the vote and dual citizenship. If Japan wants to cut itself off and continue to make itself unattractive to immigrants, fine. At least I've another country to go to when the shit hits the fan and half the population is retired and the taxes skyrocket.
By the way, my country does give the vote to PRs.

[Yokohammer]

Not all countries give PRs the vote, but a lot of those that don't have dual citizenship. Even Korea, another 'anti-foreigner' country with a declining birthrate has addressed these problems and given PRs the vote and dual citizenship. If Japan wants to cut itself off and continue to make itself unattractive to immigrants, fine. At least I've another country to go to when the shit hits the fan and half the population is retired and the taxes skyrocket.
By the way, my country does give the vote to PRs.

Thank you for that. Saved me the trouble. Have a on me.

[Taka-Okami]

At least I've another country to go to when the shit hits the fan and half the population is retired and the taxes skyrocket.

Precisely why parasites like you should never be given the vote.

[Ganma]

You want to beat off all over me??? ... with a friend ???:shock:
Sorry , but you just lost all credibility Mr 2chan hikikomori nationalist troll.

[Mulboyne]

Japan isn't a backward country for not offering dual nationality or local voting rights for permanent residents. Nor is any government anywhere obliged to treat the two issues as if they are a trade-off: "We don't offer dual nationality, so we ought to give our permanent residents the vote".

At the same time, I don't think it is helpful to describe someone who would only consider naturalizing if dual nationality was recognized as a "parasite". As we've aired many times on these forums, there are plenty of examples of people who naturalize merely from motives of personal gain and many other individual who contribute considerably to Japanese society and its economy who choose not to naturalize. It's far too simplistic to play a game of "are you with us or against us?" when discussing the issue.