Survey Reveals Growing Japanese Resistance to Foreign Workers Amid Demographic Decline

A panel investigation by the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Social Sciences shows that resistance to admitting more foreign workers is accelerating. This year’s results indicate that 56.3% of Japanese citizens oppose greater foreign‑resident intake, up by 20.7 points from the previous year’s survey.

The uptick spans all age brackets, with a marked surge among younger respondents who express doubt about Japan’s future trajectory.

Professor Shin Arita attributes the rising negativity to a blend of social anxiety and a growing sense of insecurity among the population.

The research team surveyed roughly 3,800 people, periodically revisiting their attitudes toward immigration and related social issues. Queries on foreign‑resident acceptance appear in the questionnaire about every two years.

Support for a more open immigration policy fell sharply to 9.4%, representing an 8.4‑point drop from 2024. Analysis by birth year reveals a 19.4‑point increase in opposition among those born 1966‑1976, while the 1987‑1998 cohort exhibited a 24.3‑point rise.

The study also links shifts in opinion to personal outlooks: respondents who once were neutral or supportive turned against foreign residents when they felt Japanese society offered little hope or that their living standards lagged behind those of their parents.

Amid a shrinking populace and a pressing labour shortage, Japan’s dependence on foreign talent is deepening. The survey underscores the policy dilemma of reconciling economic imperatives with rising public resistance.