Should permanent foreign residents in Japan have the right to vote?

Depends on what they're voting for. Things related to national policy or the military, probably not. Local issues like where to put bus stops and traffic lights or how to fund schools, probably yes.

If you are and have been paying taxes, social security, etc., and you're planning to die here, then you have as much at stake as anybody else.

If you are and have been paying taxes, social security, etc., and you're planning to die here, then you have as much at stake as anybody else.

Become naturalized if you want to vote so much.

Yes. But it won't happen. The numbers of PR are low. 900,000.

Maybe vote in the local (city or municipal) level. It would make a some impact on how the "blind" politicians treat foreign residents in their respective hometowns.

In local elections, yes.

Many would, but as you know, Japan doesn't allow for dual citizenship.

My point still stands. You can do it if you naturalize. The question is: Is the right to vote in Japan worth giving up citizenship in your native country?

we should have right to vote,possibly have own party and yes-candidates as well.

as now we have "right" to pay taxes ONLY and no one cares about our opinions and political views.so we are a "grey zone" here...

one more thing Japan finally need to do is to allow double citizenship.

It’s strange that people want the right to vote on the basis of living in Japan, but they also want dual citizenship, giving them the ability to also vote in some other country where they don’t live.

The idea that a person ought to be able to vote in any number of national elections around the world just because the person happened to obtain the right pieces of paper is nonsense. With one citizenship and one vote, I vote for how I want to live; with other votes, I would be voting for how I want other people to live.

As for who should vote in Japan, it hinges essentially on the question: Is Japan a nation, or is Japan a cosmopolitan society?

mikeylikesit

most of us -japanese permanent residents live here for decades and have no chance get jpn citizenship.because of this cant vote in Japan and cant be voted for.even paying taxes as everyone./in my case tax paid is way higher than average/

dual citizenship will solve this easy,dont need to mention our kids who have japanese citizenship/as born here/but can keep other citizenship until 21yo only.-and this part is very STRANGE.

most of us -japanese permanent residents live here for decades and have no chance get jpn citizenship.

Why do you have no chance to get citizenship? Have you filed the application? If you’ve resided in Japan five years as an adult, can support yourself, and aren’t criminal or seditious, you can. Naturalization is laborious, but it’s doable.

For you, the sticking point seems to be that you want to maintain your allegiance to your home country. Japan is of the mind that a person cannot serve two masters.

Plenty of people gain Japanese citizenship. Of those who don’t, most seem to figure that they need only residency to work, and they want the free option of returning to their home countries at any time.

Which is a good argument for why they should be treated as residents, not citizens, and also why they should not vote.

If you are wholly invested in Japan, get citizenship and vote. If your interests are divided between two countries, then I’m unclear why either country should trust you to vote.

Yes. Or... If we can't vote, our tax % should be lowered.

That's a very short-sight outlook. The reason people immigrate is complex. Just because you don't live in your native country does not mean you are not affected by its policies and laws. That being the case, being able to vote allows you to have a say in what happens to you, your family into the future.

People around the world are affected by US policies. Are you suggesting that they should have the right to vote in US elections?

Every democracy has the right to decide who can and who cannot vote. And the opinion of the people without a vote is never worth anything, nor should it be.

Sure, why not. As if their vote will make a difference in what is essentially a benign one party dictatorship.

Provided they have committed no crimes and pay their taxes like regular citizens, absolutely. At least in local elections.

Locally yes of course, because directly affected, but not immediately on a national scale, at least not as long as their right to vote in home countries has ended. For example, as a German like me, I can't vote in local elections in Germany, but still can vote for German or EU parliament. That will end after 25 yrs, then I don't have any democratic participation, neither here nor there. That's then a not acceptable situation in our democratic part of the world, I think. If after a long time the voting rights in my former home country are abolished, I would appreciate if I could vote then in local and national Japanese elections. But btw, in fact those nationwide elections have the specifics of being very local ones also, as Japanese people can only vote for a local candidate and list candidates from the own regional block. It's for example not possible for a Kyushu voter to have any influence on wanted or unwanted candidates from Tokyo, Hokkaido etc and vice versa. National elections are therefore only accumulated local and regional elections. Considering this, election rights for foreigners are nice, but they will even then still limited.

Not having the chance to vote for one group of old, rich entitled men or another group of old rich entitled men isn't someone I'm particularly bothered about.

Definitely yes.

Actually you can already vote for PM as he is elected by members of the party, not directly by Citizens, what a joke isnt it?

In local elections, definitely.

No. If they are not American or live in America it would be ridiculous.

You've got it half right.

If it truly bothers you, you can blame America as it's in Japan's constitution that only citizens can vote. As long as the LDP stays in power it will never be changed. They don't need the votes.

Absolutely not. Even More so when you see what kind of nonsense people here would vote for in other countries.

No, of course not. If people strongly believe in wanting to vote, they can give up their citizenship from their country. But no, they don’t want to do that but still wants the same rights as a citizen. Nope, doesn’t go that way.

Become naturalized if you want to vote so much.

Agreed.

Basically as a PR you have exactly the same obligations as a JP citizen, from all points of view. However, you do not have all the benefits, such as being able to vote. Why is that?

Also, the JP government should allow the double Citizenship, since this is absurd, especially for kids with dual Nationality who are forced to choose one parents nation, culture and customs over the other parent. This should never be allowed to happen in a civilized, modern nation, that supposedly is part of this World.

If they pay taxes, then yes.

It's pretty simple.

National elections, no. Local elections, yes.

No. If you want to vote, get citizenship. If you don't want to get citizenship, then clearly the country doesn't mean enough to you, and why would they want to let you vote?

There is an avenue for every foreigner to get citizenship. No room for permanent residents, whose primary allegiance is to another nation, to be able to have a say in elections.

Should permanent foreign residents in Japan have the right to vote?

Yes.

Yes. Or... If we can't vote, our tax % should be lowered.

THIS!!!

Sure, why not. As if their vote will make a difference in what is essentially a benign one party dictatorship.

excellent point

yes, undoubtedly, after a qualifying period.

How come a PR with 10+ years living in Japan, paying the same taxes, and more even, having dual Nationality Children, is not allowed to Vote or not allowed his voice to be heard? Do you realize the absurdity and callousness of this?

What is worst, is the amount of foreigners with PR living here in Japan, thinking that you only need Citizenship or to be pure blood Japanese in order to have your voice heard in this country... The brainwashing is real. Just check the downvotes. ;)

There is also the political scenario of "access", agreement of "nation to nation" voter reciprocity, were expats/permanent resident could be afforded fully democratic voting rights, as well as pension options.

Many citizens also have a dual nationality regardless of whether it is legal. They can vote in Japanese elections and also elections in their other country.

If you don't want to get citizenship, then clearly the country doesn't mean enough to you

True. Japan doesn't mean much to me so I don't care about voting. In most countries your vote counts for very little in any case, as the polity is sewn up by a narrow stratum that feeds enough crumbs and plenty of ideology to the masses to keep them dumb and hanging on. Japan is no different.

Local elections yes. National level, no.

That;s how Permanent Residents are treated in the United States.

It seems like they should have some representation as taxpayers, but not the same ability to choose the head of state as a citizen has. But that isn't how the government works, so in an absolute sense I go with either become a citizen or no vote.

Absolutely NOT! The right to vote in ANY nation must be reserved for actual citizens ONLY and those citizens residing in the country (on an official basis, so not temporarily out of the country).

A voter must have a vested interest in both the local community and the nation. It's nonsensical to straddle the fence and say yes to local elections and no to national.

And I say this as one with 3 nationalities and a PR in Japan.

Yes, I could easily become a naturalized Japanese, but I wouldn't forfeit my other three citizenships to do so.

How come a PR with 10+ years living in Japan, paying the same taxes, and more even, having dual Nationality Children, is not allowed to Vote or not allowed his voice to be heard?

You can vote - if you get citizenship. If you choose not to it shows your priority is higher to another nation over Japan. And that answers your question as to why people with PR can’t vote.

Do you realize the absurdity and callousness of this?

They have given you an avenue to vote which you choose not to take. That’s on you, not Japan.

permanent residents just suffer and contribute the same as much as the jus sanguinis residents, and I think they should have a say what happens in the country.

permanent residents just suffer and contribute the same as much as the jus sanguinis residents, and I think they should have a say what happens in the country.

It's not what you contribute, it's where your loyalties lie.

If you aren't willing to give up your citizenship for Japanese, your loyalty isn't to Japan. Therefore it's not in their best interest to give those whom have a stronger allegiance to another country the right to vote.

smithinjapanAug. 26  02:48 pm JST

Provided they have committed no crimes and pay their taxes like regular citizens, absolutely. At least in local elections.

Are Japanese who've committed crimes allowed to vote? In so far as the crime wasn't one of voter fraud, and the punishment has been served, why not allow them to vote? Disenfranchising people only serves to put them further outside of society and to ensure that they have no vested interest in civic engagement, which would seem to be worse, not just for the convicted, but for society as a whole.

BlacklabelAug. 27  02:11 pm JST

Absolutely not. Even More so when you see what kind of nonsense people here would vote for in other countries.

I don't believe that voting against "nonsense" is a factor in whether or not one is allowed to vote. Thankfully, people don't and shouldn't have to agree with what you've deemed to be sensical in order to vote.

Local elections - yes. These have no bearing on much other than local amenities and garbage collection.

National - no. One must be 100% loyal to only one nation. If Japan were invaded, for example, citizens must be relied upon to take up arms to defend Japan. (And, sadly, this is not a completely unrealistic scenario in these super-dangerous times in Japan).

I am always puzzled by those who have multiple citizenships/passports. Those people are never 100% loyal to just one of these nations. They could be deemed a little untrustworthy (and I'm sure many of them are fine people).

So many self centered people here, demanding rights and privileges just because they live here, but don’t want to give up rights and privileges that Japanese people don’t have.

So many self centered people here, demanding rights and privileges just because they live here, but don’t want to give up rights and privileges that Japanese people don’t have.

Excellent comment. I live here but would never demand that I should have the same rights as the Japanese. On the other hand, if something happens, I can just pack up and go back home and work without having to apply for some type of visa. I know the Japanese won’t be able to do that.

I pay the same taxes as my neighbour, I should have the same "right" to vote.

Actually, he is 25 years old and I lived in Japan for 30... does that make me more "Japanese" than him?

You want to vote like a Japanese citizen. Remember that a citizen of Japan has to wear the burden that a Japanese person feel everyday and that is the guilt of the Imperial Japanese war machine of the mid 1900's. If you prepared to take on that load like ever Japanese does became a citizen and vote.

They should just make dual citizenship possible, and erase all weird name rules, then most of us here with permanent visas would have Japanese passports.

owzer

Become naturalized if you want to vote so much.

If they allowed dual citizenship like most developed nations do, you would see many PRs do just that.