The proposed reforms, set in motion just weeks after Takaichi’s historic appointment as the country’s first female prime minister, aim to address mounting public concern about inequality and the sustainability of its ageing welfare state.
At her first ministerial meeting dedicated to issues regarding foreign nationals, Takaichi on Tuesday directed cabinet members to develop concrete policy proposals for stricter enforcement by January.
The government’s initial focus will be on permanent foreign residents who have not paid the required health insurance premiums or pension contributions, which officials say will help shore up a system under strain from demographic decline.
Foreign residents contributed just 49.7 per cent of the required pension payments and 63 per cent of health insurance premiums in the financial year ending March 2025, according to Japan’s health and welfare ministry – far below the overall payment rate, including Japanese nationals, of 93 per cent.
“A situation has arisen in which the public feels uneasy and perceives unfairness regarding illegal actions and rule violations by some foreigners,” Takaichi told her cabinet on Tuesday, vowing to pursue “orderly coexistence” by ensuring that all residents, regardless of nationality, observe Japan’s laws and social obligations.
