Plans to build the first mosque in Fujisawa, a seaside town south of Tokyo, have prompted a range of emotions among residents. While some express hope and acceptance, others voice anger and fear, reflecting growing anxieties about immigration and social change in Japan.
Earlier this year, anti-mosque protests took place at the local train station, with thousands demonstrating against the proposed construction. Some residents, like Noriko Izumizawa, have expressed worry about how their community might change, citing polarising debates around immigration in the US and Europe as contributing to their unease.
Japan is increasingly relying on foreign workers to address labour shortages caused by a shrinking and ageing population. The foreign resident population surpassed four million in 2025, with a record 2.57 million working in Japan. The country's Muslim population has also grown, reaching an estimated 420,000 by the end of 2024, up from 230,000 in 2019.
Despite this reliance on foreign labour, immigration remains politically sensitive. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has adopted a conservative stance against large-scale immigration, and the government decided in June 2026 to increase visa fees for foreign nationals fivefold. Officials are also planning to increase staff at the Immigration Services Agency to strengthen enforcement against those overstaying illegally and may introduce a limit on the number of foreign residents.