>For the upcoming [Upper House election](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/07/japan/politics/foreign-politics/), the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) initially called for the elimination of “preferential treatment for foreigners” — but the party later tweaked its campaign promise amid criticism it was exclusionary, according to Jiji Press reports.
>Meanwhile, the Liberal Democratic Party has called for “zero illegal foreign nationals.”
>According to an NHK poll last month, 64% of respondents “strongly agreed” or “somewhat agreed” when asked whether they thought foreign nationals were receiving preferential treatment.
>The NGOs said the notion that foreign nationals are receiving better treatment than Japanese citizens is completely baseless given their limited rights, such as not being able to vote or receive national welfare.
>Furthermore, they pointed out that repeating the terms “illegal foreigners” and “illegal immigrants” in campaigns — even though the term “undocumented immigrants” is preferred — drives the prejudice that foreign nationals are illegal. The groups consider such rhetoric as xenophobic in nature.
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>For the upcoming [Upper House election](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/07/japan/politics/foreign-politics/), the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) initially called for the elimination of “preferential treatment for foreigners” — but the party later tweaked its campaign promise amid criticism it was exclusionary, according to Jiji Press reports.
>Meanwhile, the Liberal Democratic Party has called for “zero illegal foreign nationals.”
>According to an NHK poll last month, 64% of respondents “strongly agreed” or “somewhat agreed” when asked whether they thought foreign nationals were receiving preferential treatment.
>The NGOs said the notion that foreign nationals are receiving better treatment than Japanese citizens is completely baseless given their limited rights, such as not being able to vote or receive national welfare.
>Furthermore, they pointed out that repeating the terms “illegal foreigners” and “illegal immigrants” in campaigns — even though the term “undocumented immigrants” is preferred — drives the prejudice that foreign nationals are illegal. The groups consider such rhetoric as xenophobic in nature.