Should foreign residents have local voting rights?

Monday 21st September, 06:06 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 69 Total Comments Show All

Peeping_Tom at 01:25 AM JST - 23rd September

"Japanese people, or any foreigners for that matter, who are living, working or studying in the UK get automatic voting rights if they are there for longer than 6 months, even though they may be only short-term residents"

Bullcrap, and you know it! I'm a Londoner and my girl is Japanese; she can't vote even though she's lived here since she was a child.

EU citizens are the only foreigners allowed to vote in the UK local elections; as recently as this very minute Japan is still not part of the EU, therefore all Japanese people living and paying taxes in the EU are not allowed to vote; they aren't complaining either! Why must you foreigners vote in Japan when Japanese cannot vote in yours and my country is beyond me!
cleo at 01:31 AM JST - 23rd September

Why must you foreigners vote in Japan when Japanese cannot vote in yours and my country is beyond me!

Well, as a long-term resident of Japan and a British citizen, I'm not allowed to vote in UK elections. It would not bring the world to an end if I could vote in Japan where I live and your girl could vote in the UK, where she lives.
Peeping_Tom at 01:48 AM JST - 23rd September

Nothing against your aspirations Cleo.

However, whilst Japan seems prepared to let you vote, no one in the UK is suggesting reciprocal rights for my girl. Again, why should you be allowed to vote in her country if she's not permitted to vote in yours? There must be a balance otherwise foreigners will be allowed to influence Japanese politics, while denying the same rights to Japanese living in their countries.
gonemad at 04:12 AM JST - 23rd September

Let's forget citizenship and let's forget Japan for the moment and look at it from a higher perspective.

First of all, it has become the rule rather than the exception that people migrate. Migration is this context means they change their place of living, independent whether it is within their country or internationally. Second, people often do not only migrate once, but several times within their lives. Mostly this is within one country, but the number of people migrating several times between countries is increasing. These are facts.

Third, the right to actively and passively participate in the political decisions is a fundamental right for every human being. This right should apply to those decision bodies which are relevant for the individual's life. For people who migrate, it is sometimes (or often?) difficult to determine the relevant decision bodies. So ideally, it becomes the individual's choice which entity is relevant for him.

Fourth, when you have competing political entities, you want to make sure that each entity is controlled only by people who have an interest in success, but not by people from competing entities, which have an interest in failure. When people move between entities, it is difficult to determine their interest.

Fifth, I think we can safely state that when a local entity is relevant for an individual, the higher entities, which have political control over the local entity become relevant as well.

Historically, since people didn't often migrate between states, it was assumed that the state's political decisions are always relevant for the individual. That's why participation in national elections is coupled to citizenship. Migration on the local level was more frequent, but didn't happen too often. It is assumed that the relevant body is or becomes the one at the place of residence and that people are or become interested in the welfare of their place of living. That's why participation in local elections is usually coupled to the residence at the time shortly before the election takes place. Obviously this is a compromise between target three and four, which only works under the condition that people do not migrate often and do not migrate beyond states. But as written in the beginning, the basic conditions for the compromise are not valid any more. This is not only the case on the national level, but as well on the local level. Therefore it is time to think about more suitable compromises for both.

Now, let's come back to Japan. From the above, you can see that I think it is not only necessary to change to election law with regard to foreigners, but as well for Japanese who move inside their country. I would like to start with the premise, that the individual's choice of the relevant political entity has the highest value. For Japanese people, this means they can freely chose which local election they want to participate, independent of their place of residence. For foreigners, this means they can chose to participate in both local and national elections from the time they become residents in Japan. They should as well have to choice to participate in local elections only, because it might be that national elections in their original country remain more relevant for them in the long term.

On the other hand, the individual must confirm his/her commitment to the new entity, where he/her wants to participate in the elections. For this, he/she should have to renounce his/her right to elections in the previous local or national entity. On a practical level, this means bi- or multilateral treaties between Japan and other countries and would mean that Japanese citizens who move abroad would have the same rights there, if they wish. I can imagine that some other barriers like a proof of sufficient language abilities would make sense as well. Furthermore, in order to avoid "election hopping" as I would call it, there must be some time barrier for repeated change of the election entity. For example, for local elections, this could be at least one election period and for national elections at least two election periods before the next change is possible.

In response to some of the comments above: yes, all this could be somehow coupled to citizenship. But I think there are good reasons why to keep election rights separate from citizenship. It will avoid the privilege of double election rights, which dual citizenship entails today. It allows to keep the cultural and emotional link to the original country, even though the relevant political entity changes for a longer period of time. Switching back and forth between citizenships is - at least currently - not possible easily. And last but not least, there are certain states which limit certain rights like social welfare, pension or heritage rights etc. to their own citizens.
DenDon at 10:35 AM JST - 23rd September

When "foreign residents" mean the majority of posters here who can't even fill out a point card application in their local supermarkets, the answer is no.

if you stopped and looked around once in a while you'd notice how many Japanese can't fill ouy a point card application in their local supermarket or use a ticket machime in JR.
taiko666 at 01:54 PM JST - 23rd September

You can't be a citizen of two different countries.

While of course having different opinions is to be expected, I can't believe you of all people are getting your facts so wrong. Of course you can be a citizen of more than one country.

no one in the UK is suggesting reciprocal rights for my girl.

I think they should. The UK should grant those rights to all people with 'indefinite leave to remain' (=PR). But anyway, why is repicprocation suddenly so important? People who always like to argue against foreigners' rights in Japan, such as your good self, usually say that reciprocation is unimportant. Eg, UK citizens get fingerprinted at Japanese airports, whereas Japanese citizens don't get fingerprinted at UK airports. "So what?" cry the Japanophiles, "it's Japan's choice." So how come reciprocation is important now?

Anyway, the fact that J-politicians are even debating this issue is a step in the right direction. Remember we're only talking about local elections here, not national policy. If someone has PR (+maybe a family, long term job etc) why shouldn't they be able to vote in debate concerning rubbish collection, the schools their kids attend, the state of local koban etc.
noborito at 05:00 PM JST - 23rd September

not only voting rights but winning rights. A foreigner on city council would be just the ticket to whip this place out of third world status.
womanforwomen at 05:17 PM JST - 23rd September

A foreigner on city council would be just the ticket to whip this place out of third world status.

What brought this place to a third world status? Foreign influence?
dontpanic at 05:54 PM JST - 23rd September

I say no. I see no connection with paying taxes and the vote. Taxes pay for services and no more.

Voting rights are the citizens rights to wield power. I dont understand why anyone would accept foreigners wielding power over their lives. If you wish to vote then commit to the country you live in and take up citizenship.

I agree there should be a debate on dual nationality though.
Peeping_Tom at 02:38 AM JST - 24th September

"People who always like to argue against foreigners' rights in Japan, such as your good self, usually say that reciprocation is unimportant"

Perhaps you've got me mixed-up with somebody else; my position has always been on the side of reciprocity as far as relations between countries are concerned; show me any post on which I espouse the opposite!

Foreigners don't have any 'rights' to exercise political activities; you may be granted such a privilege by your hosts, who in turn could revoke it if they so wish (your having a PR doesn't mean it cannot be revoked and your expulsion been carried out).

"UK citizens get fingerprinted at Japanese airports, whereas Japanese citizens don't get fingerprinted at UK airports. "

But you also use the "Japanese only" queue at their airports, don't you (assuming you're a PR)? Guess what, they can't use it here in the UK! Perhaps in the name of balance Japanese should be fingerprinted in the UK and you forced to use the "foreigners only" line in Japan, irrespective of PR? While on the subject, every single Japanese person I know states categorically they would not moan were they to be fingerprinted in the UK; they already do it in the US and no one has died because of that.

So you want to have a say on how Japan should be run while Japanese in your country suck their thumbs? Never mind that the French/Germans/Italians and now even Romanians can vote in London; unless you can prove that the Japanese are also voting and exercising political rights in other countries (which they are not)it's all a moot point.
Peeping_Tom at 03:51 AM JST - 24th September

Clarification:

Japanese residents in the UK must use the foreign/non-EU citizens line!
womanforwomen at 07:02 AM JST - 24th September

The islamisation going on in the South East Asia, I think the Jgov. would be careful about giving the rights to foreigners and immigrants. I don't know how many are aware of the silent war going on between the catholics and the muslims in Japan. Both are acting to multiply their numbers by having more and more children. Those children are going to fill up the void in Japan. The hostesses entering here are with children and looking for Japanese step-fathers. This information is from the host club circle, so cannot verify the truthfulness of it.
hanadecaka at 12:16 PM JST - 25th September

Paying of tax is same as Japanese. when comes to voting rights why not same as Japanese if he/she is permanent visa holder.Oh my dears it may be fake visa made by government to people whom they are holding.In airport always screned finger prints.Here are special permanent visa holders also how can use sweet language to them such?People do not think about visa.How many levels are here?Still more.This the example of discrimination in issunace of visa.But UN is silent becasue this body will not get money if talbled in headquater.
helloklitty at 08:18 AM JST - 26th September

I never vote. What a waste of time.
flyingfish at 12:11 PM JST - 4th December

EU citizens are the only foreigners allowed to vote in the UK local elections peeping tom,

rubbish

you dont have to be a brit or eu citizen to vote or stand in local or national elections if you are from the commonwealth