Civil society groups and foreign residents in two Japanese prefectures call for the abolition of nationality requirements for civil servants

On August 24, 2024, according to Japan's "Mainichi Shimbun", civil society groups and foreign residents in Kanagawa Prefecture and Hyogo Prefecture held negotiations with Japanese government officials in the Diet, strongly demanding the complete abolition of the Japanese nationality requirement for civil servants.

For a long time, the "nationality clause" has led to discrimination against foreigners when they are looking for jobs. Although legally, except for a few cases such as diplomats, politicians, chief judges, and notaries, there are no nationality regulations in the appointment of civil servants, and foreigners who have long resided in Japan can theoretically take civil service examinations, but the actual situation is not like this. For example, although Japan abolished the clause that public schools cannot hire foreign teachers in 1991, many foreign teachers can only serve as full-time lecturers and cannot hold senior positions. In addition, many local governments do not allow foreigners to take employment examinations. Even in places where foreigners can be hired, they can only work in specific fields.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination had requested the Japanese government to correct relevant practices in 2018. Japan Broadcasting Corporation had previously reported that the Gunma Prefectural Government had indicated its policy of abolishing the nationality clause. However, due to opinions calling for careful consideration in institutions such as the Diet, this measure was shelved. Oizumi Town, where foreigners account for 20% of the town's residents, has decided to take the lead in ensuring that foreign personnel working in relevant institutions change from informal employees with annual contracts to foreign talents who can serve Oizumi Town for a long time.

These civil society groups and foreign residents believe that abolishing the nationality requirement for civil servants can not only promote fair employment but also bring more international perspectives and multiculturalism to Japan and promote the further development of Japanese society. They hope that the Japanese government can seriously consider their demands and take practical actions to eliminate employment discrimination and create a more fair and inclusive social environment.