Japan urges implementation of measures towards Turkey-origin residents overstaying visa regulations
In the heart of East Asia, diplomatic tensions have been brewing between Japan and Turkey. The issue at hand? The rise in illegal Turkish residents, particularly among Kurdish nationals, which has sparked concerns in Japan-Turkey bilateral relations.
According to Justice Ministry data, approximately 7,700 Turkish nationals are legally residing in Japan as of December. However, this peaceful coexistence is disrupted by the presence of 1,372 illegal Turkish residents as of early 2025. Incidents of friction between local Japanese communities and Kurdish residents of Turkish nationality have heightened this issue, prompting direct diplomatic discussions aimed at addressing it.
During a meeting on July 30, 2025, Japanese Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki conveyed Japan’s concerns to Turkish Ambassador Oguzhan Ertugrul. The Turkish government, in response, has signalled a willingness to cooperate diplomatically, encouraging its nationals to abide by Japanese laws and customs.
The immigration issue has not gone unnoticed in Japan. Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono called for temporarily suspending the mutual visa exemption agreement between Japan and Turkey. However, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has not supported this call. He believes that suspending the visa exemption agreement would negatively impact political, economic, cultural, and tourism relations between the countries.
Iwaya has increased dialogue and cooperation with Türkiye to prevent crimes and address migration and residence management concerns. He maintains that suspending the visa exemption agreement would disrupt business activities and people-to-people contacts.
The diplomatic discussions aim to manage foreign residents while maintaining international partnerships. The minister noted that Turkish nationals tend to overstay their permitted residence periods more frequently than nationals from other countries. As a result, Suzuki requested that measures be taken to address the issue of illegal residence due to growing public concern.
The immigration issue has begun affecting bilateral relations between Japan and Turkey, which have maintained visa-free travel arrangements. Despite this, both nations continue to engage in diplomatic discussions to find a resolution. The meetings are a response to growing concerns about Turkish nationals illegally remaining in Japan.
The issue is a concern for both Japan and Turkey, as indicated by the increased dialogue and cooperation between the two nations. However, with 1,372 Turkish citizens staying illegally in the country, making Turkey the tenth-largest source of undocumented residents, it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure compliance with Japanese laws and customs.
References:
- Japan Times
- Nikkei Asia
- Kyodo News
- Mainichi Shimbun
- Asahi Shimbun
- The Turkish government has expressed a readiness to collaborate with Japan, encouraging its nationals to adhere to Japanese laws and traditions, following concerns over the rise of illegal Turkish residents in the country.
- Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has emphasized the importance of maintaining political, economic, cultural, and tourism relations with Turkey, despite the call for suspending the mutual visa exemption agreement by Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono.
- Amidst the diplomatic talks, Upper House Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Sori symmetrically expressed the necessity for a Japanese-Turkish dialogue on issues including migration, crime, and justice.
- The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may visit Japan in the upcoming general news cycle, according to sources close to the Turkish government, signaling a continuation of the diplomatic discussions.
- The Istanbul Criminal Court sentenced an ethnic Kurdish Turkish national to 21 years in prison for his involvement in a notorious drug trafficking operation, highlighting the intersection of war-and-conflicts, illegal migration, and crime-and-justice issues in the larger context of Japan-Turkey relations.
