Key Facts
• July 28, 2025: Governor Ono met with Saitama-elected lawmakers in Tokyo.
• First-ever request to suspend Turkey’s short-term visa waiver.
• 1 in 28 Saitama residents is a foreign national as of late 2024.
• 31% of Turkey nationals in Japan reside in Saitama.
• 618 multiple refugee applicants, 808 denied applicants, and 579 provisional release cases.
• Concerns over misuse of refugee system and related crimes.
• Ministry of Justice data highlights Turkey nationals as the largest group in these categories.
• Past visa waivers for three countries, including Iran, were temporarily suspended.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains visa waiver supports Japan-Turkey relations.
Summary
On July 28, 2025, Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono formally requested the temporary suspension of Turkey’s short-term visa waiver during a meeting with lawmakers in Tokyo. This marks the first time Governor Ono has addressed this issue, citing concerns over repeated refugee applications, misuse of the system, and related crimes causing public unease. Saitama, where 1 in 28 residents is a foreign national, hosts 31% of Turkey nationals in Japan. Ministry of Justice data reveals 618 multiple refugee applicants, 808 denied applicants, and 579 provisional release cases among Turkey nationals, the highest across all nationalities. Governor Ono emphasized the need for careful review and potential suspension of the visa waiver to address these challenges. While similar measures were taken for three other countries in the past, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has resisted changes, citing the importance of maintaining strong Japan-Turkey relations.
