Motohiro Ōno, Governor of Japan’s Saitama Prefecture, has formally submitted a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to temporarily suspend short-term visa exemptions for Turkish citizens.
On 4 August 2025, Governor Ōno visited Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and presented a request letter addressed to Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. In the letter, it was claimed that Turkish citizens have been abusing the visa exemption, and it called for the measure to be temporarily suspended.
It was reported that this was the first time Governor Ōno had officially submitted such a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The request was based particularly on allegations that Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin residing in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, have been misusing the visa exemption for work and asylum purposes.
Turkey Ranks First in Asylum Applications
According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, about 75% of the approximately 2,200 Turkish citizens living in Kawaguchi have applied for asylum. It was stated that most of these applications had been rejected multiple times, yet were repeatedly resubmitted, with Turkey ranking first in repeat applications at 46%.
Public Safety Emphasis in the Letter
According to the Sankei Shimbun newspaper, the letter submitted to Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hisashi Matsumoto included the following statement:
“The presence of foreigners who enter the country under visa exemption, repeatedly apply for asylum without valid reasons, continue to stay in the country, and become involved in criminal incidents is causing serious concern among the public.”
It was also noted that approximately 400 complaints were received by the prefectural government in both fiscal years 2023 and 2024, and 70 complaints were received in the first two months of 2025. The majority of these complaints were related to public order, immigration policy, and local security concerns.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: We Are Not Considering Suspension
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya expressed a clear stance in parliamentary statements:
“We are not immediately considering suspension.”
The ministry emphasised that the mutual visa exemption, in place with Turkey since 1958, has strengthened friendly relations between the two countries. Vice Minister Matsumoto stated that “various matters are being discussed within the government” regarding the request.
Three Countries Had Their Exemptions Suspended Previously
Japan has previously temporarily suspended visa exemptions for three countries, including Iran. Whether Turkey will be included in this list remains uncertain. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking a cautious approach, highlighting the importance of the current exemption for tourism and diplomatic relations.
