Opinion Suffrage and Foreigners By DAVID ZOPPETTI	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
選挙権 参政権と外国人 「日本に永住する外国人にも地方選挙権を」という、永住外国人選挙権付与法案。先月末に来日した韓国の金大中大統領が同法案の年内成立を強く要望し、国内で議論が盛り上がっている…。

The debate over giving non-Japanese permanent residents the right to vote in local elections has been simmering since the 1980s. But it seems that now politicians have decided to give the question their full attention.

One of the major factors which revived the issue has been South Korean President Kim Dae Jung repeatedly urging the Japanese government to pass a bill giving suffrage to permanent foreign residents in Japan — a vast majority of whom are Koreans — by the end of the year.

Korean residents, most of whom were brought here forcibly during World War II (or are of second or third generation), have actively been lobbying for this suffrage bill as well. Their basic argument is that they contribute to the Japanese community and pay taxes in the same way as Japanese nationals do.

I personally feel that the question of granting the right to vote (and of eligibility) to foreigners should not be restricted to Koreans only, but be enlarged to all people who have permanent resident status, whatever their nationality.

I often hear people claim they should have the right to vote because they pay taxes. Although this sounds convincing, it must be said that one pays taxes in exchange for public services and not to buy one's way to the ballot box. And foreigners benefit from these services in the same way that Japanese nationals do, so there is not discrimination here.

I feel that this question should be dealt with from a more "human" point of view. Let me tell you about my personal case as an example. Although I keep in touch with my home country very closely, I don't foresee ever returning to live there permanently and basically intend to spend the rest of my life here in Japan. I also happen to have two children who will probably live here until they reach adulthood.

It is therefore only natural that I should feel a genuine interest in the future of this country and wish to participate actively in any political decision making process by casting my vote whenever possible.

"Then you should apply for Japanese citizenship!" is what opponents to the bill will answer back to me. But there are two major problems in making such a decision. First of all, the procedures are unbelievably complicated, and secondly I would have to renounce my Swiss passport as Japan doesn't recognize dual-nationality.

If the government chooses to eventually turn down this bill, it will have to take a huge step in the direction of simplifying naturalization procedures and come to recognize dual-citizenship, as most countries in the world do.

But I agree that this is by no means an easy matter to deal with. Many other countries are struggling with it and to my knowledge, only the Scandinavian countries, New Zealand and two cantons (states) in Switzerland have such systems.

At this stage, the question is only being discussed within the political parties and hasn't really become the focus of nationwide discussions. There is, therefore, no real public consensus regarding the issue. My opinion is that it should be put not to the politicians to decide, but rather to the people, under the form of a national referendum. If only such a system existed in Japan ...

Shukan ST: Oct. 27, 2000

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