A Japanese City Deletes Police Warning on Illegal Immigration After Complaints

 A small city in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, has sparked online debate after removing an official social media post that warned about illegal overstays and unauthorized work by foreigners. The incident highlights growing tensions over immigration enforcement and public expression in Japan.

On June 2, 2026, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Toyooka City posted a notice received from the local Toyooka Police Station. The message stated: “There are many illegal overstayers in Japan, and it is believed that a large number of them are engaged in illegal employment.” It called on residents to cooperate in eliminating the issue to build a society where Japanese and foreigners can live together with peace of mind.

The post was made at the police’s request as part of efforts to curb illegal work. However, it quickly drew criticism. By the morning of June 3, the city had received at least four phone complaints and three messages via its website. Critics argued that the wording could cause anxiety or prejudice toward law-abiding foreign residents. The city deleted the post around 9:45 a.m. and issued an apology, stating it was concerned the message might be “interpreted too broadly.”
According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, the number of known illegal overstayers stood at approximately 68,488 as of January 1, 2026 — down 8.5% from the previous year and far below the peak of around 300,000 in the early 1990s. Meanwhile, the legal foreign resident population has grown significantly, reaching over 4.1 million.Japanese Reactions on Social MediaThe deletion triggered a strong backlash on X, where many users viewed the city’s decision as yielding to pressure rather than standing by factual public safety information.

• Numerous comments described the original post as a straightforward statement of facts and questioned why a police-backed warning needed to be removed.
• Users expressed frustration that highlighting illegal activity was being treated as problematic, with some arguing it undermines respect for legal immigration processes.
• Others suspected involvement of activist groups or lawyers focused on foreign residents’ rights, with terms like “left-wing pressure” appearing in discussions.
• Supporters of the deletion were fewer in the sampled reactions, but some noted the need to avoid stigmatizing legal foreign communities, especially in smaller cities like Toyooka (population around 75,000, with roughly 1,700 foreign residents).

The episode has been widely shared, with screenshots of the original post circulating alongside criticism of the city’s quick reversal. It reflects broader national conversations in Japan about balancing immigration control, public safety messaging, and avoiding discrimination amid a rising foreign population.
No further details on specific protest organizers have been confirmed in mainstream reports, but the story continues to fuel discussion on platforms like X about government responsiveness to complaints versus transparent communication on immigration issues.