Kirk here. This came to me in a feed for “Kumamoto” because it includes a picture from Kumamoto but the issue is national. The article includes the following sentence.
“Asked whether they want a higher percentage of foreigners in their community, 54.5 percent said they do not, with many citing concerns about increased friction or deterioration of the social order.”
Of course, friction can occur, particularly when it is assumed that it’s somehow “natural” to treat foreigns as second-class entities, but I’m afraid that many of the nay-sayers are basing their opinions on stereotypes that have little to do with reality. :(
