Amid shifting attitudes toward immigrants, disinformation unsettles Vietnamese in Japan
As Japan tightens its visa rules, some Vietnamese say their community has become a target of anti-immigration disinformation.
A shift in public opinion towards immigrants has created unease among Vietnamese communities in Japan, according to recent reports. Khanh Nguyen Phu, a Vietnamese national who arrived in Japan in 2014 with a scholarship to study at Gifu University, has observed a change in attitudes in recent years. In 2026, Nguyen Phu feels that the general perception of foreign nationals has changed, becoming politically charged, and has led some to question their future in Japan.
He expresses concern for the Vietnamese community in Japan and emphasizes the need to adapt and find solutions to address the current state of affairs. Nguyen Phu, who is multilingual and has a strong educational background, attests that his own experience integrating into Japanese society has been relatively smooth compared to the challenges faced by young, unskilled Vietnamese workers who arrive in Japan with financial pressures to support their families back home and struggle to balance work and education while earning low wages.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
