Japan right-wing opposes land allotment for Muslim burials

TOKYO, Japan (MNTV) — Japan’s long-standing struggle to fully accept religious and cultural diversity has again come under global scrutiny after a video of a right-wing parliamentarian opposing Muslim burial practices went viral, reigniting debate over minority rights and national identity.

The video showed Mizuho Umemura, a member of the House of Councillors from the populist Sanseito party, objecting to the provision of burial spaces for Muslim residents during a parliamentary session late last month, according to the South China Morning Post.

Umemura argued that cremation is a national custom practised by more than 99% of the Japanese population, and said allocating land for Muslim burials would be “inappropriate,” citing land scarcity and alleged risks of groundwater contamination.

Responding to discussions on expanding burial options for Muslim residents, she reportedly stated that foreigners settling in Japan should be informed that, if they die, “they can either be cremated or have their remains repatriated” to their home countries at their own expense.

The remarks triggered a broad wave of online debate across Japanese social media platforms. Many users framed the issue as a tension between preserving cultural traditions and adapting to an increasingly diverse reality in a rapidly ageing nation.

“Foreigners should respect the country’s laws and traditions,” one social media user wrote. Another asked: “What about Muslim citizens of Japan? They are not foreigners. They were born here and follow Islamic practices.”

Japan’s Muslim population has grown significantly, from around 30,000 in 1990 to an estimated 350,000 today, according to sociologist Hirofumi Tanada of Waseda University.

Japanese media have reported that the shortage of burial plots has left many Muslims who wish to permanently settle in Japan anxious about their religious rights and the dignity of their final rites.

‘Self-inflicted wound’

Analysts warn that such rhetoric could undermine Tokyo’s broader efforts to present Japan as an open and international society at a time when its economy is becoming increasingly reliant on foreign labour.

Mark Cogan, associate professor of peace and conflict studies at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, said Umemura’s comments would likely harden negative international perceptions of Japan.

“For conservative politicians, it might look like a win, but in reality it’s a self-inflicted wound,” Cogan said.

Although the debate was framed around land use and public health, the deeper issue was whether Japan is prepared to accommodate a growing foreign and minority population, he added.

The controversy has surfaced repeatedly across Japan over the past year, especially in conservative-leaning regions such as Oita Prefecture on Kyushu island, where politicians from Sanseito have used the issue to stir what Cogan described as “nationalist sentiments disguised as cultural preservation.”

Sanseito, known for its “Japanese First” stance, advocates tighter immigration controls and increased oversight of foreign residents.

Japan has no national-level ban on burial practices, which were once common before cremation became widespread in the 1930s. Decisions on burial are typically made by local cemetery authorities.

Cogan noted that past disputes were mainly about where burial land should be designated, rather than whether burial itself was “culturally acceptable,” adding that Umemura’s statements reflected a broader pattern of hard-line nationalist politics.

In a recent example, a proposal to establish a Muslim cemetery in Hiji town, Oita Prefecture, was cancelled after right-wing Mayor Tetsuya Abe cited public health concerns and halted the land sale.