Congress of Shiga Prefecture Allowed Foreign Residents to Vote

The congress of Maihara-cho in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, approved the bill to allow the foreign residents to participate in the vote yesterday for the first time in Japan.

Maihara-cho will have a vote to ask the public opinions on the merger of it with its neighbor Shi-cho and about 30 foreign permanent residents, who are over 20 and lived in the town more than 3 months, will participate in the vote.

No other local government in Japan does acknowledge the rights to vote for congresspersons and local government officials to the foreign permanent residents nor given a right for residential votes.

The Korean Residents in Japan have requested for the franchise in the local governments of the Korean residents to the Japanese government but the requested has been turned down by the rejection of the Democratic Liberty Party.

ksshim@donga.com