In scenes uncommon for Japan’s normally sedate parliament, the left-wing lawmakers engaged in a brawl with other parliamentarians in an attempt to block a controversial immigration bill, the New York Post reported.
The Liberal Democratic Party as well as two opposition parties, the Democratic Party for the People and Nippon Ishin no Kai voted in favour of the bill. However, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) opposed the legislation saying it did nothing to protect the rights of asylum-seekers as well as improving the current treatment of detainees stuck at immigration facilities either.
Though the protest started off ordinarily, Taro Yamamoto, an actor and leader of the Reiwa party, soon jumped onto the crowd, seemingly trying to reach the discussion table.
“Steamrolling this bill is unacceptable. That’s why we demand that it be withdrawn and that thorough deliberations be conducted,” said Sohei Nihia, a JCP member during the debate.
“Battle Royale” actor and left-wing populist Reiwa party leader Taro Yamamoto tried to climb over lawmakers to stop the passing of an anti-refugee law through Japan’s Upper House (via @mrjeffu) pic.twitter.com/HuPTMXvDef
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By the end of the initial question-and-answer session, the opposition leaders once again started making noise as they gathered around Hisatake Sugi, the chairman of the committee to impede the passing of the law.
Despite the chaos, the bill, which overhauls immigration rules and rolls back the long-term detention of asylum-seekers passed a key Upper House committee.
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Second attempt to get the bill passed
This was the second attempt in the Japanese parliament to get the bill cleared. The previous attempt in February 2021 had to be abandobes amid a public outcry over the death of 33-year-old Sri Lankan asylum seeker named Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali.
Sandamali, reportedly died in an immigration detention centre as subsequent investigations revealed that officers intentionally denied her request for provisional release. Moreover, the officers believed that she was faking her illness to get out.
“Migrants have painted a grim picture of what it’s like to claim refugee status in Japan. Far from being helped in their hour of need, they speak of being subjected to arbitrary, endless detention in prison-like immigration facilities,” said Hideaki Nakagawa, Director of Amnesty International Japan.
Notably, this was not the first instance when a scuffle broke out in the Japanese parliament. In 2015, members of the opposition and the ruling coalition pushed and shoved each other during a heated debate over a security bill that batted for the military fighting abroad.
(With inputs from agencies)
