Japan's new arrivals: immigration reaches an aging nation

Japan's new arrivals: immigration can no longer be stopped

India, Pakistan and Bangladesh together add up to around 2 billion people: three entire Latin Americas with every intention of moving toward economies that are dying of old age. In Japan, a country that has made its closed door a national symbol, the debate over who the next inhabitants will be is now on the table. The controversy is not whether a mass arrival will happen, but when and under what conditions.

The assassination that changed everything

It is no coincidence that the murder of Shinzo Abe is being pointed to as the turning point. Those who analyze Japan's political landscape argue that his death paved the way for an immigration policy that was once taboo. Meanwhile, in Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen is toying with the idea of redistributing the demographic surplus from southern to northern Europe. The word "offloading" does not sit well with skeptics, who see it as an exercise in social engineering.

The Spanish mirror

Spain has become a cautionary tale. Some point to the chaos in its cities and the backlash sparked by poorly managed immigration; others reply that the newcomers from Asia arrive educated and bother no one. The uncomfortable question hangs in the air: what are we willing to sacrifice to keep the system in balance?

The unsettling fact is simple: while rich countries argue about walls, demographics have already made the decision. The question is not whether the next wave will come, but how much of the world to come we are willing to put a name to. Japan's new arrivals will not disappear because they are ignored; quite the opposite.