KUALA LUMPUR－In response to Mie Prefecture’s consideration of revising its hiring policy for foreign national staff, the mayors of Suzuka and Kuwana expressed their intentions during regular press conferences on January 6 to maintain their current approach,  emphasizing the importance of building a society based on coexistence.

The Mie Prefectural Government said last year that it was considering suspending the hiring of foreign nationals to protect confidential information. 

The move is driven by concerns over potential leaks of personal data, as well as issues related to China’s national intelligence law and security considerations surrounding Ise Grand Shrine.

As of the end of 2025, about 10,641 foreign nationals from roughly 60 countries and regions were registered as residents in Suzuka City, accounting for 5.5 percent of the city’s total population, the fourth-highest figure in the prefecture.

Since 2001, foreign residents with permanent or special permanent resident status have been eligible to take city employment examinations for all general administrative positions, except for firefighters.

“Suzuka is one of Japan’s leading cities with a high concentration of foreign residents, and a certain number of foreign students aspire to become civil servants,”  the mayor said.

”The city intends to continue keeping its doors open to such candidates.”