Ibaraki Becomes First Prefecture in Japan to Offer ¥10,000 Reward for Reporting Illegal Foreign Worker Employment
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On May 11, 2026, Ibaraki Prefecture launched a program to pay a 10,000 yen reward to informants whose tips about illegal employment of foreign nationals lead to a crackdown. It is said to be the first program of its kind in Japan.
Ibaraki has had the highest number of illegal workers in the country for four consecutive years, with the agricultural sector cited as a particular concentration. The program appears intended to encourage crackdowns through tips from local residents.
The program has also drawn criticism that it could "foster division." A system encouraging residents to report one another risks creating a surveillance-like atmosphere in local communities, though it can also be seen as a response to a string of cases across the country involving the facilitation of illegal employment (related coverage). How the program is implemented going forward will be watched closely, both for its effectiveness and its social impact. It is also connected to Ibaraki being named a priority location for the emergency increase in immigration officers (related coverage).