Saitama Governor Makes Third Request to Foreign Ministry to Suspend Visa Waiver With Turkey, Citing Kurdish-Related Trouble
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 4, 2026 and handed Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Hisashi Matsumoto a written request to suspend the reciprocal visa waiver agreement with Turkey and to promote cashless passport application processing. According to reports by the Asahi Shimbun and other outlets, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 residents believed to be Kurdish nationals of Turkey live mainly around Kawaguchi and Warabi cities in the prefecture, and trouble with local residents has been recurring.
The request noted that more than half of Turkish nationals residing in the prefecture hold "Designated Activities" status, typically granted to asylum applicants, and cited "voices of anxiety from the community" as grounds for suspending the agreement. This marks Governor Ono's third such request, following ones in August 2025 and January 2026.
Current status: As of the August 4 meeting, the Foreign Ministry reportedly took a reluctant stance, saying suspension was "not yet warranted at this time," and the outlook for suspending the agreement remains unclear. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Alongside the Immigration Services Agency's policy of tightening permanent residency guidelines (related coverage), this case illustrates a gap between local concerns over a specific residency status and the national government's response.