KURDISH FAMILIES TARGETED NEAR TOKYO AS 2023 DEPORTATION LAW AND CAMPAIGN RHETORIC FUEL BACKLASH

Guardian report details a localized surge of xenophobic incidents against Kurdish migrants in Kawaguchi and Warabi near Tokyo, including verbal abuse, vandalism, doxxing, and an alleged assault on a child. The spike aligns with a 2023 immigration control amendment enabling deportation after a third asylum attempt, a post‑pandemic rise in foreign workers, and heated election‑season rhetoric. Local NGOs and courts have pushed back against hate groups, but refugee recognition remains extremely low, leaving families fearful and exposed. Analysts warn the pattern could spread to other migrant communities amid national anti‑immigrant messaging.