Rie's homework

Summary

[support the local suffrage to permanent residents]

One of the reasons why special permanent residents demand the local suffrage is because they have the obligation of paying taxes to the local authorities. The principle is called “no taxation without representation” (Takao, 2003), and they assert that people who pay tax should have the right to vote. This assertion is supported by not only for permanent Korean residents, but people from different potions. From the Canadian activist’s view, people have the right to choose the politicians who make decisions how to spend taxes unless they pay taxes (Stephen, 2009). And, Issei Kotobuki, who is a member of Kishiwada Municipal Assembly stated as a backer. He explained that foreign residents were the member of the community, which was showed by paying tax, so they have the right to commit the local politics. There are some prefecture governors such as Katayama in Tottori, and Hiramatsu in Oita expressed that support the foreigners’ local suffrage (Kalicki, 2008).


[against the suffrage to permanent residents]

On the other hand, opponents claimed that paying tax is not the reason to have the voting right. A Japanese American activist argued that foreigner residents should have the responsibilities to pay taxes to secure the society and grant the national health insurance (Stephen, 2009). Moreover, Setsu Kobayashi, a lawyer and professor at Keio University pointed out that the obligation of taxes is not connected with the voting right logically. He explained if this theory which all taxpayers have the suffrage would be accepted, Japanese who do not earn any incomes, or are receiving welfare benefits would have to be taken their suffrage (Kalicki, 2009).


Stephen.D(2009), ‘Japan: the contested boundaries of alien suffrage at the local level’, Democratization, 16:3, pp558-584.
Kalicki.K(2008), ‘Voting Rights of the ‘Marginal’: The Contested Logic of Political Membership in Japan’, Ethnopolitics, 7:2, pp256-286.
Takao.Y(2003), ‘Foreigners’ Right in Japan’, Asian Survey, 43:3, pp527-552.