Society
Kawagoe Orders an Unauthorized Mosque Removed as Anti-Immigration Mood Hardens
The city of Kawagoe in Saitama ordered the removal and closure of a building used as a mosque that was put up without permission on land where new construction is generally barred, setting a deadline of Sept. 30, 2027. The city says it treats the structure as a meeting hall and that the order is purely about the zoning violation, 'nothing to do with nationality or religion.' Online, the move landed alongside a Nikkei survey showing 41% of respondents don't want more foreigners living in their area, and reactions split between 'finally they acted,' doubts that the order will ever be enforced, and a minority worried about religious freedom and discrimination.