In the quiet suburbs of Sapporo, Japan, a story of suburban regeneration has taken an unexpected turn, revealing a culture war that is far from over. The once-vibrant Tokiwa Elementary School, a symbol of the community's history, now stands as a haunting reminder of Japan's demographic winter. But amidst this desolation, a plan to bring new life to the district has emerged, only to be met with fierce resistance. This is the tale of how a Singapore-based international school operator, Global Indian Education (GIE), became a lightning rod for anti-foreigner sentiment in Sapporo, and the broader implications of this conflict.
The plan to transform the empty school into a prestigious international school by August 2027 was initially met with enthusiasm. GIE, part of the Global Schools Group (GSG), proposed a school that would serve as an emergency evacuation center and open its gymnasium to residents outside of school hours. The curriculum, offering an International Baccalaureate (IB), seemed like a welcome addition to the community. However, the project quickly became a flashpoint for nationalist sentiment, with protesters using megaphones to drown out representatives and harangue attendees at a public briefing in September 2025. By November, 90 public petitions had flooded the Sapporo City Assembly, demanding a total shutdown of the project, branding the school a "front for mass immigration" that would invite crime.
What makes this case particularly fascinating is the stark contrast between the inclusive enrollment plan, detailed to the point of minutiae, and the backlash it received. Public records show that GIE's plan for inclusive enrollment is not unlike its other campuses, with 54.7% Japanese students in Osaka and 82% in Tsukuba. This raises a deeper question: why is there such resistance to foreign talent in Japan? The answer lies in the rise of the 'Japanese First' political sentiment, which entered mainstream politics in the mid-2020s, as the conservative Sanseito party explicitly made the slogan its key election platform. This populist movement pitted anxieties among locals caused by economic strain and inflation against the burgeoning and increasingly visible influx of foreign tourists and residents, leading to stricter immigration controls.
The foreign population in Sapporo has surged 2.7 times from 9,302 in June 2013 to 25,331 in June 2026, accounting for a record 1.29% of the city's residents. In response, Sapporo became Japan's first major municipality to enact a "community coexistence" ordinance, fostering a society free from discrimination that draws strength from diversity. However, the situation in Sapporo is not as severe as in cities like Kawasaki and Osaka, which have enforcement measures against hate speech. This creates a disconnect between the municipal government and the locals, with many people living in their social media echo chambers and forming their own prejudices.
The resistance to GIE and immigration is led by the Counter-Racist Action Collective NORTH (C.R.A.C.NORTH), a decentralized and leaderless anti-discrimination collective. Since 2013, they have organized "counter-protests" to confront the blatant hatred displayed by a loud minority segment of the Japanese population towards minority groups such as the Ainu people and Zainichi Koreans. However, the recent expressions of abhorrence have turned towards foreigners, fueled by conspiracy theories such as a "foreign takeover." Given that there are no penalties or effective enforcement mechanisms against hate speech, civic grassroots activism is effectively the only thing in their way.
The implications of this conflict are far-reaching. Sapporo's future survival depends on integrating foreigners into the community, from bankers to tech executives, and bus drivers to caregivers. The city is aggressively leveraging its national designation as a Green Transformation/Artificial Intelligence Finance and Asset Management Special Zone to attract foreign business, investment, and talent. However, experts warn of a disconnect between the locals and the municipal government, with many people not actively seeking to be informed and forming their own prejudices. This creates misunderstandings that foreigners are being given preferential treatment.
In the end, the desire for renewal outweighs the political noise in Tokiwa. A local retiree, who declined to be named given the sensitivities of the project, expressed hope for the school's revival, attracting young families and injecting new vitality into the neighborhood. But the battle for multicultural coexistence in Sapporo is far from over, as the city grapples with the delicate balance between the need for foreigners and ensuring they can adapt while maintaining their own cultural identity.
