Japan is witnessing a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment as mosque construction projects face growing resistance. In Fujisawa city, a planned mosque project in late 2025 sparked strong opposition, with over 32,000 people signing an online petition and raising about 1 million yen to halt construction. Despite meeting all legal requirements, the project triggered protests against the city government. Right-wing politicians and social media influencers have been accused of spreading anti-immigrant rhetoric and false claims linking mosques to crime or cemetery construction.

Japan’s Muslim population has grown to around 420,000, or 0.3 percent of the total population, with about 167 mosques nationwide as of 2025. Burial practices remain a major challenge, as 99.9 percent of bodies in Japan are cremated, leaving few options for Muslim burials. Attempts to establish private cemeteries since 1967 have faced local opposition, though some Buddhist monks have shared burial spaces, creating about ten Muslim cemeteries.

Experts cited by the East Asian Forum note that the lack of central government guidance and Japan’s refusal to identify as an immigrant nation have left local authorities struggling to manage integration and social harmony.