Mosque under fire: Japan’s Muslims — welcome or wanted?

Japan has spent years building prayer rooms at airports, train stations and shopping malls to welcome Muslim tourists. But being a visitor and being a neighbor are not the same thing. This week on Japan Today Spotlight, we examine Japan's rapidly growing Muslim community — and the backlash that's followed. From misinformation campaigns and mosque protests, to suspected arson fires targeting a Muslim community in Hokkaido, to a landmark burial plot dispute in Oita Prefecture, we look at what happens when visitors become neighbors. And we ask a harder question: is integration a two-way street? This week we're taking a longer look than usual — because this is a story that doesn't fit in a headline. Full details and sources are in the links below. -------------------------------------------------- ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Welcome or wanted? 00:41 Japan's welcome mat 02:48 The fires in Ebetsu 03:36 When visitors become neighbors 06:56 The Kawagoe question 09:08 The burial plot debate 12:31 The immigration question 16:10 Outro -------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Visit the story on Japan Today: 📌 https://japantoday.com/category/spotl... 🔗 Japan Today sources: 📌 Japanese intolerance of Muslims increases as population doubles -- https://japantoday.com/category/natio... 📌 As Muslim tourism grows, Japan rethinks where visitors can pray -- https://japantoday.com/category/natio... 📌 Like it or not, the 'immigrants next door' are coming to Japan -- https://japantoday.com/category/featu... 📌 Growing Muslim population in need of burial plots in Japan -- https://japantoday.com/category/natio... 📌 Department stores, malls in Japan set up prayer rooms as Muslim visitors increase -- https://japantoday.com/category/natio... 📌 Japanese firms aim to provide mobile mosques to areas in hardship -- https://japantoday.com/category/featu... 🔗 External sources: 📌 Baseless Online Rumors Blame Muslims for Fires in Japan (June 2026, Yomiuri Shimbun) -- https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/socie... 📌 Kawagoe shuts illegal mosque, discusses issue with Pakistan (Asahi Shimbun) -- https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/16... 🔔 Subscribe for more Japan news and analysis: / @japantodayofficial Follow Japan Today for more: 🌏 Website: https://japantoday.com 📸 Instagram: / japantodaynews 📘 Facebook: / japantoday 🐤 Twitter/X: https://x.com/JapanToday DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of GPlusMedia, Inc.