Chaos erupts inside Japan’s parliament as lawmakers brawl over refugee bill

Chaos erupted inside Japan’s parliament Thursday as left-wing lawmakers sparked a brawl in a frantic attempt to block a controversial immigration bill.

Former Japanese actor and celebrity legislator Taro Yamamoto, leader of the anti-establishment Reiwa Shinsengumi party, had to be held back as he lunged at opposition leaders during tumultuous proceedings, shocking Twitter footage shows.

The scuffle brought debate over the bill to a temporary halt but failed to stifle the measure, which passed the Upper House of the country’s legislature — called the National Diet — and is due for a final vote on Friday, Japan Times reported.

“Steamrolling this bill is unacceptable,” Japanese Communist Party member Sohei Nihi objected during the debate, the outlet said.

“That’s why we demand that it be withdrawn and that thorough deliberations be conducted.”

At issue is a controversial proposal to overhaul Japan’s immigration rules and roll back the long-term detention of asylum seekers in the country — part of a long-running debate.

The bill has the support of a majority coalition but has drawn strong opposition from progressive lawmakers, who argue that it doesn’t go far enough to protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers and fails to improve conditions for those already being detained.

Majority leaders pitched a similar proposal in 2021 but it was stalled in the midst of a national outcry after a Sri Lankan refugee named Ratnayake Liyange WIshma Sandamali died while being detained at an immigration facility in Nagoya, Japan Times said.

Sandamali’s death sparked an ongoing lawsuit.

The new bill seeks to increase medical supervision of detainees and upgrade training of caretakers.

Opposition leaders like Yamamoto, however, argue that doesn’t guarantee improved conditions for asylum seekers, particularly children, and fails to address failings in the application process for asylum.