Zaitokukai

Zaitokukai, full name Zainichi Tokken o Yurusanai Shimin no Kai (在日特権を許さない市民の会; lit. 'Association of Citizens against the Special Privileges of the Zainichi'), is an ultra-nationalist and far-right extremist political organization in Japan, which calls for an end to state welfare and alleged privileges afforded to Koreans in Japan. It has been described by the National Police Agency as a potential threat to public order due to its "extreme nationalist and xenophobic" ideology. Its membership is 9,000 as of 2010. Vice News called them "J-racism's hottest new upstarts" in 2014. The group is considered by critics to be an anti-Korean extremist hate group, and have been compared to neo-Nazis. It was founded and led by a man who goes by the assumed name of Makoto Sakurai. On November 16, 2014, Yasuhiro Yagi was selected as chairman for the fifth term as the result of a vote of confidence by the group's members. Sharon Yoon and Yuki Asahina argue that Zaitokukai quickly succeeded in framing Korean minorities as undeserving recipients of Japanese welfare benefits. Even as Zaitokukai declined, far-right anti-Korean discourse powerfully influences public fears.