A plenary session of the Musashino city assembly is held in the western Tokyo city on Dec. 21, 2021, where a proposed ordinance that would have allowed foreign residents to vote in local referendums was rejected. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The city assembly of Musashino in Tokyo rejected Tuesday a proposed ordinance that would have allowed foreign residents to vote in local referendums.

       When first submitted, the proposal divided opinions in the assembly of the suburban city with a population of nearly 150,000. It also drew flak online, with critics saying it could be a step toward granting foreigners the right to vote in national elections.

       The city, which has the popular shopping and residential district of Kichijoji, failed to join two cities that have granted voting rights to foreigners in referendums without special conditions -- Zushi in Kanagawa Prefecture and Toyonaka in Osaka Prefecture.

       Aside from the two cities, about 40 municipalities in Japan have allowed foreigners to vote in referendums but with some conditions, such as having permanent residency status.

       The voting down of the ordinance came after the city assembly's general affairs committee approved last week the controversial plan proposed in November by Musashino Mayor Reiko Matsushita, who has called for creating a city that accepts diversity.

       The proposal was to allow foreigners aged 18 or above to vote in referendums if they have lived in the city for at least three months -- the same conditions applied to Japanese residents.

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