(MENAFN) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday refused to retract remarks she made during her campaign for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in which she claimed that some foreign tourists had kicked deer in Nara Park.

Despite warnings from an opposition lawmaker that her comment could stoke anti-foreigner sentiment, Takaichi defended her statement at a parliamentary session. “It is a fact that such regrettable behavior by foreigners has become more noticeable,” she said, noting that her remarks were based on firsthand experience—she personally warned an English-speaking tourist for kicking a deer—and accounts from local tourism operators and Nara police.

Her comments come as Japan considers raising visa issuance fees for foreign visitors in fiscal 2026, potentially the first increase since 1978. Sources indicate the additional revenue would be used to manage overtourism, which has caused overcrowding and environmental damage at popular destinations.

Takaichi, a hardline conservative, established Japan’s first foreigner-specific Cabinet post after taking office on Oct. 21, aiming to promote an “orderly coexistent society with foreigners.”

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