Just 16 percent of prefectural and municipal assembly leaders in Japan believe there should be further debate on whether to grant foreign residents the vote in local referendums, results of a Kyodo News survey showed Thursday, with many citing a need for care in approaching the issue.

Individuals without Japanese citizenship are not permitted to vote in elections, but local governments have the power to introduce ordinances allowing them a say in referendums.

But responses from the survey on forms of local participation for foreign residents showed that 56 percent of assembly leaders polled feel that they "could not say either way," and another 24 percent stated they "do not think it should be pursued further."

Amid sustained falls in the native population and rising foreign resident numbers, the central government has revised its policies for a multicultural society to include measures to actively encourage community participation by foreign residents.

However, while Japan had a record 2.96 million foreign residents according to Justice Ministry figures for the end of June 2022, their number still only accounts for about 2 percent of the total population.

Assembly chiefs who expressed reservations offered reasons including that many foreign nationals living in Japan are technical intern trainees or holders of other residence categories that mean they are likely to stay for a limited period before ultimately returning home.

Among the reasons provided by respondents who said further debate should be had, one assembly leader stated it would be "right" that individuals who work and pay taxes should be allowed to participate, while another said "support is needed" for people working and becoming part of society.

Respondents who said they could not say either way put forward that there is currently no need for further debate and that making participation a reality still faces numerous barriers such as obtaining staff to respond to foreign residents.

The survey was held between November and January and targeted all 1,788 assembly heads in prefectures and municipalities across Japan, of which 99.7 percent responded.

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