Illegal mosque in Japan set for removal; Pakistani ambassador’s inauguration draws scrutiny

A mosque built in Kawagoe city in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture without obtaining the required permissions from local authorities is set to be removed after city officials determined that the structure violated local regulations. The controversy has also drawn attention because Pakistan’s ambassador to Japan, Abdul Hameed, attended the mosque’s inauguration. Pakistan has since stated that the ambassador attended only after organisers informed him that all necessary approvals had been obtained.

Kawagoe city authorities said the structure was built without the applications and permits required under local regulations. Officials instructed the company that owns the land to remove the building and stated that the structure could not be treated differently because it was a mosque. The site is located within an urbanization control zone, where development is strictly restricted and construction activities require permission under Japan’s City Planning Act.

In a statement, the Pakistani embassy said it had no involvement in projects that fail to comply with local laws and regulations. The embassy also urged Pakistani nationals residing in Japan to follow Japanese laws in all matters, including the construction of mosques, and stated that any such construction should proceed only after obtaining the required approvals from local authorities.

City authorities said they became aware of the structure in October 2024 and instructed that construction be halted after the exterior had already been completed. According to officials, construction work nevertheless continued. Workers reportedly told authorities that they did not understand Japanese, while the project proceeded despite the city’s objections.

Authorities said ownership of the land was transferred in March 2025 from a real estate company in Fujimi City to a company headed by a Pakistani national based in Kawagoe. During the same month, the company submitted a remediation plan indicating that the structure would be removed. The father of the owner later stated that discussions were ongoing regarding demolition, while noting that the cost of removing the building remained a challenge and that talks with city officials were continuing.