Do foreign voices in Japan really count?

How much do you feel your opinions are actually valued here in Japan as a foreign resident? It's probably not something many of us think about each and every day, but sometimes I read stuff in the news that brings the question right to the surface.

Mie Prefecture is reportedly considering stopping the hiring of foreign nationals for government jobs, citing concerns over confidential information such as residents' personal data and agricultural production details. Officials have also referenced China's national intelligence law as part of their reasoning.

I understand that to a degree, and even in my home country there are certain government jobs that you can only get as a citizen (typically ones requiring a specific level of security clearance). I guess what made the Mie situation feel a bit uncomfortable is that before making a final decision, the prefecture has been gathering public opinion through a survey (sounds nice, right?) but it reportedly only went to Japanese nationals because it was based on the electoral roll.

So where does that leave the foreign residents who actually live there?

I know many fellow bloggers here on City-Cost and other and long-term foreign residents who have lived here for years, sometimes decades, but are still "only" visa holders or permanent residents. We work here, pay taxes here and build lives here, yet our voices are often missing from conversations that affect us.

What makes this particular situation even more frustrating is that Mie had previously opened most government job categories to foreign nationals back in 1999 to encourage us to participate in society!

What do you think? As long-term residents here in Japan, do you think government jobs should be open to us? What's it like in your home country?