The remarks underscore the contradiction between the government’s desire to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic activity, and its policies aimed at controlling the movements of foreign nationals within the country’s borders.

Ambassador for Japan Yutaka Yoshizawa said that while his country respected SA’s sovereign right over its immigration laws, SA needed to work to remove the barriers to entry for investors that are contained within the new immigration laws.

“Enhance policies friendly to investment from Asian companies,” Mr Yoshizawa said.

“Immigration policy is one area where you can do this. While the reason for new immigration laws is understandable, it has had unintended consequences.”

Available: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/2014/10/17/visa-rules-will-hurt-trade-envoys-warn