The anime film takes place in a fictitious setting modeled after Hong Kong. It's also suggested that a multiculral populace inhabits the region. The matters of each operative's origins are not thoroughly explored or discussed within the series. Batou is obviously a French name and the character looks conspicuously European, but that kind of thing is not a point of focus. It sure does make me skeptical of any argument that proposes he's certainly of Japanese descent because of the aforementioned and how it's moot when the property's central ideas are that of transhumanism.
The anime also distinguishes between Japanese characters without enhancements and those who have cybernetic bodies, so this point can also be disregarded.
I'm positive Shirow intended to draw characters to appear ethnically neutral as a matter of emphasizing themes.
Anyway, the new film has a really diverse cast. Takeshi Beat, Rila Fukushima, and Kaori Momoi just to name a few Japanese actors, might be missing more. The Section 9 cast is arguably among the most diverse ensembles Hollywood has produced in years so there is representation