Volume 4 | Issue 2 | Article ID 2078 | Feb 16, 2006 The Asia-Pacific Journal | Focus

The Coming Internationalization: Can Japan assimilate its immigrants?

Arudou Debito

The Coming Internationalization: Can of the Japanese economy, but also, as the Japan assimilate its immigrants? regional economic superpower, Japan is still by itself about the same size as all the other Asian By Arudou Debito economies combined. The economic pull for immigrants is irresistible.

Immigration to Japan is already happening and it will not stop With the recent ethnic riots in France, The Economist (London) ran a thoughtful article Things are changing, most noticeably in the ("Minority Reports") on their causes. It posed makeup of the non-Anglophone population. an important question: Why are some countries Now comprising more than 75% of total able to assimilate immigrants and theirregistered foreign residents, this steady growth children more peacefully than others? It took a is no accident. stab at comparing "integrationist" vs. "assimilationist" public policies in France, But first, a bit of background. For much of England, Germany, Holland, and the United Japan's postwar history, the majority of States. "foreigners" here were, surprisingly, born or raised in Japan--the product of , Naturally, the article did not mention Japan, as both forced and unforced, by former citizens of Japan does not have much of a recordthe prewar Japanese Empire and their progeny. regarding immigration. Registered foreigners Called "Special Permanent Residents" (i.e. those with legal visas staying for more (tokubetsu eijuusha), or "Zainichi" in the than three months), assuming previous growth vernacular, they are mostly Koreans and rates continued through 2005, probably topped Chinese, who (because Japan only confers two million for the first time in postwar Japan. citizenship through blood or naturalization) However, in a country of 127.7 million, this have remained in Japan for generations as amounts to 1.6% of the total population-- "foreigners". This is despite the fact they are slender compared to 4.6% (2003) in Britain, fully fluent in Japanese and quite 5.5% (1999) in France, 9.7% (2002) inindistinguishable from the general population-- Germany, 12.1% (2005, legal and illegal) in the except for ethnic expression, personal identity US, and 21.8% (2001) in Australia. [1] (of the non-naturalized Zainichis I have interviewed, none have ever said they consider However, these figures will change, as Japan's themselves "Japanese"), access to jobs and population of foreigners will continue to grow. I marriage partners, and legal treatment (about believe Japan's future as a multiethnic society the same as any foreigner fresh off the boat, is inevitable. As I argued in a Japan Times unfortunately). column ("Japan and the Immigration Issue"), not only is cheap foreign labor an intrinsic part That was then. From 1990 a new wave of

1 4 | 2 | 0 APJ | JF immigration began. The Japanese government Diamondo (June 5, 2004), Japan's 760,000 tried to stem the "hollowing out" of domestic foreign workers are now powering companies industry by providing a special "traineelike Toyota, Suzuki, Sanyo, Honda, and worker" visa for the Nikkei diaspora.Yamaha. During a 2004 crackdown on Chinese Consequently, the number of registereddue to fears of SARS, factories in rural regions "returnee" Brazilians alone has leapt from like Shikoku simply closed down. Thus any negligible to around 280,000 in 2005, lodging drastic action against foreigners will have them in third place behind the Zainichi. These severe economic effects. South American laborers are more visible than the Zainichi, clustering to the point where, in Moreover, these "newcomer" foreigners are some small towns in Shizuoka, Aichi, and Gifu making themselves unremovable, by taking out prefectures, they comprise a startlingly high Permanent Residency (eijuuken). According to percentage of the local population--sometimes the Ministry of Justice, the number of "General even double digits. Given the high standard of Permanent Residents" (ippan eijuusha) swelled living here and the lack of job opportunities from 145,336 in 2000 to 312,964 in 2004. back home, many are settling down and Meanwhile, the number of "oldcomer" changing the face of their communities. They Permanent-Resident Zainichi actually shrank are also changing the commonly-held image of (due to death or naturalization) from 512,269 "" (foreigner), which was (roughly) to 465,619. If this trend continues, the "someone from a developed country who larks permanent Newcomers will outnumber about teaching English, then goes home". Oldcomers in just a few years, a sea change in Foreigners are graduating from "temporary terms of visible immigration and acculturation. guest" to immigrant. On top of that, it is simply impossible for "Resistance is futile”: the trends favoring "foreigners" and their influence in Japan to immigration are irreversible disappear--for so many of the people who once might have been considered "foreign" are now To better grasp the pressures on Japanese even citizens. There are large and growing society towards immigration, let's first consider numbers of multiethnic Japanese, thanks to the what would happen if the government took steps to reverse the trend: removing foreigners record numbers of international marriages and from Japan by cracking down on illegals, international children, the number of curbing visa programs, targeting them through naturalized citizens, and even (to give an anti-terrorist measures (in fact already in the extreme example) Japan's role as safe haven for pipeline, see Japan Times, "Here Comes the abducted Japanese children following Fear"), or even increased racial profiling international divorces. Moreover, people do (entirely feasible, given the recent shocking naturalize--to the tune of 12,000 to 14,000 murder of a schoolgirl allegedly by a Peruvian people per year in recent years (the author of here on forged papers). Foreigners will come to this article included); according to the Ministry Japan regardless. Why? They will continue to of Justice, there were more than 300,000 be attracted by Japan's economic opportunities newly-minted citizens between 1968 and 2001. (as the decades-unbroken rise in the foreign Of course, all of these trends, which amount to population demonstrates). More importantly, no less than Japan's true internationalization, Japanese companies (especially those in the are invisible because these people are not "3K" industrial sectors which Japanese laborers included in numbers for registered foreigners, avoid) will still want them. According to and Japan's Census Bureau does not measure prominent economic magazine Shuukanthe population for ethnicity.

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In fact, it seems the tide is turning--back to stay. towards a grudging acceptance of the inevitability of immigration. And none too soon. So now that people know that Japan needs As far back as 2000, under the Obuchi foreigners, warts and all, how equipped is Administration, "The Prime Minister'sJapan to deal with a future of immigration? Commission on Japan's Goals in the 21st Century" (as well as the UN) famously advised Getting foreigners to stay and find “the Japan to import around 600,000 people per good life” here annum. This would maintain Japan's tax base, and ameliorate the effects of record-high Can Japan allow foreigners to reach their longevities and record-low birthratespotential, become productive and contributing contributing to an aging population. Even members of Japanese society, without the though this trial balloon was soon deflated, prospect (as Governor Ishihara warned in his through government-sponsored public scares infamous 2000 "Sankokujin Speech") of unrest about hooliganism (during the 2002 World Cup) and rioting? and terrorism, and assiduous reportage on purported rises in foreign crime, cooler heads The Economist article, which opened this essay, have since prevailed, running some fanciful concluded that peaceful immigrant assimilation proposals up the flagpole, such as bringing in requires five basic things: a) lingua franca Filipina nurses or robotizing elderly health care skills, b) income, c) mobility, d) home (see pie-in-the-sky Economist article "Japan's ownership, e) political representation, and e) Humanoid Robots--Better Than People"). intermarriage. How does Japan rate? However, a watershed was inevitable, and it came in December 2005--due to demographics. Factors conducive to assimilation

In the realm of a shrinking population 1) Japanese law allows foreigners to own property, which means they can buy homes and It's official: As of 2006, Japan's population is in establish businesses in Japan. However, decline. Japan's Ministry of Health announced without Permanent Residency, they face great that, thanks to the declining birthrate, deaths difficulty getting loans at competitive interest in 2005 outnumbered births by 10,000. [2] rates. Permanent Residency, it should be noted, From 2006 the population is projected to is actually quite difficult to get, as it requires at dwindle, falling from 127.4 million to 100.7 least five years' investment (if married to a million by 2050. This means that the foreign Japanese, ten years' if not) and paperwork resident influx, about 50,000 people per year, showing commitment and financial stability. is keeping the numbers in the black, at least for That said, with the striking rise in people now. taking out PR, unprecedented numbers are qualifying for credit. The subsequent intake of wind from policy circles and pundits was audible. Even frequent 2) Foreigners can and do found and run their foreigner basher Tokyo Governor Ishihara own businesses (as the ethnic restaurants, Shintaro, in a December 22, 2005press kitchen-sink importers, used-goods exporters, conference (minute 11), stated that Japan and nightlife around Japan attest). Naturally, needs a firm immigration policy, and offered there are some barriers to entry. Based upon suggestions (such as granting Permanent your visa, you may face a local-hire Residency to foreign graduates of Japanese requirement or a local-guarantor requirement, colleges) to make it easier for educated people with heavy deposits for business loans.

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Moreover, even credit card companies and Nambu office, 90% or all foreigners in Japan cellphone operators like NTT Docomo, consider are on fixed-term contract labor. Low incomes foreigners too risky or fly-by-night,denying for the most recent newcomers (such as the them credit avenues or requiring deposits above-mentioned "trainees") are not necessarily without looking at credit records or income. helping them invest in their future.

However, things have been loosening up, for 4) There are few, if any, clearly-delineated example, "1-yen companies", and open-secret "foreigner enclaves" in Japan (as opposed to loopholes (such as getting a visa separate from France's state-supported banlieue, the scene of your business, and treating your business as a much unrest). However, there is little or no side-job). [3] More concretely, setting up a protection against housing discrimination, company in Japan is no longer all that difficult. which results in the creation of "gaijin According to the World Bank'sInternational apartments" and de facto "foreigner zones" in Finance Corporation, start-up costs for a towns near factories. company in Japan (around US$4,000), number of days you have to wait for paperwork to clear 5) There is a promising degree of cultural (31), and number of procedures you have to go acceptance and social mobility for multiethnic through (11), are expensive but notresidents and cultural expression. There have unreasonable for the region (average: 52.6 been recent booms in Korean pop culture, days' wait, 8.2 procedures). Indeed, Japan is African-American rap culture, even even less cumbersome albeit more expensive international marriage in Japan's huge manga than China (US$175 start-up, 48 days' wait, 13 market. A cursory view of Japanese media will procedures). However, Japan is uncompetitive demonstrate that Japanese are culinary culture compared to the high-income OECD countries vultures for foreign foods. Foreign entertainers (average: 19.5 days' wait, 7.9 procedures), and sportspeople are highly visible (even if particularly France (US$350 start-up, 8 days' many of the long-term TV personalities choose wait, 7 procedures), Germany (US$1400 start- to hide their ethnic roots). There are even up, 24 days' wait, 9 procedures), the USA politicians and prominent businesspeople with (US$210 start-up, 5 days' wait, 5 procedures), international backgrounds (even if the foreign and Canada (US$250 start-up, 3 days' wait, 2 community has yet to become a recognizable procedures). Based on raw numbers alone, voting or consumer bloc). Nevertheless, there Japan is actually on par with countries like are jobs from which foreigners are excluded Russia, Egypt, Malawi, and Jordan. And these (see below), "foreigner quotas" in many areas, numbers do not reflect things like Japan's such as sports, even "no foreigners" rules in informal barriers to capital access forsome sports leagues. newcomers, and minimum capital investment in banks to qualify for loans. Nevertheless, this And of course: represents considerable easing of restrictions on foreign enterprise startups in Japan. 6) Tens of thousands of foreigners marry Japanese every year, including high rates of 3) Unemployment rates are nominally low in Zainichi intermarriage and recent migrant Japan and there is a labor shortage, meaning intermarriage. That's the strongest possible chances are there will be little indigency: You root for any non-Japanese resident, and it come here, you will probably find a job. That's opens doors in terms of working visas and not to say, however, that employment is secure community standing. or lucrative. According to Louis Carlet of the National Union of General Workers, Tokyo Factors unconducive to assimilation

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1) Unlike Japanese children, foreign children such as health or unemployment insurance. are not required to attend school. This means This does not encourage the establishment of that the government has turned a blind eye to a firm or honest roots, or a larger stake in growing underclass of uneducated children just society. because they are foreign. Moreover, until recently, the Ministry of Education refused to 3) Japan keeps its foreigners on separate and recognize most international schools astight (moreover, tightening) leash, while the accredited educational institutions. Result: Zainichi are denied the rights of citizens even Many foreign children who couldn't handle a after four generations here. The Zainichi and Japanese grade or junior-high school dropped others who decide to fully assimilate, that is, out. With few other educational choices, some naturalize, often do so at great sacrifice of their grew up illiterate and found their way into ethnicity and family ties. There is also a youth gangs (cf. the Herculano Murder Case). perception problem fostered by the Foreign children who do graduate from an government: Many policy proposals are written unaccredited ethnic school in Japan, like one so as to apply exclusively to "kokumin" set up by Koreans and Brazilians, are generally (citizens), as if official definitions of unable to enter a Japanese university and thus "community members deserving social benefits are shut out from most upwardly-mobile jobs. and protections" are rooted in blood-and-soil Though there have been some steps to accredit arguments. Some of these policies explicitly ethnic schools at long last, and universities, exclude foreigners from regular taxpayer desperate for students, are increasinglybenefits and treatment, such as Shizuoka accepting ethnic school diplomas, it is too late Prefecture's erstwhile guidelines for "Kokumin for some teens; we don't know--we have no Kenkou Hoken", the national health service. official recognition of the problem or data on its depth. Japan may soon be in for a surprise, with The clearest case of unnecessary segregation future incidents redolent of the youth riots in concerns the Residency Certificate France. (juuminhyou) and Family Registry (koseki) systems, where only citizens (i.e. those with a 2) Foreigners are still barred from some job koseki) may be listed as "residents". What other sectors, most famously government-sponsored developed country (including Germany, with a food preparation (for "security reasons") and similar family registry system) requires firefighting ("because foreigners damaging citizenship for formal residency? The systems Japanese property could create an international even split international families apart, so that incident", runs the argument). Glass ceilings in officially foreigners may not be listed together Japan's entry-level corporate culture are rife. with their family members as "parent" or Foreigners are still not permitted to sit civil- "spouse". I can think of few official policies service examinations for promotion in certain more unwelcoming and alienating to regions, such as Tokyo, because "foreigners immigrants on a basic level than this. cannot be permitted to have administrative duties over Japanese" (cf. the law suit by health 4) Policywise, Japan is, again, a) not collecting worker Zainichi Korean Chong Hyang Gyun). sufficient data on ethnicity (cf. last year's National Census), b) not allowing 2) Foreigners are not entitled to the same job "Japaneseness" to be seen as a matter of legal security, social security, or legal protections as status (as opposed to blood and culture), and c) Japanese. One consequence is that many work not making much of an attempt to recognize or either in the black-market economies or for appraise Japan's current, or future, severely low wages, without social safety nets multiculturality. Japan still officially promotes

5 4 | 2 | 0 APJ | JF homogeneity as part of national identity, against racial discrimination at all levels of regardless of social exigency or even research government, but also enacting additional on the nature of immigrant populations to the statutes ensuring equal access to living contrary. [4] quarters and public goods, empowering governmental or non-governmental agencies 5) Portraying the outsider as social bane with policing and punitive powers (such as the instead of boon at the highest levels ofombudsman proposal currently stalemated in government and media is not helpful for the Diet), and clarifying labor laws protecting Japanese society in general, not to mention for workers and their families against the vast majority of hardworking foreign discrimination by . taxpayers who support this aging society. Instead, Japan's law enforcement isfalsifying 4) As Governor Ishihara suggested, enact a statistical data and interpretation, encouraging clear immigration policy, with targets to bring public witch hunts of foreigners, using outright in educated people from overseas and ensure racism in crime research, even stretching or them stable jobs and visa status. Many breaking their own laws to justify pursuit of the countries, including the US, have benefited foreigner in our midst. This must stop. from "brain drains", and Japanese society has plenty going for it to attract people of talent. The need for everyone to try harder On that note:

Here are a few suggestions that Japan could 5) Eliminate the oft-cited "nationality clause" undertake to smooth the path for immigrants to (kokuseki joukou) for all government come, stay, and become assimilated, peacefully employment, and let individual qualifications contributing members of society: and civil service examination results overrule citizenship requirements. At the moment, this 1) Illiteracy saps the potential of people in is left up to local governments to decide, where every society, so institute free government- it often is used to bar Zainichis from leadership sponsored language classes (as seen in places posts. like the US) to get immigrants up to speed on their reading, writing, and spoken Japanese. At 6) Take steps to resolve the grey legal status of the moment, second-language education for the Zainichis and other Permanent Residents. immigrants is generally undertaken by local This would include, in addition to the above NGOs. Of course, this assumes that immigrants proposals, legalizing dual nationality, reducing will make the effort to become functional if not the arbitrariness of naturalization procedures, fluent in the local language. However, initial granting local suffrage to Permanent Residents, signs, such as popular city-sponsored language and conferring citizenship by birth. classes I have attended in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture, indicate that they will. 7) Eliminate the separation of "resident" and "citizen" fostered by the vagaries of the 2) Extend compulsory education to all children, "koseki" and "juuminhyou" registry systems. including foreign children, in accredited schools, and accredit more ethnic schools to 8) Make public statements (this would not give them a choice. require much budgetary outlay) at the highest levels of government explaining why foreigners 3) Take concrete measures to protect the are in Japan, the good works they are doing, human and civil rights of non-Japaneseand their indispensable roles in Japan’s past residents. This includes not only passing laws and future. Underline the fact that foreigners

6 4 | 2 | 0 APJ | JF are community residents and taxpayers like many foreigners are now immigrants, not to anyone else. Too much ink has been spilled mention human beings with feelings, reporting the crimes a tiny minority commit, livelihoods, and rights. This must change. and making a hullabaloo about the potential threats to public order they have not caused. Fortunately, Japan is a society remarkably open Time to balance things out. to outside ideas, and, given time and enough debate from fluent immigrants arguing their Conclusion case, I believe that Japan can, and will, do a lot better. Japan is world-class at welcoming For all the talk about Japan’s ill-conceived strangers with kindness in the short term. immigration policies, Japan doesn't seem to be Japan’s future now requires that the nation doing as badly as some societies. As of this learn how to do this in the long term. writing, Japan has not had a single foreigner riot. Many non-Japanese are laying down roots Arudou Debito wrote this article for Japan as residents: getting by in Japanese, getting a Focus. He is the author of "'JAPANESE ONLY': decent (if insecure) wage, buying homes, The Otaru Hot Springs Case and Racial intermarrying, and, on rare occasions,Discrimination in Japan" (Akashi Shoten Inc., naturalizing and even entering politics. Japan revised 2006) also, fortunately, has not resorted to old bad habits of forced assimilation (such as the Arudou Debito will be on a speaking tour in the "douka seisaku" policy, "Japanizing" indigenous United States between March 20 and April 4, peoples by eliminating their language and 2006. Confirmed schedule as of this writing: ethnic awareness). It is also, with some glaring March 23: University of Michigan, Center of exceptions, relatively tolerant of the cultural Japanese Studies (see program). March 28: expression of minorities. Columbia University, Faculty of Law. To arrange a talk at your institution, contact him Japan has, however, since 2000 switched its directly at [email protected] treatment of foreigners from benign neglect to scapegoating for social problems. Even if this is Notes: taking place in many other countries too, neither extreme is acceptable. [1] ILO website, Center for Immigration Studies website citing US Census Bureau In short, Japan has trouble knowing what to do [2] AP, "Japan Marks Shift, as Deaths Outpace with foreigners once they get here, or trusting Births", December 23, 2005. them to carry on by themselves.[3] Simon Jackson, Director of Ridgerunner Unpredictability and unprecedentedness, which Architectural Design and Development in foreigners by their very presence embody, are Sapporo, developing ski-resort condominiums too readily seen as a threat by many of Japan's in Niseko, Hokkaido. conservatives. Moreover, policy prescriptions [4] John Lie, Multiethnic Japan, Harvard to deal with them often seem to forget that Belknap, 2001.

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