A Case Study of Nepalese Organizations in Japan
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JRCA Vol. 20, No. 1 (2019), pp.165-206 165 Roles of Migrant Organizations as Transnational Civil Societies in Their Residential Communities: A Case Study of Nepalese Organizations in Japan Masako Tanaka Faculty of Global Studies, Sophia University Abstract Japan is an immigration country whose economy cannot be sustained without foreign workers. However, the national government has done little for migrants, and municipalities and non-government organizations (NGOs) provide nominal services. The study examines the roles of migrant organizations through a case study of a self-help organization (SHO) in Gunma. Its primary role is organizing Nepalese migrants for mutual support. The secondary role is maintaining regular contact and collaboration with local governments and NGOs to provide an interface between migrants and other stakeholders to contribute to the integration of Nepalese migrants. The third role is developing transnational ties with Nepal, which is limited to emergency support. As the case of the SHO shows, migrant organizations can promote themselves as an interface between migrants and local stakeholders. Maintaining regular contact and collaboration with various stakeholders, they can be proactive civil society organizations that go beyond episodic participation in their residential communities. Key words: Migrant organization, Transnationalism, Nepal, Japan 166 Nepalese Migrant Organizations in Japan 167 Acknowledgements I am indebted to the leaders and members of the Nepalese migrant organizations for their patience in sharing their experiences with me. I would like to thank Taeko Uesugi, the convener of the panel “Migration and transnational dynamics of non-western civil societies” for her thoughtful comments and tireless engagement in editing this paper and the anonymous reviewers of the Japanese Review of Cultural Anthropology for their valuable comments. This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of the Sciences (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Number 16K02047. I would like to thank Editage for English language editing. Today, Japan is a de facto immigration country that cannot be sustained without foreign migrant workers (Komine 2014). According to the Government of Japan, 2.73 million foreign nationals were registered residents in Japan at the end of 2018 (MOJ 2019). By nationality, the largest group was Chinese, followed by Koreans, Vietnamese, Filipinos, and Brazilians. Totaling 88,951 people, migrants from Nepal constitute the sixth largest group. However, the Government of Japan does not have a migration policy as such, and refers to this group as a “foreign human resource,” not as migrants. The Government of Japan revised the Immigration Control and Refugee-Recognition Law in December 2018, and opened its doors wider to unskilled labor in April 2019 without enough preparation for their integration. While the integration policy at the national level remains underdeveloped, local governments such as the foreigner’s assembly in Kanagawa prefecture and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the local level have made efforts to develop local initiatives. Tsuda refers to such arrangements as “local citizenship,” which is granted by 166 Nepalese Migrant Organizations in Japan Masako Tanaka 167 Acknowledgements local municipalities and NGOs that offer nominal services like health I am indebted to the leaders and members of the Nepalese migrant examinations and Japanese language classes to migrants living in their organizations for their patience in sharing their experiences with me. communities (Tsuda 2008). He highlights the low civic participation I would like to thank Taeko Uesugi, the convener of the panel of newly arrived migrants, who perceive themselves as temporary “Migration and transnational dynamics of non-western civil societies” sojourners with the objective to save money. They do not assimilate for her thoughtful comments and tireless engagement in editing this or claim their rights. Shipper’s study terms migrants’ involvement in paper and the anonymous reviewers of the Japanese Review of labor unions or contributions to Japanese NGOs as “episodic Cultural Anthropology for their valuable comments. This work was participation” (Shipper 2008). Consequently, Japanese NGOs lead supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of the Sciences most of the activism defending and fighting for migrants’ rights. (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Number 16K02047. I would like to thank Therefore, studies on migrants’ civic participation in Japan focus on Editage for English language editing. NGOs formed mostly by the Japanese, and scant attention has been paid to migrant organizations established by foreign residents in Today, Japan is a de facto immigration country that cannot be Japan. sustained without foreign migrant workers (Komine 2014). This study examines the roles of migrant organizations formed by According to the Government of Japan, 2.73 million foreign the Nepalese residing in Japan, especially their contribution to nationals were registered residents in Japan at the end of 2018 (MOJ integrating members into Japanese society. It focuses on Gunma, 2019). By nationality, the largest group was Chinese, followed by which hosts the seventh largest Nepalese community in Japan after Koreans, Vietnamese, Filipinos, and Brazilians. Totaling 88,951 other prefectures, such as Tokyo, Aichi, Chiba, Kanagawa, Fukuoka, people, migrants from Nepal constitute the sixth largest group. Saitama, and Osaka. However, the Government of Japan does not have a migration The paper consists of five main parts. First, I review the studies on policy as such, and refers to this group as a “foreign human resource,” migrant organizations in the migration studies literature. Second, I not as migrants. The Government of Japan revised the Immigration outline the migration trend from Nepal to Japan. Third, I classify Control and Refugee-Recognition Law in December 2018, and migrant organizations not by ethnic concerns, but by membership opened its doors wider to unskilled labor in April 2019 without and the major impacts of their activities. Fourth, an in-depth case enough preparation for their integration. study of a self-help organization (SHO) in Gunma is presented to While the integration policy at the national level remains examine its potential to integrate members into their residential underdeveloped, local governments such as the foreigner’s assembly in communities. Finally, the study concludes with the classification of Kanagawa prefecture and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) three roles played by migrant organizations and suggests their at the local level have made efforts to develop local initiatives. Tsuda potential as an interface between migrants and local governments and refers to such arrangements as “local citizenship,” which is granted by NGOs. This is followed by a brief discussion on the levels of 168 Nepalese Migrant Organizations in Japan 169 participation of migrant organizations in civil society in Japan. For this study, I employed data from key informant interviews with leaders of Nepalese migrant organizations in Japan from July 2014 to September 2019. Furthermore, focus group discussions and individual interviews were conducted with members of migrant organizations, along with desk research on statistics on migrants and the websites and social networking services used by migrant organizations. Besides academic works, I directly engaged with the issues through my participation in various events organized by Nepalese migrants and my volunteer work as an interpreter and a certified social worker for these Nepalese migrants in hospitals, at schools, with lawyers, and so on. The insights gained through my interactions with clients and in other informal occasions including listening to their personal problems on visas, marriage, and maternal and child health care are reflected in this study. However, to protect anonymity, I do not mention specific events or the names of individuals or use their personal information. Migrant Organizations in Migration Studies There is no universal definition of a migrant organization. In this study, migrant organizations are defined as those formed by individuals with a transnational migration background (Pries and Sezgin 2012). However, this does not imply that citizens of the host country—for example, migrants’ spouses, children, or in-laws who do not have direct experience of transnational migration—are not allowed to be members. Therefore, this study defines migrant organizations as those established by immigrants that do not limit membership to immigrants but extend it to other well-wishers as 168 Nepalese Migrant Organizations in Japan Masako Tanaka 169 participation of migrant organizations in civil society in Japan. well. For this study, I employed data from key informant interviews Practitioners working with refugees in the United States, for with leaders of Nepalese migrant organizations in Japan from July instance, consider migrant organizations as interfaces between 2014 to September 2019. Furthermore, focus group discussions and migrants and their countries of residence, and as stakeholders with a individual interviews were conducted with members of migrant key role in their integration (Newland et al. 2007). Migrant organizations, along with desk research on statistics on migrants and organizations are also a popular topic in transnational studies the websites and social networking services used by migrant (Khagram and Levitt 2008), although the academic