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Newcomers, Welcome? Exploring the Connection Between Demographic Change, Immigration Legislation Design and Policy Mobilities in Ageing Japan

With a relatively broad focus, this chapter explores the consequences of cultural essentialism — “a system of belief grounded in a conception of human beings as ‘cultural’ (and under certain conditions territorial and national) subjects, i.e., bearers of a culture, located within a bordered world, which defines them and differentiates them from others” (Grillo, 2003, p. 158) — in relation to identifying culture as an excuse through foreigner-as-criminal discourse in Japan. Demonstrated are the ways in which powerful public figures (e.g., politicians, lawmakers, police officers, and criminal court judges) exploit a particular brand of foreigner-as-criminal discourse — paralleling their “politics of anti-multiculturalism” (Eisenberg, 2009, p. 78) — as an integral part of the ideological management of the nation-state.

Cultural Essentialism and Foreigner-as-Criminal Discourse

Alors que l’immigration n’est pas une option pour pallier le declin demographique du pays, les travailleurs etrangers sont par contre une realite incontournable de la vie economique japonaise et ils sont meme devenus indispensables a la survie de certains domaines d’activites agricoles et industrielles Depuis la fin des annees 1990, le gouvernement japonais a donc entrepris de regulariser et controler leur presence : 1) avec une serie de « statuts de residence », de regles et de lois qui leur accordent le droit de travailler sur une base temporaire ou permanente; 2) par des ententes bilaterales avec d’autres pays, notamment dans le cadre des accords de partenariat economique signes avec les pays asiatiques et; 3) en renforcant sa lutte contre les travailleurs illegaux La politique du gouvernement sur les travailleurs etrangers s’inspire moins des normes internationales en la matiere que d’une regulation securitaire a deux volets : un volet prosperite faisant la promotion des travailleurs specialises et des professionnels et un volet paix sociale interdisant l’entree de travailleurs etrangers non qualifies, lesquels sont alors recrutes localement parmi les illegaux, les nikkeijin ou par le biais du systeme apprentis reserve aux etrangers

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La régulation des travailleurs étrangers au Japon et son contexte socioéconomique

Japan is very slowly beginning to recover from the enormous economic and infrastructural setbacks caused by the March 11, 2011, earthquake. One reason for the slow pace of recovery is due to Japan’s shrinking and aging population, a phenomenon that is gradually and detrimentally affecting Japanese society as a whole. As of November 2011, Japan’s population totaled 128 million, ranking it tenth in the world after Russia. Historically, Japan’s large population has contributed to its dynamic economic output, providing a well-educated workforce along with a large domestic consumer market. However, since 2005 the total population has been in decline for the first time since WW II. Indeed, over the next decade it is expected to decrease by 5.3 million people, a significant decline of four percent, more than the entire population of Shikoku, Japan’s fourth largest island.

Toshihiro Menju

Papers

Accepting immigrants: Japan's last opportunity for economic revival