Posted by Isabel Wang. Colgate Class of 2021.

Can Japan Embrace Multiculturalism? by Menju Toshihiro. Nippon, February, 19, 2020.

Japan officially opened doors to low-skilled foreign workers last April by introducing the Specified Skills visa program. Aside from economic effects, this major change to the Japanese immigration policy brings a cultural challenge to the historically insular society. Although steps have been taken toward cultural assimilation and ensuring that the immigration policy works, there is a clear demand for comprehensive measures to help foreigners integrate into society.

Local organizations try to fill the gaps of the lack of central government policy at the community level by promoting cultural diversity and tolerance and establishing multilingual resources. Still, foreigners encounter discrimination in daily life regarding apartment hunting, employment, and even understanding newspapers or officers’ instructions. The lack of guarantees is alarming, however, as policies such as the TITP* bring up criticisms for opening doors to human rights abuses (as cheap labor) and illegal immigration. The per-week Japanese class sponsored by the municipal government is “not enough to master Japanese,” not to mention opportunity costs of time that could instead be spent working. While the Japanese population declines by 500,000, the number of foreign residents increases by 200,000 annually, and this number is expected to increase. The government needs to send a clear message and commit to building an inclusive society for its foreigners alleviated by governmental policy reforms.

*Technical Intern Training Program, similar to work visa, admitting for limited stay