by Yuuki Tashiro

These days, in Japan, the topic of international migration is discussed eagerly. I think that there are two reasons about it. It is a declining number of children and a tide of globalization. Compared with the US and western countries, the population of migrant is very low. But in Japan, government tries to add to not only foreign workers who engage in white-collar work but also foreign workers who engage in blue-collar work. If a present migrant low in Japan is changed and it becomes more relaxed than this of now, of course, this decision will have big effects on the people in Japan and the international migration.

In this class, I studied the case of Boston about international migration. In Boston, many foreign people came to there depending on the same countries’ people. As a result, colonies where these people live together appeared. Besides, the little Tokyo and The China town is same case. If Japanese government make a low which allow foreign migrant to live in Japan, the same colonies will appear as The US. However, it is also said that such colonies had already existed. For example, I can give the instance of chuukagai, China town and Korean town. These towns were made by Chinese and Korean. I think that there are two problems about this issue. Firstly, it is the coexistence between their culture, language and these of Japan. Japanese society is often said that quite exclusively. There is one proverb which shows this Japanese nature. “gou ni haireba gou ni sitagae ”. This words mean that if you live in other region you should follow the region’s customs. I guess the proverb show Japanese nature well. So some conflicts will occur. However , as China town in Yokohama and Koube, the conflict will become reconciliation as the years went by. Secondly, public services and facilities for migrants is also issue. A lot of these service and facilities deal with them in English or Chinese, Korean. Although, if migrants who can’t speak these language live in Japan, they will be not able to take these services quickly. I think that this problem is related to Japanese education system. Ordinary Japanese are not proud of other language. Besides, multilingualism is not firmly established in Japan because the population of foreign people is low. So it is also important to established multilingualism in Japan to add to migrants.

by Ayana Ebisuno

As world is more globalized, we would feel more comfortable and many things would become more convenient. For example, now we can talk with friends who are in other side of the globe, we can take same classes that is held in American universities even if we are in class rooms in Japan, we can see many news all of the world even if we do not go out from our house if we use the Internet.

More and more students all over the world are studying English as a second language because English have been becoming global common language. On the other hand, there are many languages that are disappearing at fast rate. This problem is known as “language death.” Many people around the world are worried about it. And most specialists agree that no language can survive unless about 100,000 people speak it. But unfortunately, half of the world’s languages are spoken by fewer than 10,000 people. And quarter of all languages are spoken by fewer than 1,000 people. Specialists estimated that about 10 languages disappear every year. And when a language dies, its culture also dies with it. This fact is a worry not only for specialists but also for ordinary people all over the world.

When we lose a language, it means we also lose a lot of important knowledge and understanding of the world we live in. There is also a close connection between language and personal identity. As the number of people speaking a language in a community decreases, there is often increase in social problems. This is one reason why saving language is important even if they only have a few speakers.

We cannot easily say that “language death” problem happened due to only the globalization. That problem has caused by not only globalization but also many other changes, for example, population, personal consciousness, and so on. But I think the problem has something to do with globalization, because it is cultural and economic connection and assimilation to each different country that promote the globalization. Living in the world where the globalization is promoting, it is important to considerate small countries and weak culture and save them.

by Yukitaka Nishina

The number of Americans who were born in foreign countries has risen in recent decades. It reached 38 million in 2007 or almost 13% of the population. When early 1990s, most immigrants came from Europe, but now most immigrants come from other parts of Europe and especially, Latin America.

Immigrants who rooted from Latin America or Spain are called Hispanics or Latinos. They are from such a counties Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, or any Central American countries or other Spanish-Speaking culture. In 2008, there were an estimated 47 million Hispanics in the U.S, making up about 15% of the population. Why is that rate increasing? Immigrants come for some reasons, such as to escape poverty or oppression. GDP per capita of the U.S. is about 1.7 times more than Spain, 3 times more than Mexico, as for comparing Honduras, 13 times more. Mexico is ranked 1^st as Child poverty country according to UNICEF. (Child poverty is defined as the share of the children living in the households with income below 50% of the national median). By living and earning money in the U.S, they can get a better life for themselves and their children. Most of immigrants come from developing countries.

Immigrants also come from developed countries. I’ve watched a video on the web. A middle age person lived in Spain earn his living by selling pocket tissues for drivers waiting traffic lights. Most of the cars are passing the street, few are stopped by the signal. Most of drivers ignore him, few tender driver listen to his talk and buy the tissues. He was fired a trading company. Spain was the high growing countries in the EU between 1997-2007. Economic growth was 3.7 per year. It causes Spain joined the EU.  A Spanish price level was lower than other countries in the EU so that the capital came from England, German and France and so on. Since the effect of the Subprime Lending Crisis in the U.S., the domestic real estate finance didn’t work smoothly in Spain. Spanish economy is going down since 2008.  He is a one of the people who is influenced the depression. He can speak English thanks to working for trading company. He wants to go to the U.S. He is a one of the people who want to escape the depression.

There has been some falloff in immigration since 2007, mostly because of the U.S. economic recession, but immigration levels remain high. Hispanics are the largest minority in the U.S., and their numbers are increasing rapidly. By 2050, rate of Hispanics or Latino are expected to make up close to 30% of the population.  Is the day that the U.S will be the country of the Hispanic soon?

by Ryoko Yorifuji

I think about immigration, especially in Europe. In Europe, many immigrants are discriminated for their religion, race and culture.

Recently, Muslim in France became issue about scarf; emblem oh Muslim. Many Muslim women wear scarf for hiding their hairs. Because in Muslim doctrine, women must hide their hairs; female hair is sex symbol. But, the French understood that the doctrine discriminate against women and scarf is symbol of woman discrimination. So France ban from wearing scarf. However, in fact, it says that France hates to flood Muslim symbol in their country, so they forbid scarf. From this issue, Muslim increase in France and French don’t wish Muslim immigrate from their hometown.

The similar issue occurs in Germany. In Germany, a population of Turk increases. And they form Turkish town and live there. German is worry that their town changes to other culture and their works are robbed by Turk. So, sometimes exclusionary movements against Turk occur. The movements are violent, so Turk and peaceful German become anxious. Moreover, both sides more and more oppose to each other. From this issue, the discrimination against race is exists.

Well then, why these immigrants come to Europe? I answer this question.

First, immigrants search their jobs and come to Europe. First I explain about the case of France. In the past, France had many colonies in North Africa. So, many people in North Africa can speak French. And as you know, North African people mainly believe in Islam. After WW2, France needed a lot of the workforce. Then France imported the workforce from North Africa, and carried out. But after the workforce don’t need to France, immigrants continued to live in France and call their family or relative. Therefore many Muslim live in France and oppose to France about religion or culture.

Second, I explain about the Germany’s case. In the case of Germany, Turkey was not German colony. However, many Turk brought to Germany as the low-priced workforce. And similar French case, they called their family, relative or friends and they formed Turkish town in Germany. In the town Turkish is spoken, Turkish goods flood in the town. So the town is seen an entirely different culture by German, and become an object of exclusion.

After all, a start of immigration in both countries made themselves. So, two countries have to make an effort to get along with each other. They should not discriminate against other culture. Then these countries had better make a system which forbids discrimination or prejudice against different culture. However, perhaps such a case is occurred in other countries. Especially immigration is rapidly spread with globalization. Then how other countries deal with such a problem? It is difficult to solve the issue, but we have to try to settle it.

Reference
Naito M. (2004) “Europe and Islam” Tokyo: Iwanami syoten
Aziz A. Effie F. (2007) “Islam in Europe: diversity, identity and influence” Cambridge University Press: Cambridge

by Momoyo Tanaka

Japan should accept immigrants.  In recent years, because of globalization, immigration that means moving to a foreign country is very active.  According to the lecture in the class, of the 6.5 billion people in the world today, 191 million just under 3 percent are international migrants[1].  Japan is not an exception to this phenomenon, and there are more than 9 hundred thousand immigrants in Japan[2].  There are 3 reasons that I agree with immigration: solving the problem of aging society with a falling birthrate and inter-cultural communication.

First of all, immigration would solve the problem of aging society with a falling birthrate.  Recently, Japanese population is declining rapidly, and one researcher expressed that the population of Japan will be 95 million by 2050 (Now, there are 120 million people.)[3].  If it happens, elderly people retirement plan would not work and they would not have enough medical treatment and nursing.  Then, if a lot of immigrants come to and live in Japan, Japanese economy would be more active, and welfare system would be supported by not only Japanese youth but also many immigrants.  In other words, it would ease the tax of welfare for elderly people burden on youth for each person.

Second, immigration would bring Japan inter-cultural communication.  Though many goods, much money and information are crossing over the world from Japan, it is strange that immigrants are restricted.  Some people may worry about the risk of losing Japanese traditional culture, but in the lecture, early sociological research on the incorporation of immigrants into the host society focused on assimilation.  Also, immigrants are selective in how they adapt.  Once Japan was the racially homogeneous nation, but thanks to immigrants since Meiji era, Japanese are able to communicate globally.  We can learn other language from native speakers, speak language we are learning, make friends from other country even in Japan. A lot of Japanese tend to be introversion, so it is good for many Japanese being apt to turn inward to have a chance to communicate with foreigners.

Immigration brings Japan a lot of economic and emotional advantages.  They would solve the problem of aging society with a falling birthrate, and promote Japanese economy and welfare system.  Also, many Japanese would have chance to communicate with foreigners if immigrants increase.  Thus, Japan should accept more immigrants.

by Akiko Takano

From the late 20th century, the movement of the people cross borders becomes popular more and more. The people work, live and make a family at the place they emigrated. Emigrants usually use the connection with the person who moved another country formerly and move the country. In that way, immigrants began to increase and they make community. What in the world is the international migration? We need to know immigrants to understand and respect their value. I’ll introduce the kinds of immigrants and then focus on transnational immigrants and its problem in this essay.

Immigration can be classified three types. The first is the emigrants to find work. They move another country to get stable job with good wages and affluent life.  Actually, most of the immigrants are certain rich because they need funds to move and local network. The second is refugees who move to escape persecution. The number is not small so refugee is big flow of people and influence global society. Moreover, the illegality emigrant exists, too. Because they do illegal immigration and an over stay, they don’t have the regular stay qualification. Thus, the people who move from the mother country to the other countries have various cases.

The people who cross the border aren’t always settle down in one place. Some people value a connection with the hometown, and go back and forth in homeland and the emigration place many times. They are called “transnational immigrants”. I explain with example of Australian immigrants from China who I met. I went to Australia and stayed for a month this year. Australia is a multiracial nation with many emigrants. My host family was immigrant from China. Their house was Australian style, but meal was Chinese and spoke Chinese at home. They looked leave the custom of the mother country while adopting Australian culture. In addition, they did telephone and Skype with the family in China frequently and said that we returned to China every year. Therefore “transnational immigrants” keep the connection with the family beyond the border and have both of culture and the customs of emigration place and of the mother country.

The movement from the country to the country becomes easier than before, and “transnational immigrants” increased by the development of the transportation, but there is the problem. “Brain drain” happens. “Brain drain” is person with specialized knowledge and technique emigrates to other country whose work condition is better. It means that the elite are lost in the emigrant sending out country. What regulation makes is important to prevent the relations between acceptance country and the sending out country from turning worse.

by Mari Sunagawa

In Japan, there are transnational migrants though Japan doesn’t take a positive attitude toward the acceptance of migrants and immigrants.  They left their homeland to find works.  They have to earn money for their family but it is not easy.  A lot of transnational migrants are concerned about some problems which they face.

First, there is the difference between Japanese-foreigners and Non Japanese-foreigners.  The law of immigration established in 1990 produces this difference.  It gives qualifications of residence to Japanese-foreigners. On the other side, it is hard for Non Japanese-foreigners to get it.  Some of Non Japanese-foreigners try to forge documents in order to be regarded Japanese-foreigners.  They cannot forge themselves so there are people who forge migrants’ documents to receive money from them.  The forgery has increased since 1990.  As a result, even Japanese-foreigners don’t be accepted easily.  They are suspected of being criminals.

Second, most of transnational migrants have to work at the places which are danger, insecurity and low-wage.  They cannot choose their jobs.  They do what Japanese don’t want to do.  It is hard to continue working there.  However, migrants are not able to resign from terrible jobs.  They must remit to their family and many migrants rent rooms where they live from their employer.  They have to find the rooms before resigning their jobs.  Also, the employers keep the passports and identification cards of migrants.  These things are very important for them to live in Japan.  If they want to work at other place, migrants must discuss with their employers and let them return the passports.

Next, transnational migrants are not accepted by some Japanese living around them.  It is said that Japanese tend to treat foreigners coolly. For example, when a foreigner asks Japanese the way to his destination, some of them talk with a troubled look.  In other countries, people talk friendlier and some are kind enough to take foreigners to their destinations.  Especially, it is difficult for the migrants who cannot speak Japanese to communicate Japanese neighbors.  Though some Japanese is able to speak English, Almost speak only Japanese.  In addition, the system of school for foreigners is not impeccable so all migrants’ children is not able to take favorable education.

Therefore, most of transnational migrants are treated unkindly in Japan. They work hard even under terrible situation.  Japan is supported by them. I think that Japan should improvement the system of migrants. Above all, supporting migrants who live in Japan now is necessary.

Reference
福西淳 “地域社会での定住外国人労働者支援” 明石書店, 31.Mar.2005

by Megumi Shishido

I was born in Shiga prefecture and live there. In Shiga I often hear Portuguese. It is because Brazilians live there. Many of them are persons of Japanese ancestry and emigrants. They are often treated as low-priced and exchangeable working forces. So, they are apt to be influenced by economic movements. This makes their unstable life poorer. When emigrants change settlers and live with their family, there are more problems; education, security in their life and the language barrier, etc. Because of their unstable life, they can’t prepare school fees, so their children go to even Japanese public schools. Also, it is difficult to operate foreign schools such as Brazilian and Peruvian schools. Foreign schools are treated private schools, so school fees are too expensive for emigrants. Then they can’t understand Japanese well, but in Japan many things are operated in only Japanese still. Some of their children can’t understand both mother tongue and Japanese. Such semilingual children are increasing.

Thus, Japan is globalizing. In June 2005, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications established the society for promoting a multicultural society (多文化共生の推進に関する研究会) . Its report, “For promoting a multicultural society in regions (地域における多文化共生の推進に向けて),” defined a multicultural society in regions: people who have different nationalities and ethnicity understand each cultural differences, try to build a relationship of equality and live together as a member of regional community. In Shiga, opinions for operating Shiga’s multicultural society are offered. The fundamental objective of opinions is what each foreign residents can display their abilities and try the multicultural society that makes regions more active. So, many opinions are thought; supports for foreign schools, the multicultural society center for children, approach for foreign workers’ stable lives, support for multilingual practice, etc. The local TV station, Biwako ho-so, set to air information programs for foreign residents who speak Portuguese.

The idea of a multicultural society put emphasis on creating an environment for foreigners and relationship between Japaneses and foreigners. In it, the line between Japaneses and foreigners is clear and accurate. I felt it is a little conservative. The world is globalizing more and the idea of states may change, so changes of systems in Japanese society are unavoidable. I think the idea of a multicultural society positions foreigners as outsiders, keep systems as ever in Japan and accept foreigners in only place that is favorable for Japan, so I don’t like the opinion as if old politicians instist very much.

References
総務省　多文化共生の推進に関する研究会報告書http://www.soumu.go.jp/kokusai/pdf/sonota_b5.pdf
しが多文化共生推進会議　しが多文化共生推進会議最終提言 http://www.pref.shiga.jp/public/fh00/suisinplane/200911saisyuteigen.pdf
滋賀県多文化共生推進プランの概要http://www.pref.shiga.jp/public/fh00/suisinplane/planeJp.pdf
滋賀県　外国人住民の現状と課題 http://www.pref.shiga.jp/public/fh00/suisinplane/201002tabunkaplane-2.pdf
びわ湖放送　多言語生活情報番組　ＫＯＮＢＡＮＷＡ　ＳＨＩＧＡ http://www.bbc-tv.co.jp/hensei/tv_konbanwa/index.php

by Koki Shiozaki

Migrants who cross the borders do not always settle down in their host country. Those people are called “Transnational Migrants.” Some continue to stay their host country, others turn back their home country. And, people those who have immigrated to one country may emigrate to another. Besides, the people who settled down in the host country don’t lose ties to their home country completely. They have relation with people in their home, a strong attachment to their home and identity. As this had happened, international relations between two countries or more became a relationship between one person and another.

Migrants who live in transnational society used to have also complicated elements which blended the customs of their home into those of their host country. Once upon a time, America called “Melting Pot.” But now, it is said that American culture is, rather than Melting Pot, looked upon as “Salad Bowl” which stands for that a lot of ethnic groups live in America with their identity and independence.They sustain their lives where they brought up.

Today we need to grab the nature of migrants like this. I will give you examples. Women Muslim-migrants in France keep wearing a scarf. They explain that the reason why they have a scarf on is a result that they were taught in France. That is why wearing a scarf is a way to express their identity that we are Muslim-French. While in America, which represent a freedom country, there is an issue about migrants. That is driver’s license issue. In America, driver’s license should be required to show driver’s face clearly since 9/11. In terms of a security, no one can cover up their face a scarf. But Muslim women would not show up their face to anyone but their husband from the religious problem. Only eyes can be seen.

In conclusion , the state of affairs may have a little different with where migrants are. As the form of migrants shifts from melting pot to salad bowl,transnational migrants will face a great deal of challenges we all have to solve. Therefore, we should know that migrants have characteristic culture which was acquired in the course of their lives.

Reference

“Ethic Kokusaikankeigaku”

by Saki Sato

I report the problem of international immigration in France. There are many second-generation and later generation immigrants who have other country origin on the French national soccer team. For example, famous soccer player, Zidane is Algerian second-generation immigrant. And there are also players of Senegalese immigrants. Contrary to the image that European consists of almost white races, various races exist in France.

France has received many immigrants and political refugees from Spain, Portugal, Eastern European countries and so on traditionally. France had suffered from lack of a labor shortage supporting high growth after the Second World War. So the government received a lot of immigrants to solve it. Many immigrants are engaged in low wage earning. But after the oil crisis in 1974, the government decided to stop receiving immigrants who intending to start working in France because of the economic depression by the oil crisis and a strike against bad working conditions. Now France is distressed by integration of immigrants. But prominent talented persons who emigrated to France have been made progress in culture and science. They also play an active part in the political, the economic, the sporting and the music world.

But in the world of black people in France, unemployment and crime rate is problem. There is sometimes trouble between immigrants and non-immigrants, for example French civil unrest in 2005. In suburb of Paris, when policemen investigating a trial for robbery chased three North African-French youths, they ran into a substation and two of them were electrocuted and one of them was injured seriously. That was how it all started. At same night, dozens of young people threw stones at firefighters and the police and set fire to cars. The riot had spread throughout France. The then-Home Secretary Sarkozy’s remark “They are the dregs of society” , his measure for the peace and regulations against immigrants made the riot bigger. The suburb that the incident had occurred has turned into a slum. And there are many housing complexes which immigrants live and there are discrimination, poverty and unemployment problems. The matter in the incident is that the youth victims were second-generation immigrants, immigrants so they must be real French. But people who were born in France like them are discriminated against socially and are forced to live in poverty and unemployment.

There is much discrimination against immigrants in other country, too. Of course, Japan is one example. Immigrants have serious reason for immigrating. I think it is wrong to despise and discriminate against immigrants.