For Korean residents in Japan, choosing one nationality is very difficult. The representative of Japan for soccer, Lee Tadanari, is one of them. In the Asian Cup final of soccer, he decided the winning goal. He became famous suddenly in Japan. Lee’s last name is Korean, but Tadanari is a Japanese first name. This expresses that he want to be both of Korean and Japanese. His blog was written this. “I am Korean and Japanese.”

The professor of Osaka City University, Boku, said “40’s to 50’s of the second Korean resident in Japan was assimilated reluctantly and 10,000 they came to Japan every year.” On the other hand, 20’s to 30’s of the Korean resident in Japan often use Korean name and value Native language. It is thought that Japanese government accepted a lot of Korean resident in Japan as a backdrop. A difference is found by the idea in them old generation and young generation. Old generation of Korean resident in Japan chooses a nationality either in South Korean or North Korean. On the other hand, young generation of Korean resident in Japan values both of Korean and Japan and they have an identity of people resident in Japan.

Management of Korean Residents Union in Japan said “It is wrong prediction that all Korean residents in Japan become to Japanese in the future. They will keep about 300,000 people at least”. Boku said “Korean government should accept dual nationality for Korean resident in Japan.” Then we can protect Korean resident in Japan who important property which connects both countries. South Korea government said “to implement policy valued a race than a nationality is very important moreover Japanese government should enrich Korean education for Korean resident in Japan.”

If Korean government Korean eliminates resident in Japan who choose a nationality of Japan, they cannot accept young generation who has identity of Korean resident in Japan.

What do you think?

by Sunao Tanaka

   Today Japan has various social problems, such as shortage of labor force and low birthrate and longevity. Therefore it is seems that acceptance of immigration will become inescapable for Japan from now on. On the other hand, failure of multicultural symbiosis is pointed out in European and American advanced nations. I would like to consider what kind of measures is the problem in the bottom prove and can be taken towards the future immigration.

   Now some measures are taken against the organization which supports the foreigner of Kyoto. For example, they support Japanese teacher arrangement to elementary and junior high schools, and installation of law or the consultation window of a life about English and the Chinese interpreter staff corresponding to the administration in a city office. There is support like the recommendation to the real estate agent which otherwise deals with the residence which can perform life orientation and foreigner moving in. However, even if there is support organizations like this. In fact, the huge problem is occurred. Then it is considered that how society of ideal multicultural symbiosis is saying. First, it is important that a foreigner don’t receive unjust treatment in a life for being a foreigner. Second, employment is stable irrespective of Japanese or a foreigner. Finally, it is society which can understand mutual culture and can harmonize. How is such society realizable if it carries out?

   In the company, you should consider expansion of regular employment towards the reality of a multicultural society. So, it also becomes economic activity and solution of a security problem. In terms of education, you should aim at expansion of the Japanese language education in overseas, and fullness of a Japanese language education institution. Moreover, cultural exchanges in a school or local community are also indispensable. The government should restrict the number which invites nations’ family to the limitation and Japan in technology or occupational description, in order to suppress extensive inflow of a cheap labor layer.

   Thus, it is necessary that a company, a citizen, and the government prepare in advance the organization which accepts immigration. For getting such a situation, the reality of the multicultural society is carried out and it sells at more ideal form.

by Saki Uetsuji

Presently, the relationship between Japanese and foreigners is so closed. In spite of the increasing of opportunity that we see foreigners is recent occurrence, and in our parents’ generation, many people don’t like to accept foreigners compared with our generation. Why?

According statics of change of foreign population, foreign population increased rapidly in 1990s. Especially, increase of population except for Chinese and Koreans is remarkable. It is related that many foreign businesses came into Japan. In 1990s, foreign company increased in Japan. People had inevitably many opportunities to have to do with foreigners in their life. It resulted in increased of foreign population. This is why it is easy to come to Japan for foreigners. Moreover, various foreign cultures even became an object for admiration for Japanese people. Foreign foods, movies or products often come into fashion and are often picked up on the TV, magazine, and so on. Similarly, many foreigners are fascinated with Japanese culture (including subculture), go to study or travel to Japan. And, Japanese who marry foreign people is increasing. The number of international marriage in 30 years ago is only about 7,000 families, while the number in the present is about 40,000 families. However the purpose that Japanese contact with foreigners was for business in the first time, become for life at this time.

That’s why Japanese people became tolerance for foreigners. The rising of the number of foreign people brings international society to Japan. In the past, Japanese people were exclusive to foreign people. However, now is we cannot live in the Japan without having to do with foreign people. It is not too much to say that foreigners bring Japanese present world.

by Ayako Takagi

This year, 16 candidates for nurse who were accepted from Indonesia and Philippines passed the national examination.  Last year, people who could pass the examination are only 3, so compared with last year, successful candidates increased this year.  However, percentage of passing this examination is only 4%.  Why is percentage of passing this examination very low?  Most important reason is language.  Learning Japanese is very difficult for many non-Japanese people.  Moreover, medical terms which nurse uses frequently are more difficult.  Candidates for nurse were accepted by Japanese government according to Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).  EPA decided that the length of their stay is 3 years, so they have to pass the national examination within 3 years, and they also have to master Japanese within 3 years.  I think it is very difficult, because 3 years are too short to master foreign language.  So, I think that non-Japanese nurse reception system should be improved many things.

I think supporting system is more need for candidates.  Japanese government should give more opportunities to learn Japanese in their mother country.  For example, government support to study abroad, dispatch teachers who teach Japanese and so on.  The point at issue is not only language but also difference of culture.  If candidates pass the national examination, they have to fit into Japanese society to work inJapan.  Of course, lifestyle, language, food are all different from their mother country, so they will be homesick.  Therefore, government should take care of non-Japanese nurse until they can fit into Japanese society.

Now, Japan is short of nurse and doctors.  This situation will become more serious due to aging society, and demand of non-Japanese nurse will be higher.  So, their bad present situation should be improved immediately.  I think accepting non-Japanese nurse is good idea because they can solve labor shortage in Japan.  Therefore, I hope non-Japanese nurse play an active part in Japan.

References

Asahi.com http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0325/TKY201103250413.html

by Mari Honda

After ‘The Bilingual Education Act’ passed the House of Representatives to help the education of the immigrants’ children in 1968, bilingual education has become an important part of American immigration policy. These days, there has been a lot of controversy about this program, and it has faced difficulties such as securing capable teachers and financial problems. Bilingual education, however, has great significance in American society. It is an important policy culturally and for protecting constitutional rights. There are two logical explanations for this.

First, bilingual education is important because it gives importance to all cultures in American society and making American culture plentifully. Critics of bilingual education claim that it breaks down American culture and values and triggers division, but this criticism is based on an idea that the U.S should have only Anglo-Saxon culture. The U.S is composed of diverse racial groups and many people immigrate into the country continually. The 2010 Census found that about 27% of the population was non-white. The U.S is a salad bowl of different cultures. Bilingual education was started in the 1970s to promote cultural diversity. In other words, bilingual education allows immigrants to study their language and culture positively and to have their own cultural identity. It is also an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of different cultures. American culture should be founded on cultural diversity.

Also, we can see the necessity of bilingual education in the constitutional law. Even though it is certainly said that studying English can unite citizens, that it makes them the part of their nation, bilingual education is for offering equal educational opportunities to immigrant’ children. There is a famous example. In 1964, although a Chinese American child could not read and write English, he was forced to attend classes that were taught in English only. The court decided that this was against the equal educational opportunities promised by the Civil Rights Act. From this case, we must remember that forcing children who cannot speak English to study only in English is a burden on them. Children whose native is not English have many difficulties when studying in a public school that only offers classes in English. The U.S has protected civil rights very strictly. Bilingual education is designed to ensure that citizens receive their constitutional right to equal education.

Nowadays, bilingual education has become more important than the past because of globalization and the ‘Salad Bowl’ idea of American society. People whose native language is not English need bilingual education in order to have an opportunity to preserve their culture and to receive equal education. It is not right to rob them of the chance to have an identity and study freely. Bilingual education has the potential to make American society more tolerant of different people and cultures. Today, we cannot focus on only our own nation: we should understand the people and culture of other nation. Bilingual education is the big step in this direction.

by Jeawon Moon

Multiculturalism is the movement or thinking rates coexistence of different culture positively in one society. I think most people associate “multiculturalism” with Canada, United States of America and Europe. These countries are consisted of a lot of kinds of immigrants. The common points are here; absorbing immigrants in order to resolve employment issue.

Looking at France, after the oil shock, they decided not to accept immigrants. Now, they recommend only persons who have skill. Their position is to integrate French and take antiforeignism.There are much issue arising from immigrants. For instance, minority, language, jobs, religion and so on.

The reason why immigrants have increased radically is the WWⅡ. After this, each country created the refugees and they spreaded out for Europe. It is said that “Multiculturalism has failed.” Why? Because they try to make one country fuse them together. Another reason was it became clear cultural diffence. The host countries are afraid of being invaded by the immigrants. What do you think?

How about Canada? People who lives in Canada respect their culture or languages everywhere. Canada is two founding people. The languages are English and French. When I go to a store, I often saw two languages description on goods. In past, Canada also used to choose immigrants, only white. Now, Canada accepts all kind of people. They respect their own cultures and use their languages. They accept them to be one of the society member, but it does not seem to integrate one. Isn’t this a different point compared with other coutry? In addition to that, they respect their political leader, too. So we can say the reliance creates comfortable society.

That’s why I think it is necessary to understand other culture in order to succeed in an immigration country.

by Rie Murata

I’d like to write my opinion why Korean living in Japan was harshly discriminated based on my father’s experience.

My father is Korean with permanent residence in Japan, and so I’m ‘Hafu’ having Japanese nationality. My parents have been hidden the fact that my father is Korean until I discovered his passport when I was about fourteen. Recently my father and his brothers

sometimes start to talk about the story at the time Korean discrimination often occurred which is unimaginably cruel. The reason why they’ve been hidden the fact is that they were afraid of me talking about Korean and being bullied by Japanese. In any case, I’ve never been bullied because of what I am. Even though I was told earlier about my father’s nationality, my ‘Japanese’ friends also knew it, they would never bully me. How and why should I be bullied due to it?

There is not much appearance different between Japanese and Korean. Moreover my father including me cannot speak Korean at all. In my opinion, the reason of the discrimination is the historical problems between these two countries. The hostility between Korean living in Japan and Japanese has been handed down from generation to generation. In fact, I cannot deny that my father doesn’t have good intentions to Japanese. Some Japanese elders may also have the feeling that Korean living in Japan is inferior, because most of them were forced to come to Japan to work by Japanese. But in my or our generation, I think that none of us has hostility each other at all.

In today’s Japanese society, I think more and more Japanese people tend to have good intentions to Korea. Korean thrives in Japanese show business, and both Japanese and Korean travel often each country than before. And I consider or hope that oppositions between Japanese and Korean come to the end in our generation

by Masahiro Hatoyama