Category Archives: International Soc

Japanese Education Systems’ Ignorance of Muslim Migrants Children

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by Akie Kuwano

Although Japan used to be referred to as ethnically homogeneous, the number of immigrants reached more than 1.5% of Japanese population in 2005. Despite this shift in immigrants’ population, Japanese education system is reluctant to change. In order to keep Japan as secular nation, Japan persists in its principle of separation of religion and education. However, this attitude often creates problems between Japanese schools and migrants parents/children. The problems are mostly evident in the case of Muslim migrants because their religion, Islam, rules not only the realm of their private life, but also their behavior in the public sphere. The main problems those Muslim migrants are facing in Japanese public schools is about school lunch.

One example of Muslim faith conflicting with school lunch in Japanese school is Ramadan. Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, provides that the ninth month of the Islamic calendar as Ramadan, the month of fasting. Many Muslims start Ramadan at the age of 7, just about the time when children start going to elementary school. Although it is medically proved that Ramadan does not cause any medical illness to healthy individual, without having any knowledge some teachers feel it abuses children.

The other instance is Halal food. Islam regulates what followers can eat and cannot eat, according to Qur’an. Food that is compatible with Islamic teaching is known as Halal food, while the others are called Haraam. The most frequently used Japanese condiments like soy sauce or mirin are Haraam because they usually contain alcohol. Accordingly, many of the lunch that Japanese schools provide are Haraam to Muslim children. In order to avoid Haraam foods, Muslim children often bring their own lunch box from their home. Some school view this as unequal to other Japanese children, some school urge Muslim parents to pay for school lunch.

To sum up, it is the lack of knowledge which preventing Japanese schools from handling problems correctly and flexibly with Muslim migrants children. It is understandable that Japan wants to eliminate religion from public sphere because in Japanese sense religion is what governs people’s private life; however, Japan also needs to understand that religion is sometimes inseparable from their public life and is even forming their culture, in which the society needs to pay respect to accommodate population from foreign countries.

References

Mina, Hattori. (2007). “Development of Religious Value for Indonesian Muslim Children in Japan: A Case Study of Voluntary Educational Activities in Nagoya City”, Intercultural Communication Studies, Vol.19

樋口直人、丹野清人「食文化の越境とハラール食品産業の形成―在日ムスリム移民を事例として―」、徳島大学社会科学研究弟13号、p99-p.131

Multiculturalism in South Korea

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by Youngim Kim

Unlike the U.S, South Korea tends to be a homogenous country and just permitted the overseas tip in 1981. However, since South Korea became a member of OECD, the migration of people from China and Southeast Asia in pursuit of better living has increased. I found the situation described from the US articles is somewhat similar to multicultural issues in Korea. South Korea has intensely developed intellectual and high skilled industry through immersion education system. Koreans consider many undocumented Chinese and Southeast Asian dayworkers as potential criminals. Most of them are rejected by Koreans and also experience discriminative treatment in terms of human right and basic wages. In spite of the multicultural policy by Korean government, immigrants and Koreans are hostile to each other.

Unlike the US-Mexico example, one growing part of immigrants in Korea can be classified as intercultural marriage between Korean men and foreign women from elsewhere in Asia in the country side. Korean men living in a rural community who are the majority of Korean women try to avoid marrying with, cannot help marrying through an arranged match with women from poorer country to carry on a family lineage. Though foreign women who married with Korean men can have Korean visa, the children born through such kind of international marriages usually feel a sense of alienation and have an identity crisis. The government policy also still does not support them even after the settlement. Most of foreign women living in the countryside of Korea have been forced to assimilate to traditional Korean culture, which is supporting husband’s parents and also doing traditional women’s work. The people who try to maintain and teach their culture to their children are still a minority. Moreover, the majority of Korean is against multicultural policy because they think foreigners disturb public peace and order, even though they know nobody of immigrants who committed a crime.

Of course, Chinese and Southeast Asians are not all of immigrants in South Korea. However, the discrimination toward foreigners depends on their race and language. Like Japan, Caucasians speaking English are the most welcomed people. In the global society, I think we cannot change this current flow, what is international mobility. Korean should change their attitude toward foreigners from a dichotomy or prejudice like “the foreigner” and “Korean” to cordial cultural exchange for the development of both countries.

Undocumented Children

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by Yurino Kawamura

All children have equal rights. All children must have opportunity for education, access to medical care, and right to realize their dreams. Doesn’t this apply to undocumented children?

According to Lee et al, the number of undocumented children of undocumented or illegal immigrants in Japan is estimated to be 20,000 to 30,000. Some of their parents have moved to Japan in illegal means, but others are so called over-stayers, whose visas have already been expired. In most cases, children themselves had no choice but to live in a country where their parents have chosen to work. Current Japanese law says elementary and middle schools are to offer education to children if they asked for it, regardless of their nationality, and regardless of their state of documentation. However, according to Lee’s case study, many undocumented children were still unable to go to school. Some parents simply didn’t know that undocumented children can go to public schools. Others needed their 9-year-old daughter to take care of her younger sisters when they were working in the daytime. There is no doubt that similar cases may take place in the case of Filipinos. Also, some cases are reported that educational committees refuse undocumented children. Although the law admits the children’s right, more effort should be exercised to widespread that idea into schools and committees.

It seems unbelievable, but 20 years ago, children of Japanese Brazilian workers were refused to enter elementary school by education committees, because they could not comprehend Japanese. This kind of problem roots in the attitude toward foreign people. Not only by making laws, but also by changing these people’s attitudes toward emigrants should eliminate prejudice and unequal treatments toward undocumented children. What’s even worse, even if the children are raised in the Japanese community and society, once their parents are put into custody, children are exposed to the risk of being deported. In many cases, children have to choose either to “return” to their parents’ homeland or to stay in Japan apart from their family. This is a crucial and tough choice for teenagers. Although they themselves had no choice but to survive and make a good community in the environment they were brought to, they have risk of being torn apart from it all of a sudden. Could it be said that undocumented children are treated equally?

Living in a foreign country where you cannot communicate fluently may cause a huge stress upon children. Even the children of legal emigrants face some risks such as discrimination. Facing many kinds of risks, undocumented children have much tough time to grow up. We have to think about at better way to let undocumented children live better lives.

Reference

Lee et al, “A study about a non-attendance at school / the life reality of a child in a statelessness state in Japan －From a viewpoint of International Human Rights law”, Bulletin of Social Medicine, No.23 2005 (in Japanese)

Does the DREAM Act bring benefits to America?

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Kaori Isobe

On August 1, 2001, the U.S. Senate introduced American legislative proposal which is called the DREAM Act, stands for “Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors”. It gives opportunities to get the permanent residency in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants who suit requirements. There is a serious background to come up this bill.

In the United States, there are 11.5 million of undocumented, illegal immigrations in 2011. And about 20% of undocumented immigrants are under 18 years old. They were born in the U.S. or they came to the U.S. from other countries. However, their parents illegally came to the U.S., therefore they are also illegal residence in the U.S. It means that they don’t have the U.S. citizenship and nationalities, even they look like totally American, such as they live their most entire lives in the U.S. and they speak English, have American way of thinking and so on. However, due to migration law, they cannot go to colleges, and have a lot of difficulties to find jobs. Also, they cannot get identifications such as ID card. To come to the U.S. is not their choices. They are forced unstable lives without choice.

This bill is not approved because the Republican Party rejected. However, as of November 2012, 11 states have their own DREAM Act, for example in New Mexico, California, New York and other states, undocumented immigration who meet requirements, are eligible to pay in-state tuition for colleges and universities at New Mexico. It seems to have been improved. But in fact, it is said difficult to pass this law because of political situation of recent days. So, let suppose that this bill would be passed, this DREAM Act would be able to bring benefits for America?

In my opinion, as long as I have studied, I would say YES. There are two reasons.

One of them is that if the DREAM Act would give opportunities to get the permanent residency for undocumented immigration, a huge economy impact would be occurred in the U.S. in a good way. According to a video from “dreamact.info”, an average of 30-years old Mexican immigrant woman who graduated from college pay more than $5,300 in taxes, then at the same time, it costs the government less $3,900 in taxes. Then, total annual fiscal contribution would be $9200 per person.  It means that the DREAM Act would be able to bring a good fiscal influence. Furthermore, if immigrants would be able to get legal residency and get legal jobs, economy in the U.S. would be better because they would be able to buy stuff they want. So, influence on economy is one of benefits.

The other one is that undocumented immigrations’ talents would become a huge impact on education and research field. Because of migration act, many undocumented immigrations who have great record have to give up to go going to college or higher institution. However, if the DREAM Act would be passed, undocumented migrants would be able to go to college, then they would be learn and some of them would be specialists as American do. Do not desert their abilities. Also, I think every child has right to get education. The society have responsibilities to get children have education not only at high school, but also at college and universities if they want to go. So, this is another benefit that I’ve considered.

However, there are some criticisms. For example, this act would give unfairness to legal immigration parents and children because they have to pay full tuition, but on the other hand, undocumented immigrations can get scholarship to go to college.  The other is that this act would encourage and reward illegal immigration. Also, if injured accidentally during the 2-year military service which is one of the requirements, the DREAM Act applicant cannot get permanent residency.

As a conclusion, whether the DREAM Act would be passed or not, I think there are some aspects that the society relies on immigration, which means that immigration do what American usually do not, such as 3D jobs, house keeper, and so on. Immigration is one of important thing for the society. Therefore immigrant problem should be considered seriously, and deeply in many ways. I hope everything will be better for undocumented people who are forced to have unstable lives without their own choices.

References

Dream act info http://dreamact.info/

Undocumented shadows – A dream act infographic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXnqhG2h9QA&feature=related

 

Muslim Migrants in Austria

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by Kaoru Inoue

Austria is a multiethnic and diverse country where the the population, as of July 2012, is 8,219,743 – 91.1% of that is Austrians, 4% are Yugoslavs, 1.6% are Turks, 0.9% is German, and followed by some others; the official language is German but there are Turkish, Serbian, Croatian minor speakers. The biggest religion is Roman Catholicism, accounting for 73.6% of total, followed by 4.7% of Protestants. There are 4.2% Muslims. Bell (2012) states, “In Vienna, Islam is the second-largest religious grouping, after Roman Catholicism”, and she silently argues Muslim migrants in Austria live in far better conditions compared to other European cities. This short paper will explore Muslims in Austria by focusing on the Law of Islam.

Dr. Marik-Lebeck (Janda, Vogl, Marik-Lebeck, & Kreisky, 2010) analyzed the Muslim population in Austria. He maintains that the number of Muslims is increasing recently and interestingly, half of the Muslims had the Austrian citizenship in 2009 and in 2001, there were only 28% of Austrian citizenship holders. He analyzes the reasons, “the growth of Muslim population was rather due to births than to migration in 2001-2009” (Janda, Vogl, Marik-Lebeck, & Kreisky, 2010) Clearly he says how migration influx is declined while the number of births is increased. On this context, the number of Muslim migrant could have boosted because something else in the meantime has stored, allowing harmonization of Muslims and Roman Catholics.

Islamgesetz, the Law on Islam, was enforced in 1912, it is 100-year-old this year. Bell (2012) introduces the Law, “the law gives Muslims the same rights as other officially recognised religions in Austria.” Kreisky (2010) gives the background of the law; first it was a tool to allow Muslim soldiers of Bosnia-Herzegovina to be integrated; secondly, it became “the legal foundation for the integration of the Muslim population as a minority” (5); thirdly, it was used to annex Bosnia-Herzegovina into Austria-Hungary. Muslims since then have been granted the equal rights like the rest of people have.

The number of Muslims migrated to Austria in the 1960s and because of the law, Bell notices how harmonization has been processed well. Austrian Muslims identify themselves as Austrians. At a recent ceremony, Fuat Sanac clearly stated how Austrian Muslim law is a model and Islam is not viewed as danger (Bell 2012).

In conclusion, Austrians and Muslims are all Austrians – harmonization is going well up until now because the impact of the law is immense.

Reference

Austria [The World Factbook]. (2012, November 6). Retrieved November 10, 2012, from Central Intelligence Agency website: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/au.html

Bell, B. (2012, July 3). Austria celebrates ‘model’ law on Islam. BBC. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18675493

Janda, A., Vogl, M., Marik-Lebeck, S., & Kreisky, M. J. (2010). The Muslim population in Austria. Islam in Austria. Retrieved from http://www.integrationsfonds.at/fileadmin/Integrationsfond/5_wissen/Islam_Reader/Islamreader_Zsfg_E_Bearbeitung.pdf

Japan needs to recognize immigrants as members of our society

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by Miki Imamura

What is multiculturalism? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of multiculturalism is “The characteristics of a multicultural society; (also) the policy or process whereby the distinctive identities of the cultural groups within such a society are maintained or supported.” (Press) My understanding for the definition is that multiculturalism is recognizing those who have different identity or norm that has different language, appearance or religion as a member of a community.

In my opinion, the base concept of multiculturalism can be seen in Japanese fashions. We have some established fashion style such as Gal, Lolita, Otaku style and Harajuku style. Each fashion style established their own culture, which consists of their unique languages that some of them are only understandable within each style. They also established fashion industries and their own fashion media. I see the base concept of multiculturalism in the Japanese fashion society. Even though they hardly get together to hang out cross the style, they do not deny each other and they recognize each other as a member of Japanese society.

However, this can be seen only within the society consists of Japanese. Historically, Japanese have been good at dealing with different culture or religion if only it can be assimilated in Japanese society.  For adaption of different culture or religion, Japanese assimilate those elements into Japanese culture. The basic concept of multiculturalism is available because at the bottom of the each fashion difference, we share the same Japanese norm and the concrete notion of assimilation. Even though people who are not Japanese can perfectly speak Japanese, Japanese norm has prejudice for “foreigner”. It does not really matter if they have Japanese nationality or not. The prejudice for foreigner comes from different appearance, language or religion, or culture unless they are not “real” Japanese whom born in Japan from Japanese parents.

It is because we do not recognize them as a member of Japanese community. I think Japanese people tend to think that “foreigner” in Japan as temporary residents, and if they will live in Japan for rest of the life, they have to be Japanese. This is the crucial problem we are facing in Japan. This idea is creating misunderstanding and hostile or social vicious cycle for immigrants in Japan. We have to admit that immigrant who has different norm is our member of a community.

Recognizing them as a member of our society is creating the environment for them to live as they are.  Just like Japanese fashion styles, Japanese society has to admit their own language, business and norm. I believe the terms to create such environment is changing the early childhood education and for immigrant to take part in the planning of local authority.

Actually, there are some changes already happen government level and civil level. In 2005, Japanese government has established the committee for promoting multiculturalism claiming for local authority to promote multicultural policy. (Yujiro) Some of the local authorities such as Shizuoka, or Shiga already act to involve immigrants in local policies. Taking immigrants to be part of decision making process will make not only local Japanese but also immigrant to recognize immigrants as a member of community. Additionally, Director for Policy for Foreign Residents was established and they promote policies for a wide range such as education, employment, and housing. (Society) However, this is just only for a Nisei, or Sansei and their policy of education only focuses on providing opportunity leaning Japanese and Japanese society. They do not provide any policy to enhance their original identity.

At the civil level, there are some NPO to provide educational service for immigrant children in not only Tokyo, but also suburban areas such as Shiga. The NPO “Minna no ie” in Oumihachiman, Shiga, is one of the good example of such an NPO. This is a bilingual (Japanese and Portuguese) day care center. (Shinbun, 2010) Their concept is providing an environment where immigrant children can enhance not only Japanese culture but also their original.

We should promote these services in all the place of Japan. I believe those service will contribute the environment where immigrant can live as a member of the community even thought they have different norms. Multiculturalism is not assimilation. It is admission and recognition for immigrant as a member of Japanese society. It is the environment where all the member of community lives as they are. Japanese society needs to understand the real meaning of multiculturalism.

Bibliography

Press, O. U. (n.d.). multiculturalism. Retrieved 11 5, 2012, from Oxford English Dictionary : http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/234921?redirectedFrom=multiculturalism#footerWrapper

Shinbun, A. (2010, 7 1). 〈はぐ〉ニッポンに暮らす――就学前から「多文化」実践. Retrieved 11 8, 2012, from The Asahi Shinbun Digital : http://www.asahi.com/special/hug/TKY201007010200.html

Society, P. o. (n.d.). 日系定住外国人施策. Retrieved 11 8, 2012, from 共生社会政策: http://www8.cao.go.jp/teiju/index.html

Yujiro, M. The Regional Actions to Progress of Multicultural ―By the International Policy and Multicultural Activities in Shiga Prefecture―. Seisen University .

Illegal immigrants in Japan

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by Natsumi Ichioka

In Japan, there are many Filipinos. I have a half-Filipino friend. She is not an illegal immigrant. Her mother comes to Japan and she cannot speak Japanese very well. On the other hand, my friend can speak only Japanese. I think there are some problems in her family.

First, she lives in poverty compared to the Japanese house. She cannot go to university, because her mother gets sick, and she has no afford of money and time. Secondly, her father was not a good worker. Her mother manages a snack bar, and sometime her father helps her mother. I think this situation is not DV, but terrible situation for her and her mother. In addition, she can only speak Japanese though she grew up in the Philippines until she was 3 years old. She cannot speak Tagalog language. She had some communication troubles with her mother because of the different languages.

As I mentioned, there are many troubles in the immigrant family. This situation will be more terrible for the illegal migrants. In Japan, July 9 in 2012, “the 60-year-old” certificate of alien registration was seized. Foreign residents will be given a “residence card”. This change has some merits. At the same time, it will appear the troubles in the illegal immigrants in Japan.

In Japan, illegal immigration is against the law. They have to go back their country forcibly. If they go back to their country, there is a trouble in language. Like my friends, some people can speak Japanese only, because they have grown up in Japan. They will have some hard troubles in their country not only language but also some cultures. On the other hand, In Japan they are not guaranteed the basic human rights. They are forced to live in terrible conditions everywhere.

Form these points, Japan needs to make a new law which guarantees the illegal immigrants with some conditions. As first step, I think Japan needs to take in the two ways of regulating of nationality: by place of birth and by blood lineage like France. For example children who live more than 5 years in Japan have the rights to get the nationality. If they can do so, they can live more actively in Japan. They are also guaranteed the basic human rights.

Secondly, Japan should change the immigration control act. Actually, there are some people who are in Japan illegally. They have some aims to stay in Japan. The government should think about their human rights. If they do not commit some crimes, they are not bad people. The government should take more exceptional instances for the serious immigration people.

Japan tries to welcome the foreigner, but they cannot take an act now. We need to make a new situation which more foreigners want to come in Japan and live in Japan. It is important to keep the past situation, but the world is changing. Japan has to change more international country.

References

http://www.gcnet.at/countries/europe/eu-cl-short.htm ヨーロッパ諸国の国籍法

http://www.moj.go.jp/nyuukokukanri/kouhou/nyukan_nyukan87.html 法務省

Immigrants and Crime in Japan

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by Anonymous

There is a general perception that immigrants are likely to commit crime more than Japanese in Japan. However, is that right realization? It seems that the mass media in Japan deal with crimes by foreigners or immigrants excessively, and it brings people a kind of prejudice.

Mass media in Japan often shows how foreigners or immigrants are dangerous with daily news, newspaper, or magazine. This phenomenon can be analyzed by closed society in Japan. Still in today, Japan is said that it has little variety of nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, and language, while the world comes to be more global. Compared with other countries like America, Japanese’s attitude of accepting immigrants is by far less flexible. People tend to have uncomfortable feeling against immigrants and it helps Japanese to have negative perception against them like committing crime. However, according to the data by National Police Agency, many cases of the crimes by immigrants have Japanese accomplices. It means that Japanese accomplices have been hidden because of the emphasized report of the crime by immigrants. Through this, I think it’s not necessarily appropriate to suggest that only immigrants tend to have high possibility to commit crime, and Japanese and they are standing in equal field.

However, it is also true that there are crimes committed by immigrant in Japan. The immigrants should have some reasons, because I think nobody commits crime without reason, Conceivable factors are that the lack of the opportunities for work, or the uncomfortable environment at working place or community. In Japan, it seems that most of immigrants have non-regular employment, and it means that they are in an insecure situation and also the payment is lower than the average. On a daily level, it is difficult for them to integrate into Japanese community, because of differences in language, culture, religion, and character of people. They might be isolated by community. I think these factors bring immigrants negative feelings, and sometimes it drives them to commit crime.

Although there is prejudice against immigrants in Japan, the problem of the crime committed by immigrants actually exists. We have to think how we can deal with it. I think the most important thing is that Japanese and immigrants should have good relationship by participation in communities. If they make connection, they will pay attention to each other, and it might help them when they are in trouble. Moreover, it might help them to understand their differences. The crimes committed by immigrants will decrease when the future that Japanese and immigrants can live together without prejudice or discrimination comes.

Citation

the status of arrest against the foreign crimes 来日外国人犯罪の検挙状況. (2011).  Retrieved Nov 10, 2012, from National Police Agency: http://www.npa.go.jp/sosikihanzai/kokusaisousa/kokusai/H23_rainichi.pdf

Globalization takes place in many different ways

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by Julia Helbing

Nowadays globalization does not only mean to produce in one part of the world and do deliver these good to the other part of the world. I think it also means that you have to move to the places, where work is offered and employees needed.

In many developed countries, the costs of living have risen constantly. People have to pay more rent, the food is more expensive and of course, electronic devices also got more expensive because they are developed all the time and should make our live more easily. Therefore, a lot of women also have to work now to pay all the expenses she and her husband face. And if they have children, they even have to pay higher expenses. But what would happen if there is no one at home who can take care of the housework? Or who would take care of the children? Because of this, many families decide to hire a nanny from developing countries. Compared to nannies from their own country, they have to pay fewer wages. In addition, those nannies from abroad also work very hard to earn maybe more money. But still the nanny leaves her own family in her country of origin to go abroad and work for other people, just to send the money she earned home to her children to pay the expenses for the children’s education. This way, the mother wants to offer a better future to her children.

In my opinion, globalization now does not just shift production from one country to another; it also shifts people to other countries. But today we also have a lot of countries that depend on those workers coming from third world countries to rich countries.

There are many jobs that people in developed countries don’t want to do. They don’t want to take care of older or ill people, for example, or they don’t want to work in the fields and harvest potatoes or salad. Therefore, they are really happy to have workers emigrating from other countries to do this kind of work.

Japan has for example a contract with the Philippines about nurses coming from the Philippines to work in Japan. Since 2009, the countries entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, which means that Philippine nurses are trained and employed in Japan to face the decreasing number of Japanese nurses and caregivers. But after their training, the potential nurses have to pass an exam, which is in Japanese. So in addition to learning how to take care of other people, they also have to learn Japanese language. This is why unfortunately, not many nurses pass this exam. Since the start of this contract, only 13 Philippine nurses were able to pass the exam and therefore work in Japan. (1)

But of course I can understand that the nurses have to speak Japanese, because the patient in Japan normally can’t speak any other languages then Japanese.  And of course it is not easy to take care of sick people, so the exam has to be difficult. If the nurse would make a mistake, she could maybe kill the ill person, so I think it is correct that the exam is not easy to pass.

Nonetheless, this example shows clearly that in developed countries, workers from other counties are needed.  People from rich countries go to other rich countries to perform work there, so the gap they leave has to be filled with people from undeveloped countries.

References

  1. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/253140/pinoyabroad/13-pinoy-nurses-pass-tough-japan-nursing-exams

Multiculturalism in Japan

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by Yukari Deguchi

About two decades ago, the majority of immigrants in Japan were Korean whose purpose was to get right of permanent residence after WWⅡ. But today, immigrants’ home countries, their purpose, and occupations become more various. It’s not unusual to see immigrant students at even public elementary and junior high school.

Along with this change in Japan, in 2006, the Fundamental Law of Education was amended to push ahead with education of multi- cultural society (多文化共生社会). Its principle is to understand and love each student’s own culture at first and then, realize the differences in other culture. It seems to deal with the trend of globalization, but it also gives us a question—is it able to achieve multicultural coexistence (共存)? Isn’t it side-by-side existence (並存)?

The first notable point is to understand and love each student’s culture “at first”. This patriotism-like expression has already been controversial topic among teachers, policy makers, scholars, and activists. Patriotism is not bad thing, but they concerned about connection with imperial system from historical view.

The other point is to realize the differences in other culture. I particularly would like to mention about “realize differences”. I think it may draw a firm line between “my” culture and “your” culture. Without any doubt, it’s not a problem about the matter of personal preference, like preferring bread or rice. However, are there also no problems when it comes to issues that are related with us, like whether our country should make war or not? Can Japanese accept the foreigners’ opinion that Japan should do war just because they have other cultural idea? I think the answer is no. Many Japanese might deny the opinion. Multi-cultural society is epoch-making idea though, by these examples, I’d like to say that if we misunderstand it, it becomes rejection of other culture or indifference to other culture like “I don’t care, just as you like”.

These attitudes effects some immigrants issues in Japan, such as weather immigrants can have dual citizenship or not, and how should we assure the right of illegal immigrants. These issues get little attention from society and are lack of discussion. Not for politicians, but for citizens, the reason is because they are not interested in it so much, or they don’t want to be involved in the issues that have negative effect to their living. We have to change this situation to real multi-cultural society, which is coexistence of multi culture. Otherwise, there are more and more legal and illegal immigrants who are exploited and live in poverty hidden from public view.

References

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology「改正前後の教育基本法の比較(Contrast Between Before and After the amending of the Fundamental Law of Education)」 http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/kihon/about/06121913/002.pdf. Accessed 2012, 11, Nov.