[G2] Migrant Socio-economic Mobility in Japan

12:40 〜 14:40英語

[1G02] Migrant Socio-economic Mobility in Japan

*Francis PEDDIE¹, *Sari Suzuki¹, *Luis Cabrera¹, *Derrace McCallum² (1. Nagoya University, 2. Aichi Prefectural University)

キーワード：

Migrants、Japan、Social mobility、Economic mobility

Japan has experienced a significant growth in the number of foreign residents since the late 1980s and is now wrestling with issues of a political shift to the exclusionist right while demographic pressures increase the need for migrant workers in significant sectors like manufacturing and caregiving. The increase in the number and diversity of long-term foreign residents presents challenges to the country’s ability to integrate them into society as productive denizens who are not forced into socio-economically marginal positions. By exploring four examinations of how foreign residents achieve or fail to achieve socio-economic mobility in Japan, this roundtable will center around discussions of how different migrant groups (Nikkei Peruvians, Indonesians, black Jamaican English teachers and low-skilled workers from various Asian countries) try to achieve socio-economic mobility in the face of structural and social constraints. The research presentations will show how intersecting factors like race, class, religion, gender and support networks combine to help or hinder migrant mobility. The points raised in the presentations will then be used as starting points to engage the audience in a wider discussion of what problems can be seen in the current environment and what are some realistic strategies to overcome them. It is hoped that such discussion will spur both the presenters and audience to consider paths to mobility and consider how as researchers and practitioners we can study and understand an issue that has both implications for life success at the individual or family level, and impacts on the host society as it comes to terms with the increased presence of foreign residents.