International Migration in Global Governance: A Japanese Perspective

Three per cent of the world population—the equivalent of the entire populations of Indonesia or Brazil—move around the globe. Not only does the number continue to rise, but the impact those migrants have on world economy is proportionally much larger. In the 21st century, while the advanced industrial economies compete with each other to attract highly educated skilled labor, they vary in the extent they seek to attract unskilled workers. Furthermore, each country has its peculiar cultural and historical characteristics which come to bear when considering what sorts of immigrants are deemed suitable or desirable. Japan, faced with population decline, is now in the midst of a political and societal discourse on the desirable levels of immigration and the appropriate means of integration of immigrants. Which direction will Japan’s immigration policy take in the face of demographic change?

This workshop brings together experts in migration studies to discuss the future of Japan’s migration and integration policies.