Japan faces multiple challenges in an era of population decline. Problems such as aging and a decreasing working-age population are expected to increase in severity, so tackling these challenges and examining the contributions that immigrants can make to society are vital for Japan's future. What contributions do foreign residents make to Japan, especially in the labor market? How do national and local government policies effect the settlement and permanent residence of foreign nationals? Are issues - such as social mobility and quality of life of foreigners, the fertility of foreign women, and long-term trends in naturalization - important? What support does Japan offer to immigrants? As a 'new' country of immigration, the need to examine such questions is growing. This book takes a geographical perspective in examining the necessity of immigration and how foreign residents are helping to alleviate the problem of population decline in contemporary Japan.

Reviews

"Over the last thirty years Japan has become a country of immigration again. While the literature on migration to Japan is growing, reliable data on the issue is still scarce.Yoshitaka Ishikawa's edited volume is a major contribution to filling this void. Overall the papers compiled in the book are a good introduction to the complex and multifaceted realities of newcomer migrants and shed light on some understudied quantitative and qualitative aspects of migration to Japan." --Pacific Affairs, Vol. 89, No. 4, December 2016

 

Awards

Excellent Work Category - Geographical Society of Japan Award 2018

About Editors and Authors

ISHIKAWA Yoshitaka is Professor in the Department of Geography, Kyoto University, and Professor in the Faculty of Economics, Teikyo University. He graduated from the Department of Geography, Faculty of Letters, Kyoto University, in 1975 and holds a PhD in Literature from Kyoto University. He specializes in quantitative geography and migration.