Stephanie Buff
Japanese Immigration Policy
My
studies apart from AS150 have prompted focus on the United States immigration
policy. Furthermore, motives, and circumstances of immigrants have become.
Appropriately, I became interested in Japan’s regulatory policies. The Japan Times released an article on
March 6 2012, focusing on Japan’s reformed immigration system. The visa regime
incorporates a “points system”, designed to attract 2,000 non-Japanese
immigrants.
The
objectives of the system include the attraction of a specific demographic of
immigrants. This demographic includes individuals with “high salaries,
impeccable educational and vocational pedigrees, specialized technical
knowledge and excellent managerial/administrative skills.” (Arudou). Preferential
visas are given to those considered prestigious. The articles describe these
people as “lucky foreign millionaire Ph.Ds” (Ardou). The preferential visa
includes “five- year visas, fast-tracking to permanent residency, work status
for spouses, and even visas to bring their parents and “hired housekeepers”
along.” (Arudou).
Those
preferred individuals are determined with the “Justice Ministry’s qualifying
scale”. One must score seventy points on the qualifying scale. The scale is
tough and even includes a sliding element according to the individuals’
circumstance. Interestingly, Japanese language ability has a low weight on the
qualifying scale.
The
system outlined by Ardou in the article “Japan’s revolving-door immigration
policy hard-wired to fail”, contrasts the American system greatly.
Contrastingly ideas like those of Japan should bring topic for discussion in
the U.S system.
Discussion Questions:
1.
Do you feel that this system of immigration has
more benefits than the US policy?
Do you feel that the
immigration system is unjust in Japan
The idea of moving to Japan makes me think of the video we watched earlier in the year where the many people who weren't born into Japan had a very hard time adjusting to the strict culture.
ReplyDeleteThis blog reminds me of the film that we watched in class that interviewed people who were native to japan and those who moved to japan. It is interesting how the Japanese do not like the foreigners but use the concepts of honne and tatamae to disguise this.
ReplyDelete