Politics of immigration and integration in Japan

Abstract

Japan is facing a dilemma. On one hand, migrant labour is a national necessity. On the other hand, this need is not backed by political consensus and there remains a reluctance to allow serious levels of immigration. In April 2019, the Abe administration passed a law to support the entrance of 345,000 foreign workers over the next five years. Marking the first formal recognition of incoming labour as regular workers, this was an unprecedented and highly contentious move. This paper analyses the politics of immigration and integration in Japan. My findings illustrate the persistent mismatch between the reality of demographic needs and the policies enacted to accommodate these needs. A continued refusal to construct an official immigration policy and a growing track record of migrant abuses is antithetical to Japan’s desire to present itself as regional leader of the liberal democratic order.