Migration And Jap Homogeneity As Policy Amidst An Ageing...

Migration and Japan: Homogeneity as Policy Amidst an Ageing Population Abstract The goal of this paper is to provide a summary of migration as it pertains to Japan. First, a brief overview of migration data and trends will be reviewed. This should provide a useful foundation upon which to further explore more complex issues. Japan’s migration policies, practices, and trends are marked by several notable events. Such topics include the Japanese-Brazilian diaspora, the growing demand for migrant workers amidst Japan’s shrinking population, and Japan’s ethically questionable approach to handling matters of refugees. A Foundational Overview of Migration Data and Trends The World Bank estimates Japan’s Net Migration to be 350 thousand as of 2012 (The World Bank, Net Migration, Japan). Considering the country’s impressive population size of 127.6 million (in 2012) (The World Bank, Population, Japan), that number is considerably low. Compare that, for example, to the United States, which has a population of 314.1 million (in 2012) (The World Bank, Population, United States) and a Net Migration of 5,007,887 as of 2012 (The World Bank, Net Migration, United States). These numbers illustrate the reality of how few immigrants Japan allows for its size. While immigrants still make up a miniscule percentage of Japan’s population, the numbers have been growing over the past few decades. According to the World Bank, in 1985 Japan’s total international migrant stock was 850,775