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Maybe OT: Isn't this just proof that Japan needs to let go of it's biggest barrier to growth? By which I mean it's non-existing immigration? I've been recentl

Maybe OT: Isn't this just proof that Japan needs to let go of it's biggest barrier to growth? By which I mean it's non-existing immigration? I've been recently to Japan and despite my fears Tokio was a really affordable place (leaving out the hotel prices of course). I thought this was due to the lack of growth and the recent quantitative easing and other government measures. Measurements that seem to be failing at the moment (thus the negative rates). So cheap Tokio-Sushi is nice for European tourists, sure, but just a sign of how much growth Japan has lacked over the past years/decades that it suddenly becomes a tourist destination. In contrast to that: I could imagine Japan, with its still high quality of living and modern, orderly society as a real draw for young and skilled talent from abroad if it were to open it's borders (and society). Think about it in the terms of Gentrification: It's an artificially undervalued "part of town". One which value and (currently) cheap prices would sureley be appreciated by the pioneers this country needs.

jessaustin 11y ago
Lots of people have tried immigrating to Japan, because it is awesome in so many ways. However, the drawbacks that keep people from staying seem kind of inherent to how society is set up: http://japaneseruleof7.com/japan-scam/ http://japaneseruleof7.com/japan-scam/
s986s 11y ago
Honestly, nationalism is a bit refreshing. By immigration what you then are implying white business individuals and/or non-japanese otaku would only be able to afford or figure out a way. If you are thinking of poorer individuals. Why? Their business is doing well and what exports are not are likeky not solvable through a domestic workforce outside of marketing and/or tech. If you want more babies in a country, I believe denmark had a much better idea than to enable immigration, do it for mom. The pioneers the country seem to already there. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/01/japanese-firm-to-open-worlds-first-robot-run-farm http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/01/japanese-...
yuiyui 11y ago
> By which I mean it's non-existing immigration? That's not a bug, it's a feature. Japan enjoys the advantages of having a civilized, educated, homogeneous, high trust society, and they're not willing to abandon that in exchange of what, low skilled workers they don't need and ethnic conflict?
- SolaceQuantum 11y ago
  I think that the parent specifically mentioned highly skilled young workers who would be attracted by the modern lifestyle in Tokyo.
  - DarkLinkXXXX 11y ago
    That being said though, a number of potential applicants would probably be discouraged by the 10-14 hour work shift. I'm not sure how much of that is spent working, but that doesn't as much room for leisure, regardless.
  - _nedR 11y ago
    I dont think high skilled young workers, will be looking forward to taking care of the large number of old people, when Japan hits its population cliff. That probably will be a big sector demanding immigration.
    - guard-of-terra 11y ago
      Old people could probably take care of even older people, will easily create lots of jobs.
- woodpanel 11y ago
  It's a feature for sure. I really am not blaming japan for something that most countries (especially non-americas) have ingrained in their culture. These days, my country Germany, however much it would like to See itself as immigration-friendly as the US, is experiencing exactly that cultural gene which is somewhat allergic to heterogenity. But from an economical standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to stay "cut off". It never did in history. That's why even the other homogenity-friendly countries periodically had to ease their grip. And because of economics, if the japanese really care about their nation's idntity and culture, they should make sure that their Numbers of growthless years do not climb too much higher than that of the other Nations. Because at some point even the nicest, Most harmonic society will crumble if some foreign spring break tourist can bend any rule because he can buy anything and anybody because of the decades-Long incompetitiveness. If you're looking for examples of this, I'd say "colonializm", "imperialism" or with regards to japan "convention of kanagawa" or "sakoku". At some point non-growth will become harmful to what you try to save by avoiding growth: culture, norms, national identity or Even the nation itself.
fiatmoney 11y ago
I can imagine the Japanese thinking that the solution to Japan not having "enough" Japanese (for what?), is not to import more non-Japanese.
mc32 11y ago
It seems their calculus is: Growth but at the risk of it not being Japan on its own terms (importing culture) No growth but at least it's their own no growth (no imported population). Japan being the nation and a people seeking harmony, I don't think they'd make the deal and risk losing their wa. And you know what, good on them and good for the test of the world. I'd like to see how a country tackles no growth while maintaining a first world economy, without the subsidy of immigration because one day we'll all be there and we'll need some guidance. Perhaps Japan will offer that guidance if they figure things out.
- uremog 11y ago
  And if it goes badly, just as well for me! I'd love to take a cheap vacation to Japan.

jessaustin 11y ago

Lots of people have tried immigrating to Japan, because it is awesome in so many ways. However, the drawbacks that keep people from staying seem kind of inherent to how society is set up: http://japaneseruleof7.com/japan-scam/ http://japaneseruleof7.com/japan-scam/

s986s 11y ago

Honestly, nationalism is a bit refreshing. By immigration what you then are implying white business individuals and/or non-japanese otaku would only be able to afford or figure out a way. If you are thinking of poorer individuals. Why? Their business is doing well and what exports are not are likeky not solvable through a domestic workforce outside of marketing and/or tech. If you want more babies in a country, I believe denmark had a much better idea than to enable immigration, do it for mom. The pioneers the country seem to already there. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/01/japanese-firm-to-open-worlds-first-robot-run-farm http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/01/japanese-...

yuiyui 11y ago

> By which I mean it's non-existing immigration? That's not a bug, it's a feature. Japan enjoys the advantages of having a civilized, educated, homogeneous, high trust society, and they're not willing to abandon that in exchange of what, low skilled workers they don't need and ethnic conflict?

SolaceQuantum 11y ago
I think that the parent specifically mentioned highly skilled young workers who would be attracted by the modern lifestyle in Tokyo.
- DarkLinkXXXX 11y ago
  That being said though, a number of potential applicants would probably be discouraged by the 10-14 hour work shift. I'm not sure how much of that is spent working, but that doesn't as much room for leisure, regardless.
- _nedR 11y ago
  I dont think high skilled young workers, will be looking forward to taking care of the large number of old people, when Japan hits its population cliff. That probably will be a big sector demanding immigration.
  - guard-of-terra 11y ago
    Old people could probably take care of even older people, will easily create lots of jobs.
woodpanel 11y ago
It's a feature for sure. I really am not blaming japan for something that most countries (especially non-americas) have ingrained in their culture. These days, my country Germany, however much it would like to See itself as immigration-friendly as the US, is experiencing exactly that cultural gene which is somewhat allergic to heterogenity. But from an economical standpoint, it doesn't make much sense to stay "cut off". It never did in history. That's why even the other homogenity-friendly countries periodically had to ease their grip. And because of economics, if the japanese really care about their nation's idntity and culture, they should make sure that their Numbers of growthless years do not climb too much higher than that of the other Nations. Because at some point even the nicest, Most harmonic society will crumble if some foreign spring break tourist can bend any rule because he can buy anything and anybody because of the decades-Long incompetitiveness. If you're looking for examples of this, I'd say "colonializm", "imperialism" or with regards to japan "convention of kanagawa" or "sakoku". At some point non-growth will become harmful to what you try to save by avoiding growth: culture, norms, national identity or Even the nation itself.

fiatmoney 11y ago

I can imagine the Japanese thinking that the solution to Japan not having "enough" Japanese (for what?), is not to import more non-Japanese.

mc32 11y ago

It seems their calculus is: Growth but at the risk of it not being Japan on its own terms (importing culture) No growth but at least it's their own no growth (no imported population). Japan being the nation and a people seeking harmony, I don't think they'd make the deal and risk losing their wa. And you know what, good on them and good for the test of the world. I'd like to see how a country tackles no growth while maintaining a first world economy, without the subsidy of immigration because one day we'll all be there and we'll need some guidance. Perhaps Japan will offer that guidance if they figure things out.

uremog 11y ago
And if it goes badly, just as well for me! I'd love to take a cheap vacation to Japan.