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Immigration is painfully unlikely due to cultural issues. It's oft suggested by non Japanese people looking at the problem but at least from what I can see, the

Immigration is painfully unlikely due to cultural issues. It's oft suggested by non Japanese people looking at the problem but at least from what I can see, the majority of the Japanese voting public don't want immigration. There's reasons if you want a fun read. Particularly interesting is the history of people of Korean decent who are native Japanese residents for a generation or two.

mc32 12y ago
It's true Japanese aren't very accepting of immigration, historically --and having to be blood to be a true national is a bit of an odd theory for citizenship; however, unless they (or anyone else) devise an alternative to neo-liberal capitalism which provides a decent living for its population while that population is in decline, the Japanese may have to reconsider their position on immigration.
- mimighost 12y ago
  Well if they change their mind on immigration, they better be quick. Japan's neighboring countries are quickly catching up, if not surpassing, in a lot of respects, such as PPI and HDI. Even in China, on the east coast, in certain sector, especially high-tech and finance, local companies can offer competitive salary and a better potential for career progress. It is not like in 80s, when Japan is the envy of all kids in the class, the interests is quickly fading, with a aging population and stale economy.
  - MarkMc 12y ago
    If neighbouring Asians are too rich to immigrate, there will still be plenty of poor Africans for decades.
    - mimighost 12y ago
      Well, lets face it.If Japan is so reluctant to accept Chinese/Korean/Other Asians, whose appearance and culture are perhaps much closer to its own than other countries, it will only be harder for it to embrace the rest of the world. It is pretty much like Asians in US sometimes being called as perpetual foreigners, even if some of them might been in this continent for generations. Assume Japan is ever going to change its immigration policy, it will surely starts from developed countries and its neighboring states. But as I said in the above comment, the charm around Japan is vanishing, so even with a more friendly immigration policy, how much it could help Japan step out of painful declining is questionable.
deciplex 12y ago
It's often suggested that Koreans in Japan are somehow deprived of Japanese citizenship. This is not true. Rather they are not allowed to naturalize in Japan while retaining their Korean citizenship (yes, I realize that is not the whole story and there is a lot of history there - nevertheless, there is nothing stopping a Korean who has lived in Japan long enough, or was born there, from acquiring Japanese citizenship if they choose). Many countries have this sort of policy yet somehow it's controversial when Japan does it. That said, mass immigration is unlikely, as you say.
- deancutlet 12y ago
  It is the same for the US. People that naturalize are "required" to sever citizenship they hold with other nations. However, many people fail to follow through and notify previous host nations.
  - maky 12y ago
    That's not true. US citizens can have dual nationality. http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/legal-considerations/us-citizenship-laws-policies/citizenship-and-dual-nationality/dual-nationality.html http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/legal-conside...
- desdiv 12y ago
  Up until 1983 you couldn't naturalize unless you adopted a Japanese family name. Maybe that's what OP was referring to.
a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
> the majority of the Japanese voting public don't want immigration The vast majority of the American public don't want it either, but businesses do, so it happens anyway.
- TulliusCicero 12y ago
  Nah, almost all Americans are fine with at least a moderate amount of immigration. The contention about immigration is mostly about whether we want to let in huge numbers of skilled workers in, and what to do about undocumented immigrants.
- mc32 12y ago
  It's more than not wanting immigration in Japan --they're allergic to it. It's very, very hard to be in Japan illegally. Police do immigration raids routinely --the only way to be in Japan illegally is to work for the local mob --where they take a cut of your measly income. And legal immigration is less than one tenth of that of the US, for example. the situation is not comparable.
- pm90 12y ago
  American society is much more accepting of outsiders than any other, as far as I know. Its not like others are deliberately racist, but just that America's history has been one of accepting immigrants from all over the place, so I guess having people who don't look like you or have the same beliefs/culture/language is more accepted than in other countries. At least that's my theory. I've lived in America for just 3 years, yet have never felt unwelcome. In fact, most Americans I meet are very curious to know about my origins and the country I grew up in. But maybe that's because I live in a very liberal city (Austin) and can communicate well in English. I've lived in Korea for some time and unfortunately never learned much Korean to be considered fluent. So I did have a hard time. Its also a very homogenous country so I guess it makes sense why they're so exclusive; I think its the same case in Japan too. Historically, Koreans and Japanese ( and to an extent, the Chinese) have placed an almost absurd weight on purity of their race. I don't know the situation for other places.
  - 12y ago
aphexairlines 12y ago
It's already easy to immigrate to Japan. It takes less than a month to get a work-sponsored visa. Much easier than the US H1B.

mc32 12y ago

It's true Japanese aren't very accepting of immigration, historically --and having to be blood to be a true national is a bit of an odd theory for citizenship; however, unless they (or anyone else) devise an alternative to neo-liberal capitalism which provides a decent living for its population while that population is in decline, the Japanese may have to reconsider their position on immigration.

mimighost 12y ago
Well if they change their mind on immigration, they better be quick. Japan's neighboring countries are quickly catching up, if not surpassing, in a lot of respects, such as PPI and HDI. Even in China, on the east coast, in certain sector, especially high-tech and finance, local companies can offer competitive salary and a better potential for career progress. It is not like in 80s, when Japan is the envy of all kids in the class, the interests is quickly fading, with a aging population and stale economy.
- MarkMc 12y ago
  If neighbouring Asians are too rich to immigrate, there will still be plenty of poor Africans for decades.
  - mimighost 12y ago
    Well, lets face it.If Japan is so reluctant to accept Chinese/Korean/Other Asians, whose appearance and culture are perhaps much closer to its own than other countries, it will only be harder for it to embrace the rest of the world. It is pretty much like Asians in US sometimes being called as perpetual foreigners, even if some of them might been in this continent for generations. Assume Japan is ever going to change its immigration policy, it will surely starts from developed countries and its neighboring states. But as I said in the above comment, the charm around Japan is vanishing, so even with a more friendly immigration policy, how much it could help Japan step out of painful declining is questionable.

deciplex 12y ago

It's often suggested that Koreans in Japan are somehow deprived of Japanese citizenship. This is not true. Rather they are not allowed to naturalize in Japan while retaining their Korean citizenship (yes, I realize that is not the whole story and there is a lot of history there - nevertheless, there is nothing stopping a Korean who has lived in Japan long enough, or was born there, from acquiring Japanese citizenship if they choose). Many countries have this sort of policy yet somehow it's controversial when Japan does it. That said, mass immigration is unlikely, as you say.

deancutlet 12y ago
It is the same for the US. People that naturalize are "required" to sever citizenship they hold with other nations. However, many people fail to follow through and notify previous host nations.
- maky 12y ago
  That's not true. US citizens can have dual nationality. http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/legal-considerations/us-citizenship-laws-policies/citizenship-and-dual-nationality/dual-nationality.html http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/english/legal-conside...
desdiv 12y ago
Up until 1983 you couldn't naturalize unless you adopted a Japanese family name. Maybe that's what OP was referring to.

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago

> the majority of the Japanese voting public don't want immigration The vast majority of the American public don't want it either, but businesses do, so it happens anyway.

TulliusCicero 12y ago
Nah, almost all Americans are fine with at least a moderate amount of immigration. The contention about immigration is mostly about whether we want to let in huge numbers of skilled workers in, and what to do about undocumented immigrants.
mc32 12y ago
It's more than not wanting immigration in Japan --they're allergic to it. It's very, very hard to be in Japan illegally. Police do immigration raids routinely --the only way to be in Japan illegally is to work for the local mob --where they take a cut of your measly income. And legal immigration is less than one tenth of that of the US, for example. the situation is not comparable.
pm90 12y ago
American society is much more accepting of outsiders than any other, as far as I know. Its not like others are deliberately racist, but just that America's history has been one of accepting immigrants from all over the place, so I guess having people who don't look like you or have the same beliefs/culture/language is more accepted than in other countries. At least that's my theory. I've lived in America for just 3 years, yet have never felt unwelcome. In fact, most Americans I meet are very curious to know about my origins and the country I grew up in. But maybe that's because I live in a very liberal city (Austin) and can communicate well in English. I've lived in Korea for some time and unfortunately never learned much Korean to be considered fluent. So I did have a hard time. Its also a very homogenous country so I guess it makes sense why they're so exclusive; I think its the same case in Japan too. Historically, Koreans and Japanese ( and to an extent, the Chinese) have placed an almost absurd weight on purity of their race. I don't know the situation for other places.
- 12y ago

aphexairlines 12y ago

It's already easy to immigrate to Japan. It takes less than a month to get a work-sponsored visa. Much easier than the US H1B.