Symposium: Issues Surrounding Foreign Residents in Japan
International Experiences in Migrant Integration and Challenges Facing Japan

Japanese→
Handout→

Friday 9 Mar 2007
9:30am - 5:00pm
(lunch break 1:00 - 2:30pm)

U Thant International Conference Hall, 3rd floor, UN House
5-53-70 Jungumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo >>map

Organized by
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and
International Organization for Migration (IOM)

All are invited to attend

Objectives of the Symposium

 Foreign residents in Japan are on the rise, and currently fill important roles within local communities across the country. However, their increased participation in Japanese society also poses challenges for the Japanese community, giving rise to active debates on the ways and means for their social integration at various levels.

Japan has accepted an increased number of so-called “newcomers,” including the descendants of Japanese immigrants, since the 1990s. These foreign residents are a vital part of the work force in many cities. However, many issues such as employment instability, non-registration for social insurance, and insufficient Japanese language skills have become apparent. As many foreign residents have settled down and concentrated in a select few cities, the local governments with a concentrated foreign population are shouldering considerable burdens, particularly in the provision of education and health care. There is a need for an integrated approach to migrant integration in partnership with the entire local community including NGOs and the business sector.

At the international level there is an increased emphasis on integration policy in various receiving countries due to diversification in the forms of migration. Moreover, this increase stretches beyond European countries which are experienced in receiving many migrants as well as traditional immigration regions such as North America. For example, some East Asian countries are receiving an increased number of temporary migrants. The acquisition of language skills is one of the key factors facilitating migrant integration. Effective language education for migrants requires both pre-departure and post-arrival interventions in sending and receiving countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will jointly organize a symposium on the Issues Surrounding Foreign Residents in Japan~ International Experiences in Migrant Integration and Challenges Facing Japan~ on 9 March 2007. Following a previous symposium on related issues held in March last year, experts from various backgrounds will discuss measures for Japan to adopt in the future, drawing on international experiences with guest speakers from the European Parliament and Canada.

Agenda and participants

 English-Japanese simultaneous interpretation available

Morning Session 9:30 – 13:00
  • Opening Remarks

  • Keynote Speeches
    - Prof. Kazuaki TEZUKA, Professor of Labor and Social Law at Chiba University Law School
    - Mr. Brunson McKINLEY, Director General of IOM

  • Session 1 “Migrant Integration in Various Receiving Countries”
    - Prof. Shigehiro IKEGAMI, Associate Professor of the Department of International Culture, Faculty of Cultural Policy & Management, Shizuoka University of Art and Culture (moderator)
    - Prof. Keizo YAMAWAKI, Professor of the School of Commerce, Meiji University (presenter)
    - Mr. Cem OEZDEMIR, Member of the European Parliament (presenter)
    - Mr. Reza Shahbazi, Chair of the Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance (CISSA) (presenter)

    Panel discussion followed by questions and answers
(Lunch break)

Afternoon Session 14:30 – 17:00
  • Session 2 “Examples of Community Approach to Migrant Integration”

    - Prof. Keizo YAMAWAKI, Professor of the School of Commerce, Meiji University (moderator)
    - Mr. Kohei SUZUKI, Mayor of Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture (presenter)
    - Mr. Kiyoaki SHIMAGAMI, Chairman, Sub-committee on International Human Resources, Committee on Industrial Affairs, Keidanren (presenter)
    - Prof. Shigehiro IKEGAMI, Associate Professor of the Department of International Culture, Faculty of Cultural Policy & Management, Shizuoka University of Art and Culture (presenter)

    Panel discussion followed by questions and answers