Plenary Sessions（abstract）,JASPS 131th Biannual Conference

Foreign Workers and Social policy
Chair：Norio HISAMOTO（Kyoto University）
The issues surrounding foreign workers are complicated and multifaceted. It was in 1989 that welast focused on this theme in the plenary session of this academic society. The economic and social
circumstances in Japan have changed dramatically since then, so this plenary session will once
again focus on the problems of foreign workers. The aims of the session will be to develop a historical
overview, to approach the issue from various perspectives, and to discuss the future of social policy
for foreign workers in Japan.
１．International Labor Migration and Social Policy in Japan:Stocktaking and Prospect for realizing
reforms
Yasushi IGUCHI（Kwansei Gakuin University）
The objective of this article is to explore international labor migration in Japan, especially fromthe perspective of social policymaking. We conduct a policy overview first, and then conduct analyses
to reveal possibilities for reform.
First, the author verifies several key developments: a) Irrespective of the increased number offoreign permanent residents and growing initiatives for their social integration at the local level, thenet inflow of highly skilled migrants has turned negative since the beginning of the 21st century; b)
While enormous financial resources were devoted to emergency economic packages, including
employment policy for foreigners, the policies had almost expired by the end of fiscal year 2014
without establishing an institutional infrastructure at the national level related to civil rights,
enforcement of social security, compulsory education and Japanese language leaning; c) Local
communities of Latin Americans of Japanese descent have been gradually breaking down, whilemany NGOs supporting foreigners have ceased operations; d) The number of overstaying foreigners
has been radically reduced, especially by strengthening crackdowns and allowing special
permissions to stay; e) In the Government Program to Revitalize Japan, emergency measures toexpand the scope and the length of the Technical Intern Traineeship Program in such sectors asconstruction, shipbuilding and care for the elderly have been enacted, while high labor turnoverrates in such sectors have not been dealt with effectively.
Second, the author shows several results of theoretical and empirical analyses. 1) Mismatches will
occur in the long term in local labor markets because of declining fertility and the outflow of young
persons. The special focus is on low and middle skill jobs. 2) I show factors affecting growing inflowsand outflows of the highly skilled and the difficulty of assuring their carrier development. 3) I reporton the feasibility of social integration policies not only for foreigners but also for Japanese in order todiffuse the understanding and effectiveness of social integration policy. 4) There are possible
linkages for promoting economic integration and its social dimensions, including management oflow-skilled labor and measures towards growing irregular migration. 5) There are obstacles torealizing migration policy from the long-term perspective of coping with structural problems inJapan's economy and society.
Finally, we will discuss realistic measures for creating effective communities of stakeholders ofmigration and social integration in East Asia, and seek for ways to reform Japan's migration policies.

２．Discussions on Fostering "Globally Competent Personnel" and Issues Associated with Accepting“Foreigners who are Eminently Skilled Personnel” in Japan—Global Talent Management in JapaneseMultinational Corporationsand Connections to International Students –Takashi MORIYA（Ritsumeikan University）
In recent years, among Japanese universities and corporations, there has been an increase ininitiatives and interest in education that has led to training “globally competent personnel” andacquiring/fostering/employing/retaining “foreigners who are eminently skilled personnel (especiallyinternational students).” As a result, within Japanese multinational corporations the newmanagement method of “global talent management” has begun to attract great interest. The
employment/acquisition/retention/placement/skill development of international students (whopossess advanced talents) as “globally competent personnel” has been actively explored. In addition,
the fostering of globally competent personnel has become a major educational concern at universities
in Japan. Therefore,

Japanese universities foster foreign students as globally competent personnel

and as an “eminently skilled foreign workforce,” and it can be assumed that there is a system inwhich Japanese corporations utilize “global talent management” for globally competent personnel toturn said personnel into a source of strong competitiveness. This investigation is intended to clarify
the current state of that system.
Specifically, this investigation elucidates the development of policies regarding globally competentpersonnel in Japan that differ from “globally competent talent” and “global leadership” in the West.
It also elucidates the fact that discussions/policies evolved around specific Japanese points of view.
Moreover,aswellas

discussing

currentstates,problems,

andissues

foundinjob

hunting/employment/job retention for international students, this investigation will present andanalyze the actual state of implementation of “global talent management” that has recently
developed among Japanese multinational corporations, while also conducting a comprehensive
discussion regarding the distinctiveness of the Japanese brand of global talent management.

３．Social Security in Response to Trans-Border Relocation of Workers
Katsuaki MATSUMOTO（University of Nagasaki）
In light of the changing international economic environment and strengthening economic
partnerships, the number of foreigners who will come to work in Japan, including those from East
Asian countries, and the number of Japanese citizens who will work abroad are both expected to see
further increase. To allow these workers and their families to live with peace of mind, it is essentialthat they receive proper social security.
However, the social security system in each country has been developed as a domestic system thatreflects its respective conditions with no mutual consistency. Thus, it is quite possible that workers
who migrate across borders will be confronted with various problems regarding social security once
they have relocated. This not only presents complications for workers and their families, but there isalso fear that it might become an inhibiting factor for the relocation of workers.
In Japan, many social security provisions have been made applicable to foreigners as a result of
the ratification of the “Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees”. Also, while entering intosocial security agreements with other countries, Japan has allowed itself to eliminate cases of dual
application and calculate the total insured period with regard to pensions. Nevertheless, these arestill not sufficient to resolve the issue.
Thus, this paper will focus on workers who have relocated across borders, with reference toinitiatives in Germany and the EU, where social security adjustments have been implemented
between countries over many years. This paper will then explore specific measures required to solve
social security problems that arise when workers relocate between Japan and other countries.
４．The background and issues regarding the reception of foreign residents by the city of Hamamatsu

and the role of companies, universities and citizens
Shigehiro IKEGAMI（Shizuoka University of Art and Culture）
Hamamatsu is an industrial city in the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture in which a large
number of foreign workers work in the manufacturing field of transport machinery. After the 1990
Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act reform, there was a sharp increase in the numberof Brazilians of Japanese descent. At one point, they represented about 50% of all registeredforeigners. However, after the abrupt changes in the employment situation brought by the Lehman
Shock, the number of workers of Japanese descent diminished. Currently there is an increase in thenumber of technical intern trainees of Asian descent.
Although the number of Brazilians has decreased, it is widely-regarded that those who stayed inJapan have a clear intention of settling, which bring issues such as children's education andparticipation in society. In recent years the number of Filipino families has also increased, and it isrecognized that there is a need for alternative types of support.
Since the early 1990s, the city of Hamamatsu has advanced a policy of reception of foreign
residents centred on foreign newcomers. From May 1999 to April 2007, during the administration ofmayor Yasuyuki Kitawaki, the city took the lead among other public administrations in Japan. It
promoted initiatives based on the reception policy formulated in the “Hamamatsu Global CityVision”, adopted in the fiscal year 2001, such as meetings regarding community co-living, meetings
with foreign residents, study support projects for foreigners and the creation of a website offering
daily life information in multiple languages, among others.
It also encouraged the cities with the largest population of Brazilian residents in Japan to form
“The Committee for Localities with a Concentrated Foreigner Population”, influencing initiatives
aimed at transmitting their position statement to the national government.
Under the mayor Yasutomo Suzuki, who assumed the municipal administration in May 2007, thecity revised the “Hamamatsu Global City Vision” in the same year, and in 2012, adopted the“Hamamatsu Intercultural City Vision”. This vision has the European Union’s Intercultural cities
programme as a reference, and emphasizes the point of view of making the cultural diversity act as asource of energy to the city.
In this report, I will present how these policies developed into the information service for foreign
residents and initiatives in the educational sector, among others. I will also pay attention to the roleof local agents, such as the Hamamatsu Foundation for International Communication and Exchange(HICE), NPOs, universities and others. Thereafter I will examine the issues and prospects of thereception of foreign residents in Hamamatsu city.