Outlook: International Health-Caregiver Migration to Japan

The Aging Democracy: Demographic Effects, Political Legitimacy, and the Quest for Generational Pluralism

“…Although the public and policy makers have been aware of the declining birthrate—one major indicator for Japan’s demographic transition—since the so-called 1.57-shock 1 of 1989/90, policies have not been able to substantially boost the total fertility rate (TFR; it stood at 1.33 in 2020, according to the Statistics Bureau of Japan [2022, 16]). The fact that Japan has so far rejected immigration as a means of supplementing the domestic population on a permanent basis (Liu-Farrer 2020; Vogt 2013, 2018) reinforces the downward dynamics of the country’s demographic trajectory.…”

Japan as an Immigration State: Reforming Japan’s Labor Immigration Policy and Combating the Anti-Immigration Sentiment

“…Castles and Miller (2009) believe that Japan has now completed its "migration transition". To further explain that statement, Japan has experienced rapid development and the pace of its industrialization led to different periods of high rates of emigration, wage increase, and human resources demand (Vogt & Achenbach, 2012). Due to that, it now faces a severe labor shortage problem that definitely cannot be treated with how selective the admission of foreign talent has been.…”

“…Due to that, a loophole was found between granting access to 'unwanted and unfit' migrants and to fixing the labor shortage in low-skilled sectors. The Japanese government has identified "students" as the bridge between highly and low-skilled labor since due to their status they are lowly paid and at the same time have the chance to climb up higher in the skill scale after their graduation (Vogt & Achenbach, 2012). This is why Japan is promoting its education sector abroad and is encouraging people from around the world to study at a Japanese university (Yamanaka, 1993).…”

Foreign nurses working in Japan: assessments of the EPA program (外国 ⼈看護師: EPA に基づく受⼊れは何をもたらしたのか) Edited by Yuko Hirano and Michiyo Yoneno. Tokyo University Press, 2021. 272 pages. ISBN: 978-4-13-056125-9.

“…Let us first have a closer look at the systemic and practical hurdles of caregiver migration to Japan. I have previously argued that the EPA-administered migration avenue is a system “ designed to fail ” (Vogt 2018, p. 2, italics in original). It is the requirement to pass Japan's national exam for nurses or care workers, which was made mandatory after strong lobbying by the Japan Nursing Association that poses the highest systemic and practical hurdle for EPA caregivers.…”