Multiculturalism in Japan?
- Thread starter TKP
- Start date
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Goldiegirl
先輩
- 10 Aug 2006
- 1,694
- 69
What is it that you want for Japan and why? What do you consider multi-culturalism? Do you want Japan for the Japanese only? I can't tell exactly what you are trying to say, but I always get a little nervous when people want to have "exclusive" countries.
- Thread starter
- #3
Japan is country for Japanese people, immigrants must condition in Japan.
I dont like multiculturalism, because there create meny problems...
- 8 Aug 2005
- 7,316
- 3,727
What problems are unique to multiculturalism? Are xenophobia and isolationism viable alternatives for a modern nation?
pugtm
Jewish Samurai
- 21 Apr 2007
- 567
- 13
what is it with the purists? Japan is a very versatile country and has borrowed more ideas than i care to imagine. From the very beginning they took Chinese kanji and adopted them so do you want them to get rid of that too? come on get in sync with reality.
- 20 Aug 2003
- 4,910
- 416
Japan isolated itself from the world for 250 years. Pretty much set it back doing so.
TKP wants "immigrants must condition in Japan". Hyvva pyvva (if my Finnish spelling is correct). What exactly do you mean? Japan has about a 2% population of foreigners, most being Korean, Chinese, and Brazilian, and the first two largely were born here yet don't have citizenship.
The country's population is declining. Birthrate is too low. Colleges are predicted to have a 100% acceptance rate by 2050, which means anyone can get in because schools won't be able to afford to turn them away. The number of old people is on the rise because Japan has one of the longest (if not THE longest) lifespans in the world. Who is going to do the work here if there are no more Japanese around?
Answer: nobody, because Japan has a terrible policy about immigrants
Perhaps you meant something else. Multiculturalism could mean no more influx of outside values. No more Mcdonalds (fat chance, pun intended). No more American or UK music or movies (unlikely). Fashions? Sorry, you can't avoid them in a world that itself is getting smaller.
Yes, it has been reported that more kimonos are bought outside Japan than inside.
Yes, fewer Japanese learn how to put them on.
Yes, more Japanese go to Hawaii for weddings than have them in Japan.
Yes, arranged marriages (omiai) are far fewer now than before.
But, culture is not static. It evolves. Japan does not have to sacrifice major cultural changes just because of globalization. In fact, globalization is what will probably keep Japan afloat!
TKP wants "immigrants must condition in Japan". Hyvva pyvva (if my Finnish spelling is correct). What exactly do you mean? Japan has about a 2% population of foreigners, most being Korean, Chinese, and Brazilian, and the first two largely were born here yet don't have citizenship.
The country's population is declining. Birthrate is too low. Colleges are predicted to have a 100% acceptance rate by 2050, which means anyone can get in because schools won't be able to afford to turn them away. The number of old people is on the rise because Japan has one of the longest (if not THE longest) lifespans in the world. Who is going to do the work here if there are no more Japanese around?
Answer: nobody, because Japan has a terrible policy about immigrants
Perhaps you meant something else. Multiculturalism could mean no more influx of outside values. No more Mcdonalds (fat chance, pun intended). No more American or UK music or movies (unlikely). Fashions? Sorry, you can't avoid them in a world that itself is getting smaller.
Yes, it has been reported that more kimonos are bought outside Japan than inside.
Yes, fewer Japanese learn how to put them on.
Yes, more Japanese go to Hawaii for weddings than have them in Japan.
Yes, arranged marriages (omiai) are far fewer now than before.
But, culture is not static. It evolves. Japan does not have to sacrifice major cultural changes just because of globalization. In fact, globalization is what will probably keep Japan afloat!
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
- 765
- 27
Let's just hope that Japan solves it declining population problem without resorting to immigration. I would hate to see Japan become like the UK. Multiculturalism makes for a very boring and confused world.
Would you care to elaborate?
The7thSamurai
Master of the Universe
- 4 Feb 2005
- 765
- 27
If every country has a mixed culture then the end result is one big world culture that is basically a hybrid of all the cultures put together. Where's the fun in one big fake mixed culture? One reason why people feel such nostalgia for the past is that back then everything was unique to each country/culture. Mannerisms, food, dress etc. Almost all of these get wiped out with multiculturalism, and the only time they're really enjoyed is on token, contrived occasions like festivals.
Think about how different countries and cultures were 70 years ago compared to how different they are today. And imagine how much more of a blur it will be in 70 years time from now. All that culture and all those unique, quirky mannerisms which took hundreds of years to develop wiped out.
Japan has been lucky so far in that it hasn't needed many people from overseas to fill the void, thus they've been able to maintain at least some of their culture and mannerisms. Although a lot of it has been erased due to its westernisation, especially post-war.
And just look at how angry some of those Arabs get when they feel a threat of their way of life (not that I condone the voilent reactions).
Anyway, I really hate the idea of government controlled multicultural societies because it breeds out hundreds of years of tradition and causes factions in society.
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
- 9,839
- 135
What is a government controlled multicultural society ? I'm personally quite a bit less nostalgic for racial violence, war, and poverty that was everywhere 70 years ago than I am for traditional customs. Every society will need to mark the balance between uniqueness and globalization at a slightly different point. Japan has had the luxury so far of not needing to reach out far for economic immigration which is the position of a lot of developing countries, if that is the parallel you are drawing...
- 20 Aug 2003
- 4,910
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YEAH! Places like the UK and USA are SOOOOOOOOOOO boring!
Gimme a break.
Who is to say that adding immigrants to any country will dissolve that country's culture completely?
Culture is not static. It changes, evolves. I really don't understand what people are worried about unless they are racists who don't want intermingling of Japanese and other peoples.
Elizabeth
先輩
- 22 Apr 2003
- 9,839
- 135
For that, you can thank impersonal forces like introduction of technology, increased travel and global trade (for homogenizing regions within countries as well). People as immigrants generally adapt to the second homeland after two or three generations.
- 20 Aug 2003
- 4,910
- 416
And why could a multicultural influx into Japan make it the same as any other country? I don't follow this logic at all.
gaijinalways
puzzled gaijin
- 15 Jan 2006
- 681
- 21
But it's not. It's not the same everywhere in the world, and it never will be.
