Immigration Experts call for courses on Japanese social norms for foreign residents

[thomas]

A government expert panel has urged stronger measures to integrate foreign residents, arguing that initiatives such as courses on Japanese social norms would help preserve public order. The panel submitted its recommendations to Onoda Kimi, the minister responsible for policies on non-Japanese nationals, an area the administration of Sanae Takaichi has signalled it intends to tighten.

The report sets out proposals from two central angles: improving compliance with existing rules through better systems, and establishing clearer regulations on land ownership. Regarding compliance, the panel noted that foreign nationals have few opportunities to learn about Japanese laws and administrative practices, either before arriving in the country or after settling there.

"The government needs to take responsibility for providing programs through which they can continuously study the Japanese language and the norms and conventions of Japanese society," the paper said. It added that making participation in such programs a requirement should be considered for those residing in Japan on a mid- to long-term basis.

Experts propose societal norms courses for foreign residents | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Even long-term residents aren't immune to committing the occasional cultural faux pas: yesterday, unbelievably, I forgot to take off the toilet slippers when I went downstairs, wearing them in our living room for an extended period of time. It was fortunate that my wife forgave me for my transgression. In the future, I might be compelled to attend a cultural course for better sociocultural adjustment.

 

[johnnyG]

To this section of the article:

On the national security front, the panel said that, to date, no cases have been confirmed where land use by foreign nationals has impeded the functions of Self‑Defense Forces facilities or similar sites.

Last July, Ukraine showed in a very concrete way that you don't need to own land near a military base to stage an attack on it. You only need to be able to park a truck within drone range of one.

 

[thomas]

Obviously, tyres on wings weren't very effective.

 

[Lothor]

What would be far more useful than lessons on social norms (I feel insulted that someone thinks I need them) are clear instructions to new residents on what they need to enrol in and where to go to do this, with people who don't enrol politely followed up by local municipalities and immigration if necessary.

As for manners lessons, there's an arrogance in this: other countries don't feel that foreign residents need special lessons to live in their country, and I can't see why Japan should be different unless you subscribe to this myth of Japanese uniqueness. And the evidence that foreign residents are causing many problems is very scant – the news talks about 'public anxiety' without giving specific examples or showing laughably trivial ones ('those gaijin ... were sitting on that step ... eating their lunch!')

And who is going to teach the 3.9 million of us the Japanese way? There's a labour shortage in Japan, as well as not many people with more than superficial experience in dealing with foreigners. I think this will go as far as a pilot scheme, so that NHK can show acquiescent gaijin 'learning how to behave' on its evening news, and then it will be quietly dropped (like Premium Friday and all the other gimmicky ideas the government thinks of), having served its purpose of showing that 'something is being done'.

 

[johnnyG]

What would be far more useful than lessons on social norms (I feel insulted that someone thinks I need them) are clear instructions to new residents on what they need to enrol in and where to go to do this, with people who don't enrol politely followed up by local municipalities and immigration if necessary.

How about some penalties for employers who may be complicit? It's just what I know/am aware of, and it could be more widespread, but certain eikaiwa owners literally tell the green/newbie teachers that they've sponsored, "oh, you don't have to pay nenkin/healthcare/etc."

Maybe educating/schooling those folks would help. Place some responsibility (and possible fines) on the enablers.

 

[Lothor]

How about some penalties for employers who may be complicit? It's just what I know/am aware of, and it could be more widespread, but certain eikaiwa owners literally tell the green/newbie teachers that they've sponsored, "oh, you don't have to pay nenkin/healthcare/etc."

Maybe educating/schooling those folks would help. Place some responsibility (and possible fines) on the enablers.

Remembering Dentsu being fined just 500,000 yen for overworking a young woman to her suicide 10 years ago, I'm not holding my breath!

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Classes that teach norms of the culture that one is immigrating to does not make up for an increase in difficulty in immigration. (an increase that I do not really see much of benefit too. But then again, I'm probably just choosing not to see it for my own selfish(ish) reasons) (I'm mentally preparing for a verbal beating on how "'You don't see it right'" and whatever. I just wanted to say this)

 

[Lothor]

Actually, I'm not sure what point you're making. The 'make up for' suggests one thing compensating for another, but making immigration more difficult is an independent policy to giving foreigners culture lessons - the government could easily implement neither policy, one of them or both. Their aims are different too: one is to manage quantity and quality of immigrants and one is to 'teach us how to behave'.

I'll give you a verbal beating once I understand your argument better (joke!).

Anyway, welcome back. I hope life is treating you well.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Actually, I'm not sure what point you're making. The 'make up for' suggests one thing compensating for another, but making immigration more difficult is an independent policy to giving foreigners culture lessons - the government could easily implement neither policy, one of them or both. Their aims are different too: one is to manage quantity and quality of immigrants and one is to 'teach us how to behave'.

I'll give you a verbal beating once I understand your argument better (joke!).

Anyway, welcome back. I hope life is treating you well.

What I'm saying is that this seems like an attempt to compensate for some, in my humble opinion, honestly BS reforms. I recently heard student years will likely not count anymore. That really derails my entire plan, since I planned on getting into a four year college if I could after I got a bachelors in political science or SOMETHING (assuming my Japanese is good enough to take it, hehe) They manage the QUALITY of the emigrants by TEACHING us how to behave. I guess I could just spend ten years in japan then go to school. But I don't wanna go to school at 28. I guess, I'll just take a page out of @Grandpa Frank 's book and become "'Charisma Man'", and pull the huzz and get married, assuming the three year marriage rule stays intact.

Before you beat me down, let me get my suit of armor and bullet proof vest.

I am becoming less and less of a fan of Conservative Japan.

 

[mdchachi]

There's no need or even urgency to get naturalized. You're going to need to support yourself anyway so just get a job and legally reside in Japan that way.
Then you can think about permanent residency or naturalization later.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

There's no need or even urgency to get naturalized. You're going to need to support yourself anyway so just get a job and legally reside in Japan that way.
Then you can think about permanent residency or naturalization later.

Oh I know. I'm just upset that when it comes to it, its gonna be a lot harder than it already was.

 

[mdchachi]

Oh I know. I'm just upset that when it comes to it, its gonna be a lot harder than it already was.

Maybe I missed it. How is it going to get harder? Even if they actually implement these assimilation classes -- which I think is unlikely -- it shouldn't have much impact.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Maybe I missed it. How is it going to get harder? Even if they actually implement these assimilation classes -- which I think is unlikely -- it shouldn't have much impact.

The assimilation classes are helpful, whatever I said above. Raising the amount of years from five to ten to natrualize would make it harder. I don't care about the classes in one way or another, which is probably why I came off with a negative viewpoint.

 

[mdchachi]

The assimilation classes are helpful, whatever I said above. Raising the amount of years from five to ten to natrualize would make it harder. I don't care about the classes in one way or another, which is probably why I came off with a negative viewpoint.

Ah ok. You're referring to some other thread then. Got it.

 

[Lothor]

The assimilation classes are helpful, whatever I said above. Raising the amount of years from five to ten to natrualize would make it harder. I don't care about the classes in one way or another, which is probably why I came off with a negative viewpoint.

Would you want to naturalise? If you do, you have to renounce your American citizenship. What if you need to return to the US for an extended period because of family reasons? A similar reason has stopped me from even thinking about naturalisation. You're way too young to be considering making such an irreversible step.

You say that you're less and less of a fan of Conservative Japan. That is basically conservatism: policies that benefit people with the characteristics of those in power (be it ethnicity, sexuality, wealth, religion) at the expense of people who are different in some way. Although I sympathise and do wish the best for you, I hope this is giving you a glimpse of what people on the other side of your political views are fighting for/against.

 

[mdchachi]

Would you want to naturalise? If you do, you have to renounce your American citizenship.

I almost responded the same but then I discovered that maybe even Arudou Debito didn't relinquish his American citizenship.

www.debito.org: Matters of Losing American Citizenship

How to become a Japanese citizen, with comparison of procedures between the US and Japan

www.debito.org

 

[salyavin]

On the other hand I have heard of a couple who had their naturalization revoked for not renouncing. Somehow Debito got away with it it seems. He also left Japan not too long after naturalizing. I do not believe there is any exception for US citizens. If I go into the front office of the Fukuoka consulate there on the wall is renunciation forms. You pay your fee something like 2k dollars and unless you are a covered (wealthy) individual you then go to an interview and you get revoked. Debito does not always give the best info. I know a couple US persons who renounced within the last year who lived in Japan decades they did not rush it and it is not difficult.

US taxes filing while living abroad annoys me but most of the time you can pay nothing due to foreign tax credits or foreign income exclusion (if under 120k US dollars). The rules on reporting of bank accounts over 10k and such make some banks not want Americans. Americans have a harder time doing some kinds of investment as well, in particular anything that is similar to a PFIC which limits options in NISA an makes IDECO difficult basically US would tax away most gains.

If you are not in a high income bracket there is not a huge need to naturalize from the west.