Immigration Survey finds 60% of foreign residents want to stay in Saitama permanently

[thomas]

Despite widespread negative publicity, nearly 60% of foreign residents in Saitama Prefecture say they would like to live there permanently, according to a prefectural government survey. At the same time, around 40% said they are concerned about discrimination. The survey also pointed to areas where residents want more support. Many respondents said they would like more information in multiple languages, as well as improvements to Japanese-language education.

A representative from the prefecture's international affairs division said the findings would be used in developing future programmes, with a particular focus on language training for foreign residents. The prefecture has been conducting similar studies since 2013 to understand better how foreign residents live and what they need from local authorities. The latest survey was carried out in November and December last year, using both mail and online methods, and targeted 4,000 people randomly selected from municipal resident registers. A total of 1,064 valid responses were received.

The 20-question survey asked the foreign residents about their backgrounds, the challenges they face in daily life, and their plans for staying in the region. In response to the question on whether they "hope to live in Saitama Prefecture on a continual basis," 59.9 percent of respondents said they "would like to reside here permanently." Combined with respondents who intended to spend "two to five years" or "six to 10 years," the total ratio of those hoping to continue living in Saitama Prefecture came to 84 percent. Asked if they are "content with life in Saitama Prefecture," more than 90 percent replied they were "fully" or "somewhat" satisfied. [...] However, less than 20 percent cited "sufficient multilingual support" or "extensive social welfare services" as sources of satisfaction. As for the causes of a "sense of dissatisfaction" among foreign residents, the questionnaire found that 39.3 percent--the largest portion--were particularly concerned about "discrimination against non-Japanese."

Survey: 60% of foreign residents want to live in Saitama forever | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis