First Published in 1995. The issue of foreign workers in Japan has already reached a turning point, as they are quickly changing from a flow into a group of settled residents. This change has been accompanied by a great deal of research in Japan, but there have been precious few attempts to grasp the problem in a unified manner, and this book, based on the author’s own field research, represents such an attempt.

This book explores the impact of foreign migrant workers on elements of sovereign power in Japan and examines how the country's immigration control has been reshaped by the existence of these workers. It traces the changing situation of foreign migrant workers in Japan from the mid 1980s to the present day. A particular focus is the transition of these workers from 'temporary workers' to 'long-term stayers' or 'social beings'.

In the second half of the 1980s Japan has emerged as one of the new major destination countries for migrants from Asia. The migrant labour pool was then joined by Japanese descendants from South American countries in the 1990s. Japan's policy of keeping the labour market closed to foreign unskilled workers has remained unchanged despite the 1990 immigration policy reform, which met the growing need for unskilled labour not by opening the 'front-door' to unskilled workers but by letting them in through intentionally-provided 'side-doors'. This book throws light on various aspects of migration flows to Japan and the present status of migrant workers as conditioned by Japan's immigration control system. The analysis aims to explore how the massive arrival of migrants affected Japan's immigration policy and how the policy segmented the foreign labour market in Japan.

This is a detailed study of the extent to which an increased influx of foreign workers is a threat to law and order in the context of the data-generating process of police statistics and the media coverage of "crimes" committed by foreigners. It shows that a general mood in which foreign workers are viewed as potential danger to Japanese society "protects" the criminalization of foreign "illegal" migrant workers. The work begins by tracing the upsurge of "illegal" foreign workers in Japan. It builds a social profile of these "illegals" showing that because of fear of expulsion, lack of knowledge of the law and over-dependence on employer and workplace, their ability to avail themselves off the protection of the law is neglible, and they are always at risk of becoming victims to multiple exploitation.

This book contains the most up-to-date, original data on Japanese migrant culture available. Its inescapable conclusion is that the multicultural age has finally come to Japan.

Oka explores the motivation that drives economic immigrants - from Latin America, the Middle East, and all parts of Asia - to Japan. His anecdotes demonstrate the unique problems that each ethnic group has faced and the public debate that increasing social diversity demands.

Komai (sociology, Institute of Social Sciences, U. of Tsukuba, Japan) draws on recent research to review the contemporary situation of foreign migrants in Japan and to set forth policy recommendations. First published in 1999 by Akashi Shoten, Tokyo. Distributed by ISBS. c. Book News Inc.