Have you ever heard of the “Immigration Act”?
The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Immigration Act) was established in 1982 for the purpose of controlling the entry and exit of all Japanese and foreign nationals in Japan, controlling the status of residence of all foreign nationals, and establishing procedures for the recognition of refugees (Article 1 of the Immigration Control Act).
The Immigration Act has been amended. It was amended many times in 1990 in order for orphans left behind in China to return to Japan easily and in order for people of Japanese origin to visit their relatives in Japan easily. However, the amendment led to the increase of people from South America who wanted to go to Japan to get jobs.
The number of foreigners in Hamamatsu City has been increasing since 1991 due to the influence of the Immigration Act.
Here are some of the recent changes in the law.
The Immigration Control Act to 2014 vasion
The qualification for stay has been adjusted, It can let foreigners who carry out.Business management of Japanese company without any bonds with foreign companies. In addition,It expanded the ronge of age to be able to study abroad.
2016 version
As Japan’s birthrate declines the percentage of the population aged 65 and older is expected to increase. However, the number of people working in care and welfare is decreasing in Japan.
In order to solve these issues, a new qualification for stay, “Nursing ” has been established. This new visa allows foreign nationals to stay in Japan for a long period of time by obtaining a qualification and working as care worker.
However, because of the language barrier, harsh working environment, and low salaries, the number of foreign care workers is not as high as expected.
2019 varsion
The purpose of the “specified skills” qualification for stay is to solve the shortage of laborers in many occupations.
However, due to conditions required higher level of Japanese language proficiency for technical training,” the number of foreign workers is for less than the government’s expectation .
In response to these national policies, Hamamatsu City established the First Multicultural City Vision in 2001 as a guideline for internationalization measures.
Vision for a Multicultural City
As the “Hamamatsu Multicultural City Vision” ended in 2017, they decided on the “Second Hamamatsu Multicultural City Vision” in 2018.
The direction we are aiming for is
1. Community when citizens who has different cultures background work together
2. Community when citizens have vitality by diversity.
3. Community where everyone can feel safe and secure
The direction of the Second Vision consists of the three pillars of “cooperation, creativity and security. The future vision of the city is “a multicultural city can keep creating and growing together, based on mutual understanding and respect, So, it constitutes policies such as the promotion of the participation of foreign citizens in urban planning.
But… Here is our opinion.
In fact, the number of foreign residents in Hamamatsu did not change much today compared to before two visions was establish. Although the number of registered foreigners in Hamamatsu City has increased in total, it is because they come for working here. Not because of the vision.
This vision is not well known to Japanese as well as foreigners. In order for more people, including those foreign countries, to know about Hamamatsu’s activities in Hamamatsu, we need to spread the actives.
[Source and Reference List]
Source: Overview of Hamamatsu City’s internationalization activities
