Japan's Demographic Revival

Rethinking Migration, Identity and Sociocultural Norms

Japan's Demographic Revival shifts discussions about employing immigration as the "best" or "sole" solution to assuaging Japan's demographic quagmire to a more systematic approach that identifies structural, organizational and cultural impediments that contribute to Japan's (and other countries') declining demographic situations. This edited volume also sheds light on the plethora of changes required to produce a demographically sustainable Japan.

Part One includes chapters explaining the endogenous, ethnocultural and structural obstacles that link ethnocultural understandings of citizenship and nationality. Part Two consists of chapters that provide insight into the societal barriers that exist in Japan to address demographic issues. Part Three shifts its focus away from identifying and analyzing the structural, organizational and cultural factors towards chapters that are policy oriented, linking existing policies as contributing factors behind Japan's demographic challenge.

Contents:

• Japan's Demographic Revival: Rethinking Migration, Identity, and Sociocultural Norms

• Structural and Cultural Barriers to Dealing with Demographic Change:

  • Kyōsei: Cultural Space, Multiculturalism, and the Prospect of a "Post-homogenous" Japan (M G Sheftall)
  • Myths, Beliefs, and Implications of Japan's Naturalization Policy (Soo im Lee)
  • Identifying and Defining Self in a Changing Japan (David Chapman)

• Societal Challenges: Gender, Religion, and Incentive:

  • Demographic Change and Migration of Care Workers: State, Care Facilities, and Migrants (Reiko Ogawa)
  • Immigration and Religion: Muslim Immigrants in Japan — Their History, Demographics, and Challenges (Mhamed Biygautane)
  • Demographic Changes and Religion in Japan: A Case Study of Soka Gakkai in Hokkaido (Ka Shing Ng)
  • Nostalgic Migration — Factors Behind Recent Japanese Migration to Shanghai (Reijiro Aoyama)
  • Herbivorous Boys and Predatory Girls: Gender, Consumerism, and Low Birthrate in Japan (Satoshi Ota)
  • Japanese Corporate Culture and Demographic Decline: Tokyo Female Workers' Views on Career Advancement in the Workplace (Pui Tung Yong & Stephen Robert Nagy)

• Ways Forward:

  • The Potential Role of Migrant Rights Advocacy in Mitigating Japan's Demographic Challenges (Ralph I Hosoki)
  • Exclusive Migrant Policies in Comparative Perspective: The Case of the Gulf Cooperation Council States (Kristian Coates Ulrichsen)
  • Immigration Best Practices: Why Pragmatic Immigration Policies are Beneficial for Immigrants and for Japan (Stephen Robert Nagy)

Readership: Graduate students and researchers interested in Japanese Studies.
Key Features:

• Identifies structural, organization and cultural impediments that contribute to Japan's (and other countries') population predicament
• Offers a multidisciplinary, comparative approach investigating the challenges and opportunities for Japan to deal with its demographic conundrum