Fixed international marriages often disappoint This article looks at arranged marriages between Japanese men and brides from China, the Philippines, South Korea and other Asian countries in depopulated rural areas of Japan. It explores the experiences of the women in these marriages and focuses on the situation in Yamagata Prefecture, where these marriages have continued to increase. Japan Times, Jan 8, 2002.
Japan foreign marriage This article focuses on the marriage of Asian women to Japanese men in rural areas of Japan, looking at the reasons for the growth of this, the system that supports it including the role of local governments and brokers, problems including the trafficking of women and the effects of divorce on the foreign women and children of these marriages, and positive outcomes. Wikipedia.
Arranged Marriages for Japanese Farmers A short piece from the Facts and Details website. The data is mainly from 2009 or before so is a bit out of date.
Country kids need language support: Growing educational diversity not limited to urban areas This article focuses on Yamagata Prefecture which was the first prefecture to encourage international marriages and where 1 in 17 of all marriages are international. It looks at the need for better Japanese language support for 'newcomer' children - children born outside of Japan whose parents bring them to Japan - especially in the Japanese countryside. Japan Times, March 14, 2006.
Approved Specified Non-profit Corporation IVY "IVY is an authorized nonprofit organization with a head office located in Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture in Tohoku (northeast Japan) that was established in December 1991...In addition to providing support to non-Japanese living in Yamagata Prefecture and Tohoku, particularly women who came to Japan for international marriage and Japanese nationals returning from China, IVY also implements educational workshops for children to promote international understanding and environmental education, such as the Global Children’s Camp."
Support of Foreigners "The IVY Foreigner Support Section, with the keywords of 'life' and 'language,' is involved in providing support to registered aliens, their families, and the region..." Approved Specified Non-profit Corporation IVY
“Place making” in Kawakami: aspirations and migrant realities of Chinese “technical interns” by Meng Liang. This academic article examines Chinese agricultural labor migrants’ experiences in rural Japan, mainly in Kawakami, a village located in central Japan. It goes beyond the labeling of Chinese migrants as passive victims of difficult work conditions and exploitation, and argues that Chinese peasant workers possess an agency to negotiate, navigate, and survive in the village, making their own 'places' there and creating social networks to support themselves. Contemporary Japan, 2014.
'Loss' and 'Recovery' of Voice amongst Korean International Marriage Migrants "Globalisation and migration present growing challenges for Japan, a country not traditionally thought of as a destination for migration. Conventional ideologies portray Japan as a country of one race, one culture, and one language..." electronic journal of contemporary japanese studies, 2 February, 2007.
Farmers’ Successors and the Immigration of Female Asian Spouses in Rural Japan "The objective of this study is to document this trend in the rural district of Yamagata Prefecture and to investigate potential problems stemming from this newly emerging marriage pattern..." Shoji Okuyama