Tokyo Olympics, foreign workers and multiculturalism

See also:

• Foreign Trainees on the Technical Internship Programme
• Immigration issues and policy debates

IOC inspectors face report on tough Olympic work conditions This article looks at problems with labour conditions for all workers, Japanese and foreign, building the Olympic stadium and Olympic village and mentions specific problems for foreign workers briefly. Mainichi, 21 May 2019.

Demand for foreign workers may soften Japan's immigration rules "Across Japan, hotels, farms and construction sites are feeling an intensifying labour crunch as the worker pool shrinks and demand rises ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics." This article looks at the effects of this demand for labour on Japanese immigration polices. ChannelNews.Asia, 15 Jun 2018

Japan’s Technical Intern Training Programme - Learning the Hard Way? An article that explains how the TITP works, the criticisms of the harsh working conditions on the programme and possible and actual measures that could be taken to prevent abuse of trainees on the programme, especially ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Institute for Human Rights and Business, 16 October 2017. See also a longer report on the same issues Learning Experience? Japan’s TITP and the Challenge of Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers which downloads as a pdf file.

Training program for foreign construction workers needs serious overhaul This article discusses shortages of labour in Japan caused by the reconstruction work in Tohoku and preparations for the Tokyo Olympics and argues that the government's plans to make it easier to use foreign interns on the technical training program to meet this labour shortage is dangerous. Asahi Shimbun, 30 Jan, 2014.

Labor policy message to foreigners; Thanks. Now go home This editorial criticises government plans to allow foreigners, especially interns on the technical training program, to stay longer to meet Japan's labour shortage for the Olympics, but then to have to leave when Japan now longer needs them. Asahi Shimbun, 19 Apr 2014

Flawed foreign labor plan This editorial argues that the Abe Government's plans to use foreign labour to make up for labour shortages, including for Olympic construction work, has not been discussed enough and will cause problems. The idea to expand use of the technical internship program, which should be used to train people from Asian countries nit use them as cheap labour, is particular problematic. Japan Times, 15 Apr, 2014.

Foreign workers fear exploitation as Olympic projects gather steam This article by Hifumi Okunuki looks at proposals to use foreign interns from countries such as Vietnam to meet the labour shortage for Olympic construction work. It takes a critical look at the history of the foreign technical intern training programme and explains that recent government proposals now openly treat it as a source of cheap foreign labour not as a training programme to support international development. Japan Times, 9 Apr, 2014.

The Worst Internship Ever: Japan’s Labor Pains This video reports that "many interns are underpaid, have debts they can't repay, and forced into a form of modern day slavery. "Many are illegally placed as oyster shuckers, construction workers, and other unskilled positions. And, despite international condemnation, Japan plans to use thousands of new foreign interns to build the infrastructure for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo." Vice News, May 1, 2015.

Japan quietly accepting foreign workers — just don’t call it immigration This article discusses why Japan doesn't set up an immigration system for unskilled workers when it is widely accepted that it needs them including for construction work on the Olympics. Japan Times, 3 Nov, 2016.

Banned from working, asylum seekers are building Japan's roads and sewers This article mainly focuses on Kurdish asylum seekers on provisional release who have to work demolishing houses, even though they don't have work permission, in order to survive in Japan. But it also briefly discusses Japan's need for foreign construction workers for the Olympics: 'With work getting underway for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, demand for labor is set to jump further, according to Hitoshi Ito, an executive at Kajima Corp., Japan’s second largest construction firm by sales. That’s why the industry “desperately wants” foreign workers, he said.' Reuters, 8 Aug 2016.

Relentless Tokyo 2020 schedule, labor shortages hitting builders hard Although this article doesn't discuss the use of foreign labour, it does look at the pressure to complete construction projects for the Olympics n time, and the suicide, caused by overwork, of one worker on the Olympic sites. Mainichi, 25 Aug 2017.

Academic articles and chapters in books

Multiculturalism and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by Graham Robson. "Japan has taken steps to implement policies to address multiculturalism. These include the furthering of English education as well as plans to increase the number of inbound tourists, but these actions are not enough. More needs to be done to recognize the rights of foreign residents in Japan, and not just to provide hospitality to short-term visitors. Now Japan is preparing for the 2020 Olympic Games to take place in Tokyo. Along with the sports and tourism related projects that the Olympic preparation entails, Japan must take the opportunity to deal more fully with multicultural issues. With the eyes of the world on Japan, failure to do so could lead to negative outcomes." Journal of Tourism Studies, 2016.