Kawasaki City

My topic is Kawasaki city’s foreign residents. The reason I chose this topic was that I live in Kamata, it is next station to Kawasaki, so I’m interested in Kawasaki City’s foreigners. First question, why did foreigners come to Kawasaki city? The reason is to work in Japan. There are many kinds of works and company in the city. The highest rate of job is producer. The population is 1,473,658, and 31,959 is foreign residents’ number. In share of country accounts for foreigners of population, China and Korea, Asian countries that is near to Japan have high rate.

For foreign residents, incidents are inevitable. The Kawasaki murdering is that 13-year-old boy murdered by young boys at the bank of the Tama River. The murderers are members of ‘half’ group. The reader of the group is a half of Japanese and Philippines; his mother is Philippines and a hostess. Moreover, he was bullied because of these reasons and discrimination in youth. Then, to release his stress, he became bully side and made half group. So, this incident was occurred because of bully and discrimination. From the number of marriage in Japan, foreigners’ marriage is 1 couple to 30 couples in all. I was surprised because it is so high. From the discrimination due to being a foreigner, countries near to Japan are often discriminated, and appearance is an important factor.

To exterminate discrimination, foreign residents began some actions. One is Fureaikan facility. This facility was founded in 1988 as children’ hall and social educational institution. The meaning is promoting communication between Japanese residents and foreign residents, and breaking discrimination of foreigners. The activity of Fureaikan facility is teaching foreign culture and games to local residents. The social contribution is holding Japanese and foreign language school, so they can advance into Japanese society, and understand foreigners deeply, and cooperating with local junior high and high school and teach students foreign culture. Next is citizen’s festival. This festival is composed by local foreign and Japanese residents. This event is promoting interaction with Japanese residents and facilitating mutual understanding. And open forum is done by Kawasaki city’s representative assembly. This forum has two sectional meetings. One is social life section, and the other is education section meeting. Foreign residents make facility and do activities, so we have to understand foreign residents through these facility and activity.

1. Did you know that the Kawasaki murdering occurred because of foreign residents? → Yes-2/No-3

   1. Do you have discrimination for foreign residents? Why? → No-5. They are not related to us, so I’m not interested at them. They are so friendly, there is no point I discriminate them.

2. What do you think the solution for discrimination? → We should understand their culture and life deeply through their drama and music. Although many foreign Korean dramas and music are got familiar with in Japan, Korean discrimination exist.

3. The activities of Kawasaki residents are very important for Japanese residents understanding them. Do you have other example? If you have, please tell me. → I could not discuss this question because of no time.

(487 words, 60 minutes)

Kawasaki City Representative Assembly for Foreign Residents Newsletter 37

http://www.city.kawasaki.jp/en/cmsfiles/contents/0000037/37247/en_009_09_NL37e.pdf

The Crossover between Korean Ethnic Education and Multicultural Education in Japan: Kawasaki Fureaikan and ethnic classes in Osaka https://www.gcoe-intimacy.jp/images/library/File/3rd_next-generation_ws/Paper/08%20Marring%20Japanese/The%20Crossover%20between%20Korean%20Ethnic%20Education%20and%20Multicultural%20Education%20in%20Japan%20(Tae%20Eun%20Kim).pdf

Kanagawa Prefectural Government

http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/mlt/p444848.html

The Japan Times

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/08/20/news/kawasakis-filipinos-form-support-base/#.Vj3Mrdyhe6q