Yui Ishibashi - Issues Surrounding Foreign Workers in Japan

1. My Interests in Diversity and Equality in Japanese Society

Through taking dounyuu-zemi, I would like to learn about how people in Japan can live together beyond the differences of their nationalities, religions and cultures. I would because I sometimes feel that Japan is not equal society for all people in Japan although more and more foreigners are visiting Japan.

I worked as a tutor for 1 years. I taught Japanese essay to a secondary school student. She was born in Japan, and her parents are from North Korea. She attended Chosen school for 9 years and studied all subjects in Korean language. I sometimes grasped her inner confusion from her essays. She was abused by someone while she was taking with her friend in Korean language. Besides, since what she learned at school and what she watched on Internet are totally different, she was struggled to have her own perspective toward political issue about North Korea. I was shocked to know that my student suffered from her nationality. Because of this experience, I had an interest in learning more about minority.

That experience helped me join volunteering project in Malang, Indonesia. 4 people from Germany, 2 people from Vietnam, 1 person from Netherlands and 2 people from Japan are joining this project. During this project, we were teaching basic English and our languages including cultures to elementary school students. Since almost of people in Malang are Muslims, I was completely minority of the society. This was a first time for me to be minority since I had never experienced before living in a foreign country except for travels and study abroad. As oppose to my expectation, I did not experienced any racial discrimination and abuse in Malang. Even after the terrorist attack happened in New Zealand, all of us did not be discriminated. On the other hand, there are still so many hate speeches in Japan. Some of Japanese hate specific ethnic groups just because of their nationalities. That was why I thought Indonesian people are tolerant toward cultural and religious differences compared with Japanese. Through this volunteering in Malang, I realized I needed to learn more about multiculturalism as one of Japanese.

I researched in dounyuu-zemi about foreign workers in Japan. The number of foreigners who work in Japan are increasing. However, some of them cannot adjust the Japanese lifestyle and they return to their countries. Since labor shortage is serious problem in Japan because of decreasing birthrate, we need more and more labor force to maintain Japanese society. Therefore, I thought it was necessary to prepare the situation of foreign workers to accept more.

If I could take this seminar, I would like to learn more about foreign workers, because the problem of foreign workers is so related to multiculturalism in that foreigners make multicultural society. In addition to this issue, I would like to focus on how to make society in Japan more equally and comfortable for every people in Japan. That was why I wanted to apply for this seminar.

2. Muslim Workers in Japan

My Interest in Muslim Workers in Japan

When I went to Indonesia for volunteering it was for the first time for me to live with Muslims. During the stay in Indonesia I met several people who want to work in Japan. Since I researched about ‘foreign workers in Japan’ in last last year, I understood to some extent how difficult to get visa and work in Japan. Besides, it is still not common for Japanese company to adopt Muslim workers. That is why I have chosen my research area as “Muslim workers in Japan”.

The situation of foreign Muslims in Japan

The number of foreign people living in Japan is rapidly increasing. According to ministry of health, labor and welfare, it is said that about 2% of the population in Japan is foreigners. However, the number of foreign Muslims in Japan is about 180,000. It is only 0.14% of Japanese population. Main reasons why Muslim foreigners come to Japan is for study,business trip, program. Compared with period of stay in Japan and final academic backgrounds, there is a tendency that the Muslims who have lower academic background tend to stay in Japan for a long time. On the other hand, the Muslims who have higher final academic background tend to stay in Japan for a short time.(ministry of health, labor and welfare 『外国人雇用状況』2019)

Adopting foreign Muslim workers in Japan

In order for Muslims to live in Japan, some consideration should be needed: food, pray time, Ramadan, Friday pray and so on. Especially for foreign Muslim workers in Japan, Japanese companies have some considerations on the people. 総務省中部管区行政評価局 reported several examples of Japanese companies which are making effort to prepare the working environment for foreign workers. For example, YKK company opened Halal food restaurant in the company. 半谷製作所 changed bathroom into shower room for praying. はごろもフーズ changed a rest station into pray room. However, such companies which have facilities for Muslims are not common in Japan.(総務省中部管区行政評価局『宗教的配慮を要する外国人の受入環境整備等に 関する調査ームスリムを中心としてーの結果報告書』2017)

Halal certification

Halal market is about 1billion in Japan that is 0.01% of GDP of Japan. It is quite big number compared with the population of Muslims in Japan. According to 三菱UFJリサーチ＆コンサルティング, a lot of Japanese food companies want to produce halal food not only for Muslims in Japan but also for export to Islamic countries（三菱UFJリサーチ＆コンサルティング『平成26年度 ハラール食品に係る実態調査事業』）. However, according to FOODS CHANNEL, there are some steps to produce Halal food; understand Islam especially Halal, research preferences of Muslims, develop Halal food product, obtain the Halal certification. Especially about the Halal certification, Japanese food companies need to clear the standards: ingredient, facility of producing food, place for keeping food, hiring more than 3 Muslim workers etc. Since the standards of the certification is quite complicated, to gain the Halal certification is difficult for food companies in Japan.

Japanese Muslims

The number of Japanese Muslim is estimated about 10,000. The main reasons why Japanese Muslims became Muslim are; got married with Muslim wife or husband, lived in an Islamic country for a long time, majored in religious studies and so on. Most of Japanese Muslims are having difficulties with wearing scarf while working, finding place for praying and eating Halal food. Since Japanese Muslims looks like Japanese, some Japanese feel strange when they see Japanese Muslim wearing scarf. In this way, it is very difficult for Japanese Muslims to be a perfect Muslim. Japanese Muslims are making efforts to be a Muslim as possible; making lunch box without Haram for children, not praying while working,not wearing scarf while working and so on.

Conclusion

I have understood the situation of foreign Muslims and Japanese Muslims in Japan. Both of the Muslims are making efforts to live as a Muslim in Japan. I think more should be done to accept more and more foreign Muslim workers from now on. Since I have researched about Muslims especially about workers, I would like to research more about foreign workers and children of foreigners in japan.

3. The Issue of Language Support for Children with Foreign Roots

Why I chose to research Japanese language support?

For the research cycle 1, I focused on the issue of Muslims in Japan. Thorough the cycle, I found out there were several problems for foreign Muslims to live in Japan. These days, more and more foreign people are coming to Japan as foreign workers. However, if I imagine the situation of some decades later, the problem of Japanese language support can be a big issue. That is the first reason why I chose this topic for research cycle 2.

Besides I had an experience of teaching Japanese essay to secondary school student who was Korean and had difficulties with writing Japanese. So I am interested in how local school and local government are making efforts to try to solve the issue. That is the second reason why I chose this issue.

Overview of the actors involved