A comparison of co-ethnic migrants in Japan and Singapore

摘要

This paper compares co-ethnic migrants in Japan and Singapore, namely: the Nikkeijin in Japan and Chinese nationals in Singapore. One striking difference between the two countries is that Singapore refers to migrants, both skilled and unskilled, as valuable human resources, while in Japan, the most influential discourse on migrants portrays them as an internal security threat. The Singaporean Government has made serious efforts in integrating skilled Chinese nationals, but in Japan, little has been done at the national level to integrate the Nikkeijin , even though they are potential long-term residents. Although the negative effects of having an ageing and declining population threaten both countries, Singapore has responded by prioritising immigration while Japan has not. Singapore may espouse multiculturalism, but the Singaporean Chinese have rejected Chinese nationals just the same. Singaporeans have rejected co-ethnic migrants primarily because they are outraged by the privileges offered to skilled Chinese nationals in employment, residency and citizenship matters. The Japanese, on the other hand, have rejected the Nikkeijin because despite their Japanese descent, they disturb Japanese homogeneity by bringing with them their language and culture from Latin America.