%0 Journal Article
%T Importing Human Capital: Contemporary Japanese Attitudes to Immigration
%A LLEWELYN
%A James
%A HIRANO
%A Junichi
%J Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies
%D 2009
%I University Sheffield
%X The notion that migration is taboo in Japanese society is a long-held view that has arguably kept this important topic out of mainstream political debates for decades. In place of a durable strategic immigration policy, Japan has instead utilized short-term ad-hoc policies to import human capital through a number of 'side door' mechanisms that have allowed its industry to meet demand for unskilled labour at the expense of meaningful debate on the issue of immigration. This paper proposes that public opinion, particularly among the younger generation, is much more open to the issue of importing human capital than is commonly thought; therefore, the time is ripe for a more forthright public debate on immigration that will facilitate greater strategic planning and policymaking more in line with Japan's national interests.
%K Generation Y
%K immigration
%K human capital
%K unskilled labour
%K skilled labour
%K Japanese immigration policy
%U http://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/articles/2009/Llewelyn.html