Small Centre Conversations: Immigration and Settlement Beyond the Megacity in Japan (In Person and Online Through Zoom)

This will be a hybrid event taking place at the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba and through Zoom. 

We ask that anyone interested in attending in person please register by September 17th. (There is no deadline for those planning to attend online)

*Seating for this event is limited, and in-person registration will close sooner if capacity is reached before the registration deadline.

Formal proceedings will be from 1:30-4:30pm, Sept 20th, 2024, followed by an optional reception from 4:30-6:00pm.

Event Topic

Amidst pressing demographic realities, including a rapidly ageing society and a significant anticipated decline in Japan’s national population, Japan is experiencing an important national debate on the country’s relationship with immigration.  

Japan boasts some of the world’s most dynamic urban economies in major metropolitan centers like Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, each of which attracts foreigners to work and live therein.  

But what about smaller Japanese cities and rural and remote areas, many of which are increasingly considering strategies to attract and retain foreign born workers for community sustainability and economic vitality?  How are those enacting such strategies making their communities more welcoming for newcomers?  And what roles are various levels of government in Japan playing in facilitating immigration to smaller cities and rural and remote areas?   

Speakers

In this event, Japanese scholars Drs. Tsuyoshi Tokuda (Otani University, Kyoto), Junichiro Koji (Hokkaido University of Education, Hakodate) and Yuko Nikaido (Notre Dame Seishin University, Okayama) will present research findings on the state of immigration policy in Japan, with a focus on smaller cities and remote regions.  Collectively, they will offer a macroscopic analysis of the current state of Japanese community-based and regional immigration strategies, the national framework within which these occur, and illustrative examples from places like the prefectures of Hokkaido, Ehime, and Shimane.

Presentations

• Dr. Tsuyoshi Tokuda (Otani University, Kyoto): Difficulties of Welcoming Immigrants into Rural Japan
• Dr. Yuko Nikaido (Notre Dame Seishin University, Okayama): Survival Strategies for Small Municipality in Socially and Geographically Disadvantaged Areas by Recruiting Workers from Abroad: A Case Study of Mimasaka City, Okayama Prefecture

• Dr. Junichiro Koji (Hokkaido University of Education, Hakodate): Hokkaido, Land of Welcoming Communities To-Be?: Opportunities and Challenges

Target Audience

This event will be of particular interest to migration and community economic development researchers in Canada, Japan, and elsewhere, as well as policymakers and members of the wider newcomer settlement service community. It will also appeal to those with a general interest in contemporary social matters in Japan, including the present and future of Japanese nationhood.

The presentations, responses and discussions will present an opportunity for speakers and attendees to develop a mutual understanding of immigration processes, local immigration governance and policy implementation, and community responses beyond major cities in Japan, Canada and elsewhere.  It is designed to promote discussions, foster mutual learning, and enable collaboration on the present and future of immigration governance in Japan, Canada, and beyond.

Registration

When registering you will be asked to indicate the following: 

• Your name 
• Your organization
• Any dietary restrictions you may have
• If you plan to attend the event in person or online 

Please reach out to Adia Koodoo at a.koodoo@mansomanitoba.ca with any questions or concerns.