Japanese Immigration and the Korean Minority

New Books in Japanese Studies · Jul 22, 2022 · 26m

Why does Japanese immigration policy have such a bad name? What are the historical origins of tight immigration policies? Where have these policies left immigrants of Korean descent, many of who lost their Japanese nationality in the wake of the Pacific War? Are Koreans in Japan still torn between competing loyalties to North and South Korea? And what prospects are there for immigration reform in Japan, especially given the country’s aging population and urgent need for more labour?

Sara Park is a lecturer in Japanese culture at the University of Helsinki, who has written widely on questions…