International labor migration and regional revitalization: Divergent perceptions and support of foreign workers in Japan’s rural communities

This paper investigates the relationship between the conceptualization of foreign workers' roles in regional revitalization, their visibility, and the support they receive in rural Japan amid population decline and labor shortages. Foreign workers in rural areas are often less visible and more vulnerable than their urban counterparts, as rural communities typically lack the resources needed to support them effectively. In Japan, this is largely due to the absence of comprehensive immigration policies. The 2019 Comprehensive Strategy to Overcome Population Decline and Revitalize Local Economies acknowledged the importance of foreign workers in regional revitalization and prompted local governments to enhance their support through financial incentives. However, significant disparities in support persist across rural municipalities. This study, drawing on fieldwork conducted in three rural municipalities in Kyūshū between 2021 and 2023, explores the varying responses of local governments to international labor migration. It compares how these governments perceive foreign workers, their role in regional revitalization, and the nature of the support provided, examining how these factors influence the workers' visibility within their communities. By highlighting differences among rural municipalities, the research reveals how marginalized groups, like foreign workers, are often excluded from the public sphere, impacting their access to services and the policies that govern them. The paper argues that the (in)visibility of foreign workers in rural Japan is not merely an outcome of local governance but also a determinant in the diverse approaches to their conceptualization and support.