Perspectives on Host Society Attitudes Toward Immigrants : A Review of Recent Findings from Japan

Migrant integration has not been a high priority on the national policy agenda in Japan to date. However, as the population shrinks at a rapid rate and the presence of foreign workers and residents becomes a fact of life, the social integration of migrants who select Japan as a destination is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. Research findings from traditional immigration nations have long pointed to public opinion as a key element of migrant integration. However, there is still a lack of research on public attitudes toward immigration and immigrants in Japan. What does recent literature on attitudes toward immigration and immigrants tell us about the feelings and expectations of the Japanese public on these topics? How much do we understand about the factors that may be influencing public attitudes in Japan? This paper provides a review of literature conducted on themes related to attitudes toward immigration and immigrants in Japan from 2019 to the present. Papers reviewed here are categorized according to the factors commonly identified as impacting attitudes toward immigration: cultural, economic, psychological, and environmental. This review finds that there is a pronounced bias toward studies using data from large-scale quantitative opinion surveys; significant variation in factors identified; and some consensus that findings on these topics in traditional immigration countries and regions are not necessarily applicable to the Japanese context. It is emphasized that there is a great need for qualitative studies on the attitudes of the Japanese public towards immigration and immigrants. The paper concludes with recommendations for studies targeting multicultural workplaces and communities in Japan, to develop a greater understanding of the thinking behind responses given in large-scale quantitative opinion surveys.