Earlier this year, local branches of the Immigration Bureau sent a document to Japanese language schools calling for those that had 10 or more students drop out or expelled over the past two years to adopt stricter admission procedures. The contents of the proposal went on to create ripples among those concerned for a number of reasons. The suggested changes to the existing system made no distinction between students who have dropped out of school only to stay on in Japan illegally, and those who have advanced into further education. The initiative failed to clarify why five countries were targeted in these measures, and also does not seem to recognize the extent to which Japanese society currently relies on international students working more than the legal limit. The move was condemned by critics who feel the decision was made by bureaucrats unaware of the real situation.
For the immigration authorities, the calls for stricter admission policies are seen as a step to combat the high number of international students who are working more than the 28-hour weekly limit. Their concern is that students aiming to work in Japan are enrolling into schools while having little interest in studying and may take advantage of the system.
The head of a language school in Fukuoka City spoke about how these proposals might restrict the rights of students, saying, “Some students return home because of illnesses, while others find employment.” A head at a language school in Tokyo discussed the extreme nature of the 10-student limit, given that the measures specifically do not take into account the size of the school or educational facility. The official added, “Some (enrolled) students have already acquired a good level of Japanese in their home country and pass university entrance exams while still a student at a language school.” If schools are to be punished for these kinds of circumstances, it will mean that accepting excellent students might actually have negative connotations.
The measures to tighten admission policies will involve students having to send detailed account information (including specifics about their bank account balance) from their local bank or financial institution. However, critics have pointed out that this could prove problematic in countries where these kinds of documents are sometimes forged. The fear is that requesting more information will just increase the number of falsified documents that are sent to Japan.
The head of a language school in the Kanto area added that a stricter immigration policy will not help solve underlying issues in society. The official stressed that many industries that rely on international students for their labor force will suffer because of the proposals, with convenience stores and the carrying trade expected to be hit particularly bad. Calls have been made for policies that will support international students, such as an increase in the amount of scholarships offered by different ministries and government agencies.
Masako Tanaka, an associate professor at Sophia University who specializes in the theory of international cooperation, has spoken out on the issue and called the Ministry of Justice to explain the reasons why five countries in particular are being targeted in these measures. Ms. Tanaka also suggested that the immigration screening process should place more importance on language ability than the finances of the students.
Original article from Nishinippon Shimbun (2/27/2017).
New Era of Immigration in Kyushu
The number of workers from abroad, including international students and technical interns in Japan, exceeded one million for the first time last year. This group of people form an indispensable component of the workforce, irrespective of the government’s position on immigration. Read more installments from this series here.
