Diversity in Japan: The Example of Hamamatsu
A couple weeks ago, there was an article in the Washington Post about a “rare experiment in diversity” taking place in Japan. The article focuses on the city of Hamamatsu, which has a large population of foreigners, most of them immigrants from Latin American. While some of these immigrants have thrived in their new environment, others face serious problems and tension with the Japanese community:
Problems in schools were just one sign the newcomers weren’t going to simply “blend in.” Those who lacked health insurance began turning up in local emergency rooms when they got sick. Since many depended on employers for housing, they ended up homeless if they lost their jobs.
Hidehiro Imanaka, director of Hamamatsu’s International Affairs Division, shook his head recalling angry citizens who would call city hall to tattle on foreign-born neighbors who didn’t sort the garbage properly or parked in the wrong places.
Some newcomers threw all-day barbecues with large crowds and loud music — just as they had back home. Their Japanese neighbors were horrified. At one point, tensions were so high that some merchants banned certain groups from their stores, until a lawsuit prompted them to stop.
The article states that the immigrants will continue their struggle, and experts quoted say that the Japanese will either have to let in more immigrants and accept their cultural differences, or face major economic slowdown due to labor shortages.
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