Foreign Residents Working and living Condition and the Role of NGO

1. INTRODUCTION

The number of newcomers has drastically increased since late 1970 in Japan. The more foreigners enter Japan, the more social problems with regards to the living and working condition of them attracts public attention. Due to lack of administrative social welfare system for protecting rights of foreign residents in Japan, the NGOs are taking an important role to provide various services to the foreign residents in Japan.

In Kyushu, where the following study was made, there is an active NGO network, referred to as Kyushu Network , enthusiastically support the human rights of foreign residents in Kyushu and Yamaguchi prefecture. The Kyushu Network was established in May 1998, and it has 15 NGOs and 40 individual attendants (including lawyers, doctors, and some other professionals), that are interested in the social issue of the foreigners in Japan. The aim of the network is to establish an information center to exchange information applicable for foreigners, sharing professional skills and knowledge, and activate the advocacy. At present, the NGOs and individuals under the Kyushu Network provide daily information in various languages, interpreting and translating service, shelter house, Japanese language course, legal and psychological counseling, and guarantors for renting houses.

This study was conducted by Kyushu Network, to clarify the basic condition and needs of the foreigners in Kyushu Area,1) in order to establish the more efficient services towards the foreign residents. Kyushu is an Island that locates the Western part of Japan, which is only 150 Km away from Pusan, the tip of Korean Peninsula. There are some big cities in Kyushu, for instance Fukuoka, or Kitakyushu, which have commercial centers or industrial areas. The rest of the prefectures, however, are located in the rural areas, where the main industries are concentrated on small sized agriculture and fishery industries, and some tourism.

According to the Japan Immigration Statistics, there is 78,044 person or 5.0% of the total population of foreigners in Japan resides in Kyushu Area. 1 However, there was no extensive social survey done in the Kyushu area, before this study was made.

2. METHODOLOGY

Prior to constructing the survey, the interviews with members of the Kyushu Network were conducted. Through the interview, socio-economic problems of the foreigners were derived and categorized. An anonymous questionnaire was carefully constructed according to the results of the interview.

The questionnaire was translated into 8 languages, namely Japanese, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, Indonesian, Korean and Chinese, and distributed among foreigners residing in Kyushu and Yamaguchi Prefectures, and distributed through members of Kyushu Network. The survey period was from November 1999 to March 2000. The collected questionnaires totaled to 278, with a respondent rate of 91.2%.

In this study, demographic data of foreigners, namely, sex, age, nationality of spouse, school background, country of origin, length of stay in Japan, Japanese proficiencies, reason to come to Japan, and position of work were used as independent variables while Life and Work dissatisfaction were used as dependent variables.

In this paper, in order to clarify the condition of well-being of the foreigners, the factor correlates to number of social support, and status of mental health, and intended period of stay in Japan were also examined. The questionnaires were statistically analyzed by performing chi-square test, T-test, and one-way ANOVA by SPSS 10.0J.

3.RESULTS

(1) Characteristics of the respondents

The respondents were 107 males (39.6%) and 163 females (60.4%). The average age of the respondents was 31.2 years old, and most of them are in their thirties (87.3%). 57.8% of the total respondents were married of whom 61.1% were spouses of Japanese national. By school background, university graduates (57.2%) were the most, followed by high school graduates (24.9%).

Filipinos were the biggest group amongst the respondents (36.0%) followed by Peruvians (9.4%), Chinese (9.4%), Indonesians (9.0%) and Americans (8.6%) (Fig. 1). By country of origin by region, respondents from Asia (62.9%) were the biggest, followed by Europe and North America (18.3%), and Latin America (16.9%). The length of stay in Japan was 4 years and 8 months on the average. There were two extreme peaks by length of stay in Japan, those who stayed in Japan for less than one year (23.1%), or more than 8 years (18.4%).

According to a self-rating as to Japanese language proficiency, 47.0% answered that they could speak minimum daily conversation without any interpretation, and 45.5% answered that they could speak daily conversation fluently.

In this survey, work (32.8%) was the biggest reason that respondents came to Japan, followed by marriage (26.0%), study (21.4%), training (12.2%), and visiting families (6.5%) (Fig.2).

(2) Life and work condition by socio-economic characteristics of the foreigner

1) Life dissatisfaction and their background

With regards to the Life dissatisfaction, 84.0% of the total respondents answered, Feel that daily expenses are high . This was followed by Feel a language barrier. (66.7%) (Fig.3). Males (57.0%) were likely to feel lack of daily information than females (41.2%)(p<0.01). The respondents in their 40s (40.6%) were more likely to complain about Difficult to find a place to live than those in their 30s (25.5%)and 20s (17.8%)(p<0.01).

Analyzing Life dissatisfaction by nationality of spouse, the spouse of Japanese nationals expressed less dissatisfaction than those married to non-Japanese nationals.
For instance, 55.3% of the spouse of Japanese nationals answered, Feel a language barrier. while 72.4% for those non-Japanese nationals answered so (p<0.05). 

Additionally, 75.6% of the spouse of Japanese nationals answered, Feel that daily expenses are high. while 91.2% for those non-Japanese nationals answered so (p<0.05).

Analyzing Life dissatisfaction by country of origin by region, those who answered, Feel a language barrier. showed highest in Europeans and North Americans (72.5%), followed by Asians (68.9%) and Latin Americans (51.1%) (p<0.05). On the other hand, those who answered Difficult to find Job. showed highest in Latin Americans (56.5%), followed by Asians (49.1%) and Europeans and North Americans (16.0%) (p<0.001).

By length of stay in Japan, the longer they live, the lesser they feel a language barrier (p<0.05). On the contrary, the longer they live, the more they feel difficulties to find a place to live (p<0.01).

The respondents whose reason to come to Japan to be trained were most likely to answer, Feel a language barrier. (93.5%) (p<0.05) and Difficult to understand ways of life in Japan. (76.7%) (p<0.01) than respondents who came to Japan for other reasons. However, they were less likely to answer Difficult to find a job. (6.9%) than other respondents (p<0.01). No significant difference can be seen in recognition of Life dissatisfaction, between the levels of school background.

2) Working environment and their background

72.4% of the total respondents answered that they had ever worked in Japan. Amongst those who presently work, more answered Investment to my own future. (87.2%) as their reason for working, followed by To experience life in Japanese society. (77.6%), To support their family in their home country. (55.1%) and To support their family in Japan. (43.4%).

Categorizing the type of current work, 30.3% were teachers and or instructors, followed by entertainers (16.8%), factory workers (16.2%), and construction workers (8.6%) (Fig.4). By type of position of current work, 50.5% were full-timers, followed by part-timers (35.3%) and trainees (10.5%) (Fig. 5). They have been engaged in their current work for 2 years and 7 months on the average. The average basic salary was 173,205 yen per month.

With regards to the Work dissatisfaction, 50.8% answered, Working conditions are hard. followed by My basic salary is low. (48.1%), There are few benefits aside from my salary. (42.1%), The working hours are short. (37.2%), Cannot get along with my co-workers. (27.5%) (Fig.6). Spouses of Japanese nationals (18.0%) were less likely to answer, Cannot get along with my co-workers than those of non-Japanese (42.9%) (p<0.05).

By level of school background, high school undergraduates were more likely to feel My basic salary is low. (76.9%) than any other higher educated groups (p<0.05), and feel Working conditions are hard. (78.6%) (p<0.001).

Latin Americans were more likely to answer, My basic salary is low. and Working conditions are hard. (63.9% and 58.3% respectively), compared to Asian (52.0% and 57.8%) and Europeans and North Americans (27.3% and 29.5%) in p<0.001 level.

By length of stay in Japan, the longer they live, the more they answered My basic salary is low. (p<0.05), and There are few benefits aside from my salary. (p<0.05).

Analyzing Work dissatisfaction by the type of position of work, respondent rate of trainees were significant higher than non-trainees in Working condition are hard (82.4%)(p<0.01), My basic salary is low. (72.2%) (p<0.05), Cannot get along with my co-workers. (50.0%) (p<0.05). While The working hours are short. (12.5%) (p<0.05) marked lower by trainees than by non-trainees (Fig.7).

There was no difference between male and female, age and the level of Japanese language proficiency in recognition of Work dissatisfaction.
It must be noted that a number of industrial accident cases were also reported in this survey. 66.4% of the respondents of this survey answered that they have used medical care for some reason in the past one year. Accident and injury (13.2%) was the fifth biggest reason for using medical care, and those who come to Japan to work, or to train, were likely to experience a higher rate of industrial accident than those who come to Japan with other reasons (p<0.01). Additionally, those who suffered any type of industrial accident in the past amount to 21.0% of those who had worked in Japan. Those who had experienced industrial accident, 42.9% had aftereffects. However, only 31.4% were given compensation by their employers.

The open-ended questions further explained the detail of the industrial accidents. A total of 27 industrial cases were reported, amongst them, 17 cases complained about physical conditions, 3 cases referred to their mental depression, and 2 cases complained about both physical and mental condition. Physical and mental complaints seemed to derive from the nature of their work, known as 3D (Difficult, Dangerous, and Dirty) work. It was also made clear that stressful human relationship with Japanese people including bullying against foreigners adversely affects their mental health.

(3) Social support system and its effects in foreigners life in Japan

1) Number of social support by characteristics of the foreigner

With regards to the number of social support in Japan, 90.0% of the respondent answered I have someone to comfort me when I am lonely. followed by I have someone to ask for Japanese interpretation. (87.9%), I have someone to inform me about hospitals. (86.6%), and I have someone that I can ask to become my guarantor. (82.5%).

Spouse of Japanese nationals were more likely to answer (96.6%) that they have someone to comfort him/her when he/she is lonely the non-Japanese (86.0%) (p<0.05). In comparison with non-trainees, a fewer number of trainees answered that I have someone to ask for Japanese interpretation. (p<0.05) for trainees, 73.3% and for non-trainees, 90.0% respectively. Also in I have someone to comfort me when I am lonely. trainees were lesser than non-trainees (p<0.01). Trainees marked 72.4%, and non-trainees marked 92.4% (Fig.8).

There was no significant difference between male and female, differences in age, level of school background, difference of country of origin by region, level of Japanese proficiencies in number of social support network. Also no significant differences could be seen between the difference those who had social supports and those who did not have, in terms of length of stay. 

2) Foreigners mental health and social support environment

Although no independent variables significantly correlated to the level of depression of foreigners, the survey result indicated that social support environment significantly correlated to the level of depression of the foreigners. With the aim of finding by comparison how the foreigners mental health is related to their supportive environment, the following procedure was made. Firstly, the respondents were divided into two groups; one group of respondents having someone to comfort him/her, having someone to ask to become his/her guarantor, having someone to ask for Japanese interpretation or having someone to inform him/her about hospitals, and the other group of the respondents having nobody to comfort him/her, having nobody to ask to become his/her guarantor, have nobody to ask for Japanese interpretation or having nobody to inform him/her about hospitals. Secondly, the self-rated depression score using CES-D 2 was calculated through T-test.

As a result, those who had someone to comfort him/her showed significantly lower depression score than those who did not (p<0.01). Also, those who had someone to ask to become his/her guarantor showed significantly lower depression score than those who did not (p<0.05) (Fig.9). 2)

(4) The intended period of stay in Japan and its background

Asked whether they wanted to continue to live in Japan as much as possible on condition that they were able to live as long as they want, 66.6% of the respondents answered yes. 

By age, respondents in 40s (81.3%) were likely to stay in Japan than 30s (70.4%) and 20s (59.5%) (p<0.05). Those who came to Japan to marry (85.4%) were most likely to answer I would prefer to stay in Japan than respondents who married to non-Japanese (54.7%) (p<0.05).

The longer they had been stayed, the more likely they intended to stay here longer (p<0.001). No significant difference could be seen between sex, level of school background, difference in country of origin and level of Japanese proficiencies. Additionally, there was no specific relation between their intended period of stay and their Life and Work dissatisfaction in Japan. However, it was made apparent that social support environment significantly correlated to their intended period of stay. For example, the respondents having someone to comfort him/her (p<0.001), having someone to ask for Japanese interpretation (p<0.01), and having someone to inform him/her about hospitals (p<0.01) were likely to want to continue to live in Japan (Fig.10).

5.DISCUSSION

(1)The Characteristic of Foreigners in Kyushu Area

Of the foreign residents in Kyushu by country of origin, 62.9% of the respondents were from Asia. This tendency can be seen also in national level, where 74.6 % are from Asian countries.1 By nationality, Filipinos form the biggest ethnic group. This reflects the background of Kyushu Network, in which there was a strong relationship with Filipino communities. As many Filipinos enter Japan as entertainers or spouse of Japanese nationals, many cases of trafficking women have been reported. The Kyushu Network has been working hard on the issue. It is for this reason that the relationship with Kyushu Network and Filipino communities is strong. Therefore, in this survey, the Kyushu Network was able to obtain many Filipinos as respondents. 

Peruvians were also big ethnic group, and this reflects the characteristics of Kyushu, known as an area that sent Japanese migrants to Peru. As Watanabe et al. 3 reported, many Japanese Latin Americans and their descendants have returned to Japan, mostly where their relatives and friends are from. Their purpose of coming to Japan is to work, because most of the Japanese Latin Americans enter Japan with visa of descendent of Japanese nationals, in which there is no regulation as they work in Japan.

The result of this survey showed that this tendency could be seen in Kyushu Area, too. Many Peruvians return to their ancestors hometowns in Kyushu, and create Peruvian communities in various parts of Kyushu Area.

Regarding the type of work, teacher and instructor (30.3%) showed the largest portion amongst the type of work, followed by entertainers (16.8%). As the Japan Immigration Statistics showed entertainers (25.7%) as the biggest number amongst other type of work, it can be assumed that the bigger portion of entertainers than 16.8% as result of this survey showed, should have been stayed in Kyushu. 

However, due to the lack of ability of conducting random sampling, most of them are presumably not able to contact Kyushu Network. Besides in the earlier mentioned types of work, factory workers (16.2%) and construction workers (8.6%) showed the bigger portion in this survey. It can be assumed that trainees and some undocumented illegal workers were included in this number.3) We can also assume that some illegal workers are also included in this statistics, however, the number of undocumented people was not clarified through this survey due to the need of protecting their privacy. Except for some biases, we can say that this survey almost represents the actual population of the foreign residents in Kyushu.

(2) Life and Work dissatisfaction by characteristics of foreigners

In this survey, Life and Work dissatisfaction of foreigners varied by many socio-economic backgrounds of the foreigners. By area of country of origin, respondents from Europe or North America were able to find jobs, while Asians and Latin Americans were not so. This due to the fact that Westerners could easily find jobs as English or some other language teachers, no matter how much difficulty they have in speaking Japanese. Asians and Latin Americans have a hard time finding jobs, because they are considered not suitable as language teacher, but rather as blue-collar workers, no matter how well they could speak Japanese.

It is not difficult to imagine the situation of the Japanese Latin Americans, who are able to speak better Japanese but could not find jobs easily due to their nationality. Ohara et al. 4 pointed through their survey amongst university students in Tokyo, that Japanese people tended to welcome westerners, compare to non-westerners. The results of this survey showed that this tendency also could be seen in the Kyushu area, although it is geographically near to and thus have a strong historical relationship with the Asian continent. Thus it could be said that the Japanese people are judgmental towards foreigners according to their country of origin.4)

Regarding the Life dissatisfaction, no big differences could be seen between the surveys done in other than Kyushu areas. 5 Foreigners in Kyushu were, like foreigners who reside in other parts of Japan, dissatisfied with the daily expenses, language barriers.

What we could find particularly in this survey was that, Work dissatisfaction was significantly different by type of positions at work. For instance, trainees were likely to experience hard working condition, low salary, long working hours, and less good relationship with their Japanese colleagues.

As the Committee of Issues of Trainees of Japan pointed the problems of trainees, trainees should be considered as important target of support. They noticed that the present trainees system in Japan does not function well to protect their human rights. For instance, definition of trainees according to the Immigration Law in Japan is to be trained or skilled, but they are not classified as workers. Thus, no salaries are paid, but only small amounts of allowances. They are not covered by any compensation including industrial accident compensation, due to their position of work. However, in reality, some companies treat them as if they are workers, letting them working in the name of On the Job Training.6 This survey has found out that trainees recognize themselves no longer as such, but as a full time worker, due to the nature of their work.

It can be understood that trainees feel that they were forced to work without receiving compatible income; and this reflected the level of dissatisfaction of their work.

Trainees, however, tended to lack interpretation and emotional support. As Marks et al. 7 pointed out, ethnic minorities are considered as vulnerable group, their working condition may cause the industrial accident. Thus, establishing the support system for trainees is important, particularly to prevent industrial accidents.
Nowadays, many small-scale industries in Kyushu area have been accepting trainees. What is typical in Kyushu area is that many of the trainees are working for farming and fishing industries, due to the shortage of Japanese labor in these specific fields of industry. Through out this survey, Kyushu Network is planning to organize a special task force to support the human rights of trainees.

(3) Toward the globalization of Japanese society

Living in Japan, which is considered as homogeneous country, foreign residents are expected to learn new language, culture, customs and social rules, which is dominated by Japanese, as majorities. However, no matter how hard foreigners try to assimilate them, they do not have a sense of well-being in Japan unless they have appropriate social support. Well-being may affect foreigners wish to settle in their host country.

Through the result of this survey, having appropriate types of support may correlate to the level of mental health as well as their wish to stay in Japan. Those respondents who had emotional support marked lower depression score than those who did not have. This is because, having emotional support ease the foreigners tension and prevent them from being depressed. This type of support should be provided especially to whom working under such a depressive working condition, as an answer to the open-ended questions indicated there was some bullying against foreign workers in Japanese society. 

Interestingly, having emotional support also correlated to the intended period of stay in Japan. Those who had emotional support were likely to show the longer intended period of stay in Japan than those who did not have. It can be assumed that having appropriate social support, especially emotional support, enriches the state of well-being of foreigners, thus, it leads foreigners desire to settle longer in Japan. Additionally, the social supports can be a stronger indicator of intended length of stay than the level of dissatisfaction. This suggests that establishing social support may be the key for foreigners for their settlements in Japan.

More and more foreigners tend to stay longer in Japan, thus, from merely being foreigners to sojourners, and then to migrants. This study only clarifies the condition the first stage of the foreigners in Kyushu area through the limited number of samples. Further study is needed to determine the length of stay Japan for establishing the better social support system for the new era of Japans globalization.

Notes:

1) Kyushu has a history of hiring a lot of Koreans and Chinese especially in mining industry, before the Second World War. Those people are considered as old comers , due to the time they arrive to Japan. In this paper, foreigners who came to Japan after Second World War is considered.

2) For further study, see Hirano (2001).8

3) The 1999 Japan Immigration Statistics reported that more than 250,000 people have been overstayed in Japan, mainly for the working purpose.

4) Hirano (2001) pointed out that the country of origin is the strongest factor to determine the level of depression of the foreigner, and Westerners feel less depressed than non-Westerners. Thus, judging by Japanese by the country of origin may correlate to the level of depression.

References:

1. Japan Immigration Bureau edit., Japan Immigration Statistics, 1999 , Tokyo, 2000

2. Radloff L.S., The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population , Applied Psychological Measurement, 1; 385-401, 1977.

3. Watanabe M. et al., Japanese- Brasilian Migrant Workers , Akasi-Shoten, Tokyo, 1995.

4. Ohara Y. et al. Factors Correlate to the Acceptance of the Foreigners , Annual Report of Sociology, 4; 105-116, 1991.

5. Tezuka et al. Working Condition of the Foreign Workers , Akashi-Shoten, Tokyo, 1992.
6. Report from Kenshu-sei Mondai Kenkyu Kai (Committee of Issues of Trainees), Tokyo

7. Marks L. et al. Migrants, Minorities, and Health , Routledge, London, 1997

8. Hirano Y.O. Study of Depression Experienced by Foreigners in Kyushu Area , Memoirs of Kyushu University School of Helath Sciences, 28; 129-137, 2001. Yuko Ohara-Hirano