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IS IMMIGRATION NOT BAD AT ALL AS THEY WANT US TO SEE IT? Is immigration not bad at all as they want us to see it?

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Is immigration not bad at all as they want us to see it?

Omar Dario Rincon Rodriguez1

Abstract:

The main objective of this research is to identify and analyze what are the current problems in the Japanese society and economy that can be solved with opening barriers to immigrants. It also studies the named three more important mass-migration movements that have had the highest impact on nowadays society and the effects they have brought and how they have influenced. From bringing an increase of insecurity to offering possible solution to structural problems in developed countries. This research also shows the two ways that people worldwide see immigration, the ones that see it as a terrorism risk and labor threat and those ones that see it as an opportunity to re- invent their economy and therefore their society to build a better future.

Key words:

Japan, immigration, society, impact, effect, refugees, hispanic, urban, rural, GDP, population, aging population, innovation, entrepreneurs.

1 Estudiante de Administración de Negocios Internacionales, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

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INTRODUCTION

Immigration is a topic that has a global impact in the society that has recently been increasing in the past few years. Through history, multiple migration processes have been carried out and they make part of what we are today.

Due to political and economic innestability there has been a misunderstanding over what immigrants could contribute into a society. This has influenced on-in a bad way-native citizen rising ultra-right political parties and thoughts as is happening in United States with their president Donald Trump that is on favor of closing the migration doors.

The purpose of this Journal is to show how a country that have been at the forefront of innovation, technology and development and is considered a world power country is requiring immigrants to give solution to problems that have been emerging in the last decades.

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1. Important recently mass migrations

Human´s history has witnessed millions of mass migration. The ever first migration was done by early humans (after Homo sapiens) 2 million years ago when they started exploring out of Africa.

All over the years there have been new events that affect the present and the future of the society in a good or in a bad way. The following most recently mass migration have had a high impact on the present days.

In based on the United Nations researches, in 2017, of the 258 million international migrants worldwide, 106 million were born in Asia. Europe was the region of birth of the second largest number of international migrants (61 million), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (38 million), and Africa (36 million). Relatively few migrants worldwide were born in Northern America (4 million) or Oceania (2 million). Considering each region’s relative share in the world population, international migrants from Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and Oceania were overrepresented, while international migrants from Asia, Northern America and Africa were underrepresented.

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1.1. Syrian Refugees crisis

"If Europe fails on the question of refugees, then it won't be the Europe we wished for.” (Angela Merkel,2017)

According to BBC research, even before the civil-war in Syria started, many Syrians were complaining about high unemployment, corruption and lack of political freedom under President Bashar al-Saad, who took over the control of Syria after his father died in 2000.

In March 2011, democracy demonstrations erupted in Deraa (south of Syria) and when the government used deadly counterattacks, it erupted nationwide. Since the war started, around 55percent (11.9 million people) of the Syrian population have been displaced, 6.2 million internally and 5.7 million abroad as refugees. As is shown in the fig 1, refugees are mainly going to neighborhood countries (Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon) and reaching Europe has become in their goal.

Figure 1: Where have the Syrian Refugees gone (BBC research, 2019)

Furthermore, 50 % of all registered Syrian refugees are under the age of 18 and millions have grown knowing nothing but the conflict, stated the UN refugee agencyi. Host communities continue to expand access to schools for Syrian refugee children, but resources are stretched thin.

In Lebanon, 350 schools have added a second afternoon shift to help accommodate an additional 150,000 refugee students. But even with expanded access, more than 50 percent of school-aged children are still not in school.

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1.2. Hispanic migration in United States

When talking about United States immigration there is important to quote its 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt-in charge during the period from September 14, 1901 to March 4, 1909-, when he said:

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or

origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...

and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

(Theodore Roosevelt, 1900)

Despite the fact at that time they did not accept another culture, language, flag or anything else, they did accept immigrants as their own people as soon as they culturized themselves with the American culture.

According to Francisco Moreno Fernandez (2017), director of the migration observatory of Harvard, Latino population in 2017 made up 17,8percent of the population in the United States (323.1 million), approximately 57.5 million. Mainly, coming from Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba and is expected to be double by 2050. As shown in the table 2 immigrants commonly settle in south of North America where they have a significant representation over the total population.

Table 1 Hispanic as a percentage of population by U.S states. source: U.S Census Bureau(2016)

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1.3. Migration from Rural China to Urban China

Despite this migration process is not internationally, it has had a large impact in the current economy as China has been becoming and is prompt to become the largest economy on earth.

Since the introduction of the economy reform in 1978, China started to experience a rapid and unprecedented process of urbanization, created by the history's largest flow of rural–urban migration in the world.

This movement was encouraged due to better conditions in urban areas that rapidly developed into commerce capitals nationwide in China.

Also, several institutions had limited opportunities for rural immigrant in the past.

However, thanks to recent reforms this situation changed and Chinese found an opportunity to grow. According to the World Bank data base, around 530 million Chinese had moved to the principal urban cities in China and 230 million spent most of the year away from their home or village. Undoubtably, internal rural migration in China has helped China to become one of the most powerful countries, threatening United States to overcome its economy.

Figure 2 Inter-Provincial migration (Kam Wing Chan, University of Washington)

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As shown in fig. 3 and fig. 4 as urban population in China grows, so does its GDP. Giving the importance and impact that urban population has on Chinese economy, therefore, it has helped China to become in what it is today.

Figure 3 Chinese Urban Population Growth (World Bank, 2018)

Figure 4 Chinese GDP (World Bank, 2018)

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2. Immigration around the world

2.1. How local people see immigration

Migration worldwide has two very significant points of view with great relevance in their reasons.

On the one hand, there is the concept "Migration is a negative burden for the affected country"

Most people in many countries think that immigrants in the country illegally should be deported because in their personal opinion they consider that immigrants increase the risk of terrorism in their countries and the insecurity in this. Additionally, the population with professional studies see migration as a labor threat.

However, other countries such as Germany, Japan, Holland, Canada among others; They consider that migration is a positive

phenomenon for their country, since most of them suffer a large percentage of "older adults" and this surpasses the young population. Therefore, they do not see migration as a threat, but rather as an opportunity to increase the rate of youth in their territory. For example, Japan is

making efforts to attract more migrants due to the aging of its population.

Additionally, in terms of perceived job competition between immigrants and nationals, there appears to be a clear divide based on national income: residents of high-income economies overall are much more likely to say immigrants take jobs citizens do not want than jobs that citizens want. In all other economies, residents are more likely to say immigrants take the jobs that citizens want.

Illustration 1: Global Migration. The Next Edition 2019

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2.2. Urbanization

Perceptions of migration have changed in the last decade. Recent global declarations including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and the New Urban Agenda refer primarily to large-scale movements that need to be planned and well managed. Development gives far more attention to rural-urban migration and governments’ concerns with rapid urban growth and urbanization.

Large-scale movement of migrants and refugees is certainly a defining and dramatic concern for this decade and likely for decades

to come. At the same time, rapid urbanization and growing urban poverty remain critical in much of the Global South and are closely linked to socioeconomic change. Policies that aim to curb rural-urban migration usually equate migration with growing urban poverty on the assumption that most, if not all, migrants are rural poor who ‘transfer’ their poverty to urban contexts.

This does not consider the diversity of the people who migrate, their reasons for moving, the directions in which they move and the duration of their stay in destination areas. It also does not account for the fact that a significant share of migrants to urban centres does not come from rural areas, but from other urban centers. From a rural perspective, there is evidence that permanent migrants from rural areas are often from the wealthiest groups, moving for employment and/or education purposes.

Illustration 2: Urbanization (Andrew Bowell)

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2.3. Popular destination for immigrants in the 21st century

According to the Migration Policy institute Australia, Canada, and the United States often are described as traditional countries of immigration, as historically each encouraged immigration for permanent settlement on a significant scale that was essential for the countries’ founding and development. All three have experienced successive waves of immigration over the past few centuries, and each wave has been characterized by a different predominant country or region of origin.

In the Australian case, about 4.4 million foreign-born persons resided in Australia as of the country’s 2006 Population and Housing Census. They accounted for 22.2 percent of the total country population of 19.9 million. The foreign-born share did not change between 2001 and 2006. Immigrants from the top five countries of origin - the United Kingdom, New Zealand, China, Italy, and Vietnam - accounted for 45.1 percent of all the foreign born in Australia.

In the Canadian case, about 6.2 million foreign-born persons resided in Canada, according to the 2006 Canadian Census of Population. They accounted for 19.8 percent of the total country population of 31.2 million (compared to 18.4 percent in 2001). Immigrants from the top five countries of origin - the United Kingdom, China, India, Philippines, and Italy - accounted for 33.8 percent of all the foreign born in Canada.

In the United States case, almost 40 million foreign-born persons resided in the United States, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey. They accounted for 12.9 percent of the total country population of 309.3 million (compared to 12.5 percent in 2006 and 11.1 percent in 2000). Almost 30 percent of immigrants in the United States came from Mexico. Immigrants from the top five countries of origin - Mexico, India, the Philippines, China, and Vietnam - accounted for 45.3 percent of all the foreign born in the United States.

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3. Why are immigrants a huge opportunity for Japan?

Japan has the lowest percentage of immigrants with almost 2 percent of its population due to they have the most restrictive immigration law. Japan in the perfect example of a country that lives without immigrants.

The Japanese immigration law offers foreigners to get in Japan in two ways, as a tourist or as a worker for a company but it is required to have a high-level degree and you can only work in your area, you are not available to work in another job.

3.1. Japan’s ageing population and public deficits

According to Hiroshi Yoshikawa (2012), The nationwide social security system established in 1961 has made great contributions to post-war Japanese society. For example, in 1950 Japan’s average life expectancy — of 58 years for men and 61.5 years for women — was the shortest among the advanced countries. Today, Japan enjoys the world’s longest life expectancy (83 years).

Two causes are to be credited with this improvement: the steady rise in average income in post- war Japan, and social security.

But the social security system now faces serious financing problems due to rapid ageing.

While the major beneficiaries of the system are people aged 65 years and older, it is the working population (20–64 years) who pays the majority of taxes and social security contributions. This is to say that ageing simultaneously brings about a decrease in revenues and an increase in payments.

This obviously poses a challenge. The ratio of the aged to the working population is expected to be nearly one to one by 2050. According to the UN, Japan is ageing faster than any other nation.

Ageing is not unique to Japan (China will face the same problem this century), but the problem is more pressing here than elsewhere.

In 2011, total social security benefits amounted to more than 100 trillion yen (US$1.27 trillion) one-fifth of the country’s GDP. Social security contributions cover only 60 per cent of these benefits. The remaining 40 trillion yen comes from taxes or, more precisely, public deficits. In this way, deficits in the social security system add to the public deficits. The national budget for the 2012 fiscal year illustrates how concerning the situation is. From a total budget of 90 trillion yen

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(US$1.14 trillion), 28 trillion will finance social security. While all public expenditures have been steadily cut over the last 10 years, social security programs have climbed by more than 1 trillion yen (US$12.7 billion) per year.

3.2. Lack of innovation

According to Anthony Fensom(2012), Japan was once known for its technological innovations, Japan’s competitive edge is being challenged in industries ranging from auto manufacturing to electronics. With entrepreneurship apparently no longer in fashion among a stay-at-home and conformist youth, how can the nation that produced companies such as Honda and Sony regain its mojo?

While current business leaders such as Gree’s Yoshikazu Tanaka, Uniqlo’s Tadashi Yanai and Softbank’s Masayoshi Son, show Japan’s entrepreneurial spirit is far from extinguished, the larger trends are not encouraging.

The latest statistics show that Japan’s neighbors have eclipsed Asia’s previous leading economy in the vital area of innovation. According to the INSEAD eLab and the World Intellectual Property Organization’s 2012 Global Innovation Index survey, Japan ranks just 25th in innovation, well behind Asian rivals like Singapore (third) and Hong Kong (eighth), as well as South Korea (21st).

3.3. Culture diversification and interaction.

Cultural diversity is important because our country, workplaces, and schools increasingly consist of various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. We can learn from one another, but first, we must have a level of understanding about each other. Learning about other cultures helps us

understand different perspectives within the world in which we live. It helps dispel negative stereotypes and personal biases about different groups.

In addition, cultural diversity helps us recognize and respect “ways of being” that are not necessarily our own. So that as we interact with others we can build bridges to trust, respect, and understanding across cultures. Furthermore, this diversity makes our country a more interesting

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place to live. As people from diverse cultures contribute language skills, new ways of thinking, new knowledge, and different experiences.

4. CONCLUSION

Despite being a subject of thousands of misunderstandings, immigration has always existed and will always do. No matters how many people are against it, it is a phenomenon that makes part of every single country’s history.

When different cultures merge and interact or when there is a new culture living within another far different, new ideas and some methods of work are born, creating an environment of innovation that is the base of a healthy society.

Not always immigration means bad as some politicians want us to see it, in many cases when a well-carried and well-controlled immigrant plan is held without angriness and hate, it could bring so many benefits for the country whether benefits are economical, political or in societal.

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5. REFERENCES

Zhao, Y. (1999). Leaving the countryside: rural-to-urban migration decisions in China. American Economic Review, 89(2), 281-286.

Zhang, K. H., & Shunfeng, S. (2003). Rural–urban migration and urbanization in China:

Evidence from time-series and cross-section analyses. China Economic Review, 14(4), 386- 400.

Seeborg, M. C., Jin, Z. and Y. Zhu (2000), The new rural-urban labor mobility in China: Causes and implications. The Journal of SocioEconomics. 29: 39-56.

De Brauw, A. and J. Giles (2008a), Migrant Labor Markets and the Welfare of Rural Households in the Developing World: Evidence from China. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 4585. The World Bank.

Laland, K. N., Odling-Smee, J., & Myles, S. (2010). How culture shaped the human genome:

bringing genetics and the human sciences together. Nature Reviews Genetics, 11(2), 137 Fassio, C., Montobbio, F., & Venturini, A. (2019). Skilled migration and innovation in European industries. Research Policy, 48(3), 706-718.

Happ, R., & Förster, M. (2019). The relationship between migration background and knowledge and understanding of personal finance of young adults in Germany. International Review of Economics Education, 30, 100141.

Boswell, C. (2003). The ‘external dimension ‘of EU immigration and asylum policy. International affairs, 79(3), 619-638.

References

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