Event

Presenter

Benjamin A. Sanjose, Hosei University

Title of Presentation

Deployment or Integration? - Negotiating Japanese Multiculturalism through the JFT Basic and the SSW

Abstract

 In 2019, Japan introduced theSpecified Skilled Worker Program (SSW) which promises to address Japan’s demand for skilled foreign human resources while providing a transparent recruitment
process for labor migrants with provisions grounded on multicultural coexistence policies. With language proficiency a major requirement for deployment, this paper explores the newly created Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT- Basic), which is expected to be an efficient alternative to the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). While the JLPT has been the standard to measure Japanese language proficiency, it entails more training and study hours. Meanwhile, the JFT Basic measures the language proficiency needed to communicate in everyday work and life situations. Furthermore, since the examination is computerized and can be taken several times in a year, it assures fast results and the retaking of exams. This paper also looks at intermediaries in the Philippines, consisting of recruitment agencies, training centers, and language schools, and their views on the prospects of the JFT Basic and Japanese multiculturalism. This paper argues that while Japan’s language education and multiculturalism initiatives have lofty ideals, the SSW’s recruitment and training policies highlight that the pressure of deployment often outweighs the goals of multiculturalism and integration.

Profile

Benjamin A. SAN JOSE is an adjunct professor of political science at Hosei University, Japan. San Jose received his Ph.D. in international public policy from the University of Tsukuba, where his dissertation explored the role of nationalist discourses in shaping and promoting Philippine labor migration policies.
His current research focuses on the growing role of intermediaries in shaping labor migration policy and managing the movement along the Philippines-Japan migration corridor. He was a visiting researcher at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) through a Japanese Studies fellowship under the Japan Foundation. He teaches courses on public policy, international relations, and is also pursuing research on Japanese multiculturalism policies.