The UN’s sustainable development goals in Japan: SDG 10.7 Japan’s migratory policies since 2012: immigration as a positive force towards sustainability

Abstract

The legal status of foreign residents in Japan has been tightly controlled since the end of WWII, and has not been considered as a way to sustainably develop until the 2010s under Shinzo Abe’s second time as Prime Minister. Distinctions in status of residence such as “highly-skilled professionals” and “specified skilled worker” have been criticized, as they impede a strong foundation for the legal establishment of civil and social rights for foreigners. The aim of this dissertation is to analyze migrant workers’ situation in Japan under the Technical Intern Training program (TITP), the legal possibilities of them satisfying the labour shortage in place under the theoretical framework of functionalist migration theories, and make a primary assessment of how possible it is to solve the demographic decline in the future decades through the progressive entry of migrant workers in the country. It will take into account the immigration policies in place, some possible discriminatory practices in the workplace environment and the stagnation of migratory policies under Shinzo Abe’s rule. The theoretical framework used will be Sustainable Development Goal 10.7, in order to underscore the importance of labor conditions and the upholding of human rights for migrants in order for them to become a development force for Japan –and conclude whether Japan’s current mobility and demographic crisis can be solved through the efficient implementation of SDG 10.7 in a straightforward manner.