There are mechanisms of discriminations against ‘non Japanese’ persons within
Japanese communities which function as hindrances to acceptance of refugees
as residents of Japan, resulting as exclusion. In the Japanese context, ‘acceptance’
of ‘non Japanese’ as residents seems to mean their full assimilation or to
become like Japanese.
The main finding of the study is as follows. First of all, no matter what back
ground people have, once people from other countries/ethnic enter Japan,
people are categorised as foreigner and makes it clear in people’s mind that
they are not Japanese, they are different from Japanese. It was found that notion
of integration as well as notion of residents is not in the policy at national
level. It is very ambiguous as how they are perceived in official text. For Japanese
policy, as for many other Western countries, refugees have basically been
viewed as a ‘burden’ of the international community, a burden they are sharing.
As long as one perceives the other as a burden, there will be no equal relationship
in the society. All of these work synergistically with the myth that “Japan
is a homogeneous society” increasing the risk of exclusion of non Japanese.
Language is a crucial factor upon integration. Being unable to speak the language,
there is a high risk of exclusion from the Japanese society. It is true that
exclusion of refugees and other foreign people (including people of non Japanese
root) exist, but communication and mutual understanding ease the barriers
and makes it possible for the participation at multiple levels. In the sphere
of education, not only the lingual ability of student themselves but also that of
parents facilitated active participation. However lingual ability does not simply
guarantee non-exclusion.