The importance of everyday interactions in Japan's more multicultural future

I read a piece via the Mainichi this morning, which looked at why exclusionary attitudes toward foreigners still appear in Japan even as communities become more diverse. Researcher Akira Igarashi from Osaka University explained that fear often plays a role, with some people worried about crime or job competition when the number of foreign residents increases.

Regular interaction was key to reducing prejudice, according to the research. Pic created via Canva.

His research showed that regular interaction helps reduce prejudice, and in areas where foreigners make up more than 10% of the population, there tend to be more friendships and positive exchanges between locals and foreign residents. However, if the lives of foreign workers are mostly limited to dormitories and factories, obviously those opportunities to connect remain pretty slim.

Igarashi also found that Japanese people sometimes express stronger exclusionary opinions when they know their answers will be seen by others, suggesting that taking a strict stance toward foreigners can be seen as socially acceptable. I thought this was a really interesting observation, since I feel like it's probably the opposite in Western countries (at least in my own) where most people wouldn't want any exclusionary attitudes they hold to be perceived by other people.

Despite what appears in the media or online, Igarashi believes many people are not as xenophobic as it may seem. Creating more chances for meaningful interaction in everyday community life seems like the key to improving understanding and coexistence.

In my area of Niigata, we're fortunate to have those opportunities for interaction quite well woven in to everyday life thanks to the local international university. They often host events on their campus that are open to the public, and the students also get the opportunity to volunteer in the community with things like rice planting and helping elderly residents clear snow in the wintertime.