Context
This interview was published on September 21, 2024, shortly before Ishiba Shigeru became the Prime Minister of Japan. It was filmed when Ishiba was still running for the LDP election and before it became clear that he would be elected as the next LDP leader and prime minister.
Highlights
- Immigration as a Solution: Ishiba supports accepting immigrants to address Japan’s population crisis but acknowledges that Japan must become more attractive as a destination for immigrants.
- Rural Support for Immigration: Although rural Japan resisted immigrants in the past, it supports immigration now due to labor shortages in agriculture and manufacturing.
- Shift in Public Attitudes: Public attitudes toward immigration have shifted due to population decline, with more openness to immigration now compared to past resistance during times of population growth.
- Technology and AI Limitations: Ishiba thinks that technological advancements and AI will not progress quickly enough to address Japan’s population crisis without immigration.
Translation
Host: What do you think about immigration as a solution to the population crisis?
Ishiba: I think we should accept immigrants.
Host: The Specified Skilled Worker System managed by the Immigration Services Agency was meant for foreigners to study skills in Japan for a few years and bring the skills back to their home countries. However, in recent years, many have used it as an immigration system to acquire residency in Japan, even bringing their families. Do you think the system has become an immigration system?
Ishiba: Yes, it has.
Host: In the past, rural Japan had been anti-immigration. However, in recent years, rural Japan has come to support this immigration of skilled workers. Rural Japan is facing a labor shortage crisis in agriculture and manufacturing. It needs immigrants. If we accept more immigrants, do you think Japan won’t experience population decline?
Ishiba: I’m still worried about population decline. If Japan doesn’t become an attractive destination for immigration, immigrants won’t come. I’m wondering, how can Japan compete with countries like Taiwan and South Korea for immigrants? I think the Japanese government should take the responsibility of helping immigrants integrate into Japanese culture by teaching them language and culture. To attract immigrants, it’s very important to build Japan into a country where immigrants can easily integrate. I think it’s entirely possible that immigrants won’t choose Japan, and Japan’s population decline won’t stop.
Host: About 10 years ago, Japanese politicians understood that they’d lose elections if they supported immigration. I’m a baby boomer and remember that in the days of population growth, Japanese people didn’t want immigrants. Nowadays, things are different, right?
Ishiba: Yes, of course, things have changed since Japan’s population decline is very serious. Development in technology and AI won’t be fast enough to solve the population crisis. To make immigrants want to come to Japan, we must abandon the mentality that we will have immigrants do the most undesirable dirty jobs.
Host: Should we target highly skilled workers?
Ishiba: We want highly skilled workers, but we also want average people. Japan needs to become a country where average people can immigrate here and do average jobs. We must not expect immigrants to only do dirty work for cheap salaries.
Host: What policies should the government implement to make that possible?
Ishiba: The government should be responsible for creating a system where immigrants can start working right away. Foreigners who study skills in Japan should be allowed to stay and bring their families. Their families should have medical insurance in Japan. The system should encourage people to think that Japan is an attractive destination for immigration.
Host: In recent decades, Japan has been a hot destination for tourists. Do you think tourism can convert some people into thinking that Japan is a good destination for immigration?
Ishiba: We should try our best to give tourists a good impression of Japan and meet their needs. We don’t want them to be disappointed by their experience in Japan. I think Japanese people in general love foreigners who can speak Japanese. I think Japan is tolerant of other cultures in its own way. But I don’t think tourism can necessarily solve the problem of population decline.
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