Indian Diaspora in Japanese Workplace: Instrumentalizing Present strategies for Future Benefits
Author Name
Monir Hossain Moni
Author Address
PhD, Research Professor & Director, Program on Global Japan Studies
Division of Asian & International Affairs, Asia Pacific Institute for Global Studies (APIGS)
Email:
[email protected]
Keywords
India, Japan, diaspora, transnational migration, soft power, public diplomacy, foreign policy, international relations
Abstract
The term ‘diaspora migration’ as one of many types of global migration makes up a core part in the burgeoning literatures of international relations and development studies amid globalization in the 21st century’s interconnected and interdependent world of profound changes and challenges. Anyhow, while several South Asian countries (ie, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) now recognize the extraordinary contributions to socio-economic growth and prosperity their astonishingly increased migrants make through foreign remittances (more than double overseas development assistance), diasporas have become significant players for India that evidently has today the world’s largest diaspora with 16 million population. Against this rational background, this well-timed project on such a really-compelling issue sets the researcher’s sights on answering the following most paramount questions: (1) What are the serious problems the people of Indian origin are beset with the Japanese society, and vice versa what are the momentous challenges confronting the Japanese counterparts in the similar set-up, as well as what are about the Japanese multicultural policy and practical sense of caring for their diasporas? (2) Why are familiar business enterprises aside from other informal employment sectors of a ‘flagging’ Japan in a dire need to work more spiritedly with an ‘emerging’ India’s high-tech talents, particularly admiring that Indian expatriate professional engineers are becoming the backbone of Japan’s IT industry? (3) How can these two friendly nations of greater East Asia gain fully and flourishingly from each other’s potential for future with the diffusion of new policy ideas, choices and decisions surrounding diaspora at an opportune time when the number of the Indian migrants in Japan is growing in scope at a record pace? By appropriating the theories of transnational ‘diaspora diplomacy’ and ‘soft power’ due to the multiplex implications of diasporic community on foreign policy beyond the concepts of ‘diaspora engagement’ and ‘diaspora-driven development’.
Conference
International Conference on "Global Migration: Rethinking Skills, Knowledge and Culture"