2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Keeping Tabs on Aliens: An Analysis of Monitoring Mechanisms in Japan's Immigration Law and Policy Framework
| Project/Area Number |
17K03316
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| Research Institution | Nagoya University |
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Principal Investigator |
石川 クラウディア 名古屋大学, 国際機構, 准教授 (10283467)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
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| Keywords | paradigm shift / international students / restrictions / designated skills |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In 2020, the PI continued to conduct a review of relevant literature, white papers, and academic articles, focusing, in particular, on control mechanisms revolving around international students. Discussions within the Japan Association for Migration Policy Studies (JAMPS) and International Human Rights Law Association, on the effects of COVID-19 with respect to immigration and the residence of foreign nationals in Japan were of significant value, and the PI, in 2020, continued to foster links with both Associations.
With regard to research activities, in FY 2020, due to the unforeseen fallout resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the PI was unable to report her findings, with the exception of a guest lecture, conducted online, to the Nagoya University Law School on Japan's managed immigration policy. Here, she focused on issues surrounding the new 'designated skills' residence status.
As the topic of this particular research revolves around the forging and maintenance of a rational and coherent immigration policy, COVID-19-related developments, both towards the end of FY 2019 and throughout FY 2020, undeniably affected research progress adversely. Immigration in Japan has been abruptly curtailed; moreover the PI has been unable to conduct any overseas fieldwork. In order to render the research more relevant to the circumstances of the With-COVID era, in FY 2021 the PI intends to add to the research insights on the ramifications of the pandemic on future immigration policy in this country.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
4: Progress in research has been delayed.
Reason
1. The PI is responsible for co-ordinating this university's inbound student exchange programme, which in FY 2020 was beset by a number of difficult challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic on international student mobility at this University was given priority.
2.The advent of COVID-19 has had/is continuing to have serious implications for the pursuit of this particular research. The PI is not only unable to travel abroad to engage in in-depth survey interviews; more significantly, immigration policy, both in Japan and at the global level, has been turned on its head, with international mobility and entry currently being kept to an absolute minimum, and policy-making being put on hold. Moreover, as COVID-19 is generating changes in the social and economic fabric of societies world-wide, post-COVID immigration policy paradigms can be expected to shift dramatically, thereby complicating this research.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In order to continue this research project in FY 2021, the PI will be required to make significant adjustments for the paradigm-shift in immigration-centred research that has been engendered by With-COVID. Not only will overseas travel (Germany, Australia) for the purpose of conducting interview surveys continue to be non-implementable; equal restrictions apply to domestic travel. Damage can theoretically be mitigated through the employment of ICT applications, such as ZOOM, etc., but initial access to subjects through such means should be understood to be limited. Moreover, most Government agencies have more pressing issues at hand.
Nevertheless, research on 'monitoring mechanisms' in immigration law and policy remains a pertinent issue, even in a WITH-COVID society, and the PI intends to continue with her research as follows:
1. Continue with literature and policy paper reviews, taking particular note of COVID-19 implications for future immigration policy.
2. Give an oral presentation of research results at the Japan Association of Migration Policy Studies and, thereafter, compile the research into reports for publication.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Overseas field-work, which requires substantial funding, is intrinsic to the pursuit of this research. In FY 2020, plans for overseas travel were aborted due to the continued spread of COVID-19, which rendered travel both at the international and domestic level unfeasible.
Unless vaccinations become more readily available in Japan, it seems highly likely that travel will continue to be restricted in FY 2021. In this event, the PI will return the relevant costs to the funding organisation.
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Research Products
(1 results)
