Healthcare systems that meet the needs of the multicultural society in Japan: Lessons learned from narratives of Japanese Returnees from China

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12929
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08010:Sociology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Ogasawara Rie 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 特任講師(常勤) (70814375)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: マイノリティ・ヘルス / 中国帰国者 / 多文化共生 / 人権 / 医療政策

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on Japanese healthcare systems and investigated how it met/unmet the needs of the multicultural society in Japan by 1) historical review of Japanese healthcare policy, 2) collection of narratives of Japanese Returnees from China (Chugoku-kikokusha), and 3) examination of the applicability of American minority health policy to Japan.
A historical review of Japanese healthcare policy suggested a lack of consideration to human rights of "foreign" residents in many former policies. The US has a comprehensive "minority health" policy to correct the health disparities which have been created by "structural" discrimination. Many policies were found to be applicable in Japan; for example, creating a social platform for immigrants to play an active role in society and mandating medical interpreters in public medical facilities.

Free Research Field

医療社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

少子高齢化や地方の過疎化に歯止めがかからず、外国人労働者の手を借りなければもはや社会が成り立たないのが今の、そしてこれからの日本社会である。今や中国帰国者は風化を待つだけのきわめてマージナルな存在になっているが、彼らの経験は、これからの日本の移民政策に必要不可欠な社会基盤整備のための貴重な教訓である。加えてアメリカのマイノリティヘルス政策の応用を論じることができたことは、本研究の社会的意義の一つであると考える。
中国帰国者を、医療現場における「特異な事例」としてではなく「生活者」として捉え、その日常診療に焦点をあてた点には学術的意義があると考える。