• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.449-463
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• 2009

One feature of the multicultural policy practiced in Japan is that the central government stresses the importance of local administrations in executing the policy, providing a systematic framework through which local administrations can actively promote and execute multicultural policy intended to foster social tolerance. In other words, the multicultural policy practiced in Japan seeks to overcome some of the limits and issues inherent to such policy by encouraging the delivery of opinions from below that reflect differences among different localities, while the central government proposes the policy aims and recommendations from above down to local administrations. The multicultural policy of Japan, which allows local administrations to administer such networks by actively carrying out the roles of arbitration and integration within communities where multiculturalism is found, presents meaningful points of comparison and learning to the multicultural policy in Korea that has only recently begun to seek for the aims and ways of multicultural policy from the perspective of social integration.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.17-39
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• 2011

As recent inflows of foreign immigrants to relatively advanced countries in Northeast Asia have rapidly increased, Japan in particular uses 'multicultural coexistance' as a key concept for developing both discourse and policies on them. This paper is first of all to suggest a new typology of multicultural societies in the world ill order to differentiate the case of Northeast Asian countries from those of Western countries. And this paper is to suggest that foreign immigrants in Japan have different positions in labor markets and living experiences according to historical and social backgrounds as well as their nationality. The transformation process towards multicultural society is not only historical and social but also geographical and spatial, as foreign immigrants have made different spatial distribution and regional segregation in types. In order to control this socio-spatial process towards multicultural society, Japan has developed the concept of 'multicultural coexistence' similar with that of multiculturalism in Western countries. This concept seems to be quite significant as it has been initiated by local communities for symbiotic relationship between foreign immigrants and native Japanese dwellers. But it can be regarded as a strategic ideology to control foreign immigrants as it targets mainly on Nikkeijin, and is usually concerned with the cultural aspect. Seen from a theoretical point of view, this concept can be seen as closed with liberal multiculturalism as opportunity equity, but far from corporative multiculturalism as outcome equity, and it is on the process transferring from the first stage of tolerance to the second stage of legislation of nondiscrimination, while being distant from the third stage of legislation paradigmization of recognition, and hence appears to be easily reverted to assimilationism.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.189-216
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• 2021

This paper analyzes guidelines and enforcement that influence the multiculturalism in Japan and Korea. My results indicate that multiculturalism have different effects on communities in both countries. I find that the Japanese guidelines and enforcement have promoted the quality of multiculturalism. Specifically, I conclude that in the long term, the role of local government could help improve social integration.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.181-203
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• 2011

Transformation towards multicultural society requires discussion on new concepts of citizenship which would overcome some limits of national citizenship developed on the basis of the nation-state. Citizenship can be defined as a relationship between individuals and their community, and conceptualized in a relation with identity. Citizenship also includes its spatial elements such as site and movement, place and public/private space, boundary and territory, flow and network, level and scale, etc. and in particular implies a multi-scalability of local, national, and global level. A new discussion on citizenship has emerged in Japan in shift to multicultural society, especially focusing on activities of local governments and grassroots social movements to support and ensure welfare services to and human rights of foreign immigrants in local communities, hence develops a concept of local citizenship. This concept seems to be highly significant for both foreign immigrants and Japanese dwellers for multicultural coexistence, but raises serious problems of separating local citizenship from formal national citizenship and from universal global citizenship. In order to resolve these problems, a new multiscalar concept of glocal citizenship which links interrelationally local, national and global citizenship. The concept of glocal citizenship is suggested to lead academically a new version of cosmopolitanism which embraces the universal and the particular in a dialectic manner, and to give strategically an alternative to multicultural coexistence policy and discourse and local citizenship discussion in Japan.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.41
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• pp.247-270
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• 2014

Multiculturalism may be deeply connected with the diversities of cultures and enlightenment discussed in the context that we live together with the specification of cultures derived from any spatial conditions overtly and covertly. People live on their own customs compatible with their space and the time, and they make their boundaries of races, nations, and national memories. In such a way each of them treats each other exclusively and is inclined not to recognize being of the others. Also people are apt to recognize the others unessentially and overlook the others's value and way of life. As a result they might destroy the foundation of symbiotic livings conditions on their own. On the other hand they pretend to search for the cultural diversities of the others and include them under their own universalities, resulting in conflicts. Hence it is required that we should make an efforts to prepare the fields for living together through getting over the problem of the recognition of matters and affairs before us. From the above-told critical mind this thesis seeks the multicultural relativities and more arrives at the relationalities discussed by East-Asiatic philosophers of Chuang Tzu and Ch'oe Han-gi. Especially by gazing at the idea of the interconnectedness which means activities, changeabilities and mobilities, appeared on the idea of Ch'oe Han-Gi's revolving transformation, it is stressed that the communications of the local with each other in the various aspects of, e.g. materials, regions and cultures should be achieved.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 2010

The multicultural society under globalization have made an impact on the education since the end of 20th century. This study is for the theoretical approach and presentation of method about global citizenship education in globalization & multicultural society today. As an education which is suitable in the globalization & multicultural society I present 'cultural diversity' education. The 'cultural diversity' education for fostering global citizenship is needed to enhance the cultural sensibility while learning other cultures. The 'cultural diversity' education is having the values of human rights, fairness, diversity respect and living together. So I present the study lesson plans of 'cultural diversity' education for a global citizenship education from elementary school 6 grade social studies "Natural environments and cultures of world regions" chapter.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.39-69
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• 2008

The present study examined the overall receptivity of community members to migrant wives in Korea. A total of 23 community members from two regions, Ansan, an urban area and Youngam, a rural area, were selected for the interview based on their prior experience with migrant wives. Data were collected via a semi-structured interview method. The participants provided their personal feelings and thoughts on a variety of issues involving migrant wives, such as how they perceive migrant wives' original culture and lifestyles, the nature of their interaction experience with migrant wives, their overall evaluation of migrant wives, their opinions about migrant wives' cultural adaptation, and their opinions about the on-going transformation of the Korean society into a multi-racial, multi-cultural society. Interview results indicated that, although the participants' attitude toward migrant wives was positive, the overall receptivity to migrant wives was largely based on the traditional sex-role stereotypes typically found in the Korean society. Moreover, the vast majority of the participants endorsed a narrow-minded, uni-directional perspective on cultural adaptation which puts far greater emphasis on migrant wives' assimilation into the host culture than reciprocal influence process between the two cultures. Implications of the study and directions for future research were discussed.