The Council of Europe, European Union and Japan Foundation held a joint seminar in Tokyo in January in order to introduce and compare initiatives towards integration at regional and community levels in Europe and Japan.
“Japan, though it may be considered outside as ethnologically monolithic, has in fact a long history of accepting immigrants from abroad. In the past several decades, immigration to Japan has accelerated at least partly due to the government decision to loosen its immigration regulation in order to make up for the shrinking labour force.”
The seminar was based on research conducted in Reggio Emilia, Italy and Neuchatel, Switzerland by Mayor Nishikawa of Arawaka City, Professor Yamawaki of Meiji University and journalists and practitioners in the field of “multicultural symbiosis” (tabunka-kyousei). Moderated by Professor Yamawaki, the seminar discussed the similarities and differences of policies in intercultural cities and multicultural symbiosis in Japan and Europe.
To read a summary of the seminar visit the Council of Europe’s website site here.
