Struggles in Japan's Multi-cultural Communities: Local Harmony Put to the Test in Various Towns and Cities
Rewritten Article:
titling it "Coexisting in Japan: Navigating Challenges with a Growing Foreign Population, particularly in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture"
Kawaguchi, a city in Saitama Prefecture, and other municipalities in Japan, are facing a multitude of challenges as they accommodate a burgeoning foreign population. The Kurdish community, residing primarily near Kawaguchi, is a significant group facing these issues.
In late March, a lively Newroz festival, the Kurdish spring celebration, took place in Saitama, attended by about a thousand people, including Kurds in vibrant traditional attire and Japanese citizens, dance merrily to the rhythm of the saz, a Kurdish stringed instrument. However, the event was marred by a skirmish between festival opponents and supporters, necessitating police intervention.
Kawaguchi is home to approximately 2,000 Kurds. This ethnic group, known famously as "the largest ethnic group without a state," resides in the border areas of countries such as Turkey. Kurds started settling in Kawaguchi in the 1990s during the unrest in Turkey and have been growing steadily, especially after the 2023 earthquake.
The increasing foreign population has brought about several concerns for the local government of Kawaguchi, including increased pressure on schools and complaints about unruly conduct and driving habits. In June 2023, the Kawaguchi City Council urged stricter measures against crime, stating that reckless driving and road rage by foreigners were recurring and couldn't be ignored. The statement, as acknowledged by a city council member, was primarily directed towards Kurds.
In the same month, a stabbing incident occurred due to a conflict between Kurdish individuals. The involved parties' acquaintances congregated at the hospital, causing a disturbance. Social media was flooded with unfavorable comments about the Kurdish community, including remarks like "they are a nuisance" and "they are scary."
The situation caught the attention of the Diet when a local representative brought up the rising number of incidents involving Kurds at the House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting in December 2023.
In an attempt to improve the situation, the Japan Kurdish Cultural Association, an organization consisting of Kurdish residents in Japan, initiated safety patrols during the summer of 2023. Their goal was to draw the attention of their co-ethnics to avoid causing trouble to the local community. Vakkas Cikan, the association's leader, acknowledged the need for improvements to foster a positive relationship with local residents.
To cope with some of the challenges faced by the foreign residents, the Kawaguchi City Government has established consultation services and Japanese language courses for children. Despite these efforts, complications persist. Many Kurdish residents are on provisional release, barring them from working and obtaining health insurance. As a result, foreign nationals account for about 30% of the uncollected medical bills at the Kawaguchi Municipal Medical Center.
The city government has appealed to the central government multiple times since 2020, requesting expanded educational support for foreign children and the right for those on provisional release to work and enroll in the health insurance system. Kawaguchi Mayor Nobuo Okunoki expressed his concerns, stating, "Even though they are on provisional release, we are responding to their needs for education and medical care based on humanitarian considerations. However, the burden on a single local government is too heavy. We urge the central government to take decisive action."
As the number of foreign residents across Japan grows, other municipalities are grappling with similar issues. Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Oizumi, Gunma Prefecture, are examples with numerous foreigners from various countries, leading to concerns such as improper garbage disposal, student isolation, and the need for staff who can communicate in multiple languages.
"Amid the declining birth rate and aging population, foreigners are crucial for each region," says Eriko Suzuki, a migration policy specialist at Kokushican University. She advocates that the central government should provide comprehensive support to local governments in their efforts to accommodate the foreign population by developing systems for learning Japanese and implementing user-friendly administrative services.
Kurds and others dance during the spring festival Newroz in late March in Saitama. PHOTO: THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN
- The growing foreign population, particularly in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, is causing a variety of concerns for local governments, with the Kurdish community being a significant factor.
- The local government of Kawaguchi has expressed concerns about increased pressure on schools and complaints regarding foreigners' unruly conduct and driving habits.
- In June 2023, the Kawaguchi City Council urged stricter measures against crime, specifically noting reckless driving and road rage by foreigners, primarily the Kurdish community.
- A conflict between Kurdish individuals resulted in a stabbing incident in June 2023, causing a public outcry and negative opinions about the Kurdish community on social media.
- The Japan Kurdish Cultural Association initiated safety patrols during the summer of 2023 to draw attention to their co-ethnics and avoid causing trouble to the local community.
- The Kawaguchi City Government has established consultation services and Japanese language courses for children, but complications persist, such as foreign nationals accounting for about 30% of uncollected medical bills.
- Kawaguchi Mayor Nobuo Okunoki has appealed to the central government to expand educational support for foreign children and allow those on provisional release to work and enroll in the health insurance system.
- As the number of foreign residents grows in Japan, other municipalities like Joso, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Oizumi, Gunma Prefecture, are facing similar challenges, including improper garbage disposal, student isolation, and the need for staff who can communicate in multiple languages.
- Migration policy specialist Eriko Suzuki suggests that the central government should provide comprehensive support to local governments by developing systems for learning Japanese and implementing user-friendly administrative services to accommodate the foreign population effectively.
