International Cooperation and Labour Migration in East Asia: A new trend in bilateral negotiations between the Philippines and Japan

Abstract

If the Japanese government were to implement a policy initiative to build a regional community among East Asian nations similar to the EU, one of the most challenging policy issues would be the establishment of an international labour migration scheme. As experience in the EU shows, the first step to be taken is bilateral agreements between neighbouring nations. As of last year, the Japanese government started to change its immigration control policy through the process of an economic partnership agreement with the Philippines. It amended the criteria for the “Entertainer” status of residence permission to eliminate the risk of trafficking in persons. It also introduced a new scheme to accept nurses and caregivers from the Philippines.