2019 Volume 20 Issue 1 Pages 165-206
Japan is an immigration country whose economy cannot be sustained without foreign workers. However, the national government has done little for migrants, and municipalities and non-government organizations (NGOs) provide nominal services. The study examines the roles of migrant organizations through a case study of a self-help organization (SHO) in Gunma. Its primary role is organizing Nepalese migrants for mutual support. The secondary role is maintaining regular contact and collaboration with local governments and NGOs to provide an interface between migrants and other stakeholders to contribute to the integration of Nepalese migrants. The third role is developing transnational ties with Nepal, which is limited to emergency support. As the case of the SHO shows, migrant organizations can promote themselves as an interface between migrants and local stakeholders. Maintaining regular contact and collaboration with various stakeholders, they can be proactive civil society organizations that go beyond episodic participation in their residential communities.
