University Enrollment among Japan's Second-Generation Migrants:

Analyzing the Patterns of Bifurcation

Abstract

This paper examines educational achievement among 1.5 and second-generation migrants in Japan using analytical frameworks developed in the US and Western Europe, which emphasize the bifurcation of various migrant groups. Using 2010 census data and interviews with 79 Argentinian and Peruvian youth, we clarify two questions. First, how is the second generation bifurcated in terms of educational attainment? We find a clear pattern of inequality by nationality: Japanese, Koreans, and Chinese come first and are almost equal, while Filipinos, Brazilians, and Peruvians have a much lower rate of university enrollment (Vietnamese are located in-between). Second, which factors are related to educational attainment? Our data show that parental education and occupation are significantly related, but the age of migration to Japan is not. This is because most migrant students who attend college entered Japanese schools and suffered from adaptation problems, but did better academically in high school. At the same time, most of them passed the entrance exams with very good scores, which means that alternative paths are necessary to ensure educational opportunities for migrant youth.