Understanding the citizenship of foreign nationals inJapan

Why does the citizenship of foreign nationalsborn in between administrative discretion andsocial movements?

Abstract

　According to the Constitution, it is supposed that foreign nationals have basic

human rights in Japan as well. However, the human rights of foreign nationals

are quite different from those of Japanese. For foreigners, freedom of choice of

occupation, freedom of choice of residence is also limited depending on the status

of visa qualification. It is impossible to imagine if they are Japanese. The

meaning of “freedom” by foreign nationals is completely different from Japanese

people who are citizens. The fact that the meaning of ‘freedom’ that people

can acquire is different means that the citizenship that guarantees freedom

also has to be different between Japanese and foreign national.

　However, on the other hand, it is self-evident that there are human rights of

foreigners in Japan, so it is natural for foreigners to be on hand to various social

welfare subjects. This paper considers the “citizenship” of a foreign nationals

from how foreigners have become the subject of concrete social welfare subjects.

This chapter considers how the administration had to tackle welfare for

foreign nationals such as lively protection and child aid as a problem of administrative

operation. Finaly, the author will consider the actual supply of welfare

for foreign nationals as “operational citizenship”, then clarify what is the citizenship

of foreign nationals.