In Japan, the aging population, as well as the continuous decline in the working population, have been major concerns. To cope with this, the Japanese government has attempted to attract more foreign workers, resulting in an increasing number of foreign workers over the past decades. However, as the process of attracting more immigrant populations has progressed, various challenges have become apparent. The question that must be addressed is how to integrate these foreigners while aiming for new community development.

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This paper reports on the results of a survey conducted with elderly care facilities in Akita prefecture regarding their attitudes toward the acceptance of foreign care workers. Further it reports on the current situation of local Japanese language education in Akita, based on questionnaire and interview surveys conducted with different stakeholders, including municipalities, local Japanese language classes, and elderly care facilities. These results shed light on the potentials and challenges in accepting foreign care workers in Akita, amidst an increased demand for such workers especially through the Technical Intern Trainee Program.

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How can we create economic dynamics with foreign workers in the context of local community globalization? We should consider the initiatives taken by Semboku City and Ogata Village in this regard. We should also consider the entrepreneurial endeavors of foreign residents in the Akita prefecture. To sustain economic dynamics in local communities in the globalization context, local communities should consider accepting foreigners as members of their communities, not just as human resources.

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To explore how local traditional folk events have been inherited from the past in the modern context of declining population and multicultural coexistence, we conducted literature surveys, interviews, and questionnaire surveys for both case studies: Akita no Kanto of Akita city and Oga no Namahage of Oga city. This study examines cases involving international students and migrants from both domestic cities and foreign countries, as well as the possibilities that external participants can play in the succession of traditional events.

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This is a record of a panel discussion about presentations on the acceptance of foreign workers in Akita prefecture. The discussion focused mainly on the conditions necessary for the successful acceptance of migrants into local communities. Several issues were raised, including measures to integrate migrants and their families, ways to establish a society that is attractive to migrants, the participation of foreigners in local traditions, and the sustainability of migration policies in the face of international competition for foreign workers.

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To accept more foreigners, a wide range of discussions as well as hard and soft environmental improvements are necessary, including systematic Japanese language education, daily life support, and participation in local culture. Additionally, the debate over accepting foreign workers to cover the labor shortage is an issue that is fundamentally related to Japan's future design. Therefore, the acceptance of foreign workers must be addressed in the broader context.

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