Foreign Residents Research Articles

Actual Conditions and Perceptions of Foreign Residents’ Access to Information:

背景・目的：日本に暮らす外国人は，言葉の壁により必要な情報を得ることが難しく，様々な公的サービスを利用できていない状況がある．本研究の目的は，外国人住民の新型コロナワクチンに関する情報の認識を把握し，今後の外国人住民への情報提供のありかたについて示唆を得ることである．対象と方法：外国人住民を対象に，新型コロナワクチンに関するどのような情報をどこから得ているのか，そしてその情報をどのように認識しているかについてインタビュー調査を実施した．加えて，外国籍キーパーソンを対象に，外国人住民の情報入手の実態および情報入手における課題やニーズについてインタビュー調査を実施した．逐語録から質的帰納的に分析した．結 果：外国人住民は自身もワクチン接種の対象者であること，接種は無料であること，接種後に発熱などの副反応が出ることを知っていた．ワクチンに関する情報は，主に学校，SNSや身近な人から得ており，ネットの情報よりも身近な人からの情報を信頼していた．行政からの資料・情報の理解やワクチンの予約手続きに言葉の壁を感じていた．一方，若い世代が大規模接種会場で接種可能となったことはあまり知られていなかった．また，日本語で発信されている情報を知らず，行政からの情報はほとんど見ていなかった．結 語：外国人への情報提供は，外国人住民に身近な学校や職場，身近な人，エスニックコミュニティなどに情報を届ける工夫をする，理解できる言語を用いる，そして外国人のニーズを把握しニーズに合った情報を提供することが効果的だと示唆された．そのために，平時から外国籍キーパーソンをはじめとし，行政や学校，地域住民など様々な立場の人からなるネットワークを構築して常に情報交換を行い，緊急時に情報をなるべく多くの外国人住民に迅速に届けられるようなシステムを構築しておくことが必要である．

Ten-year hospitalization trends in Mexico: Examining the profile of national and transient and migrants.

In Mexico, as in other societies, migrants are seen as over-users of health services. However, the extent, distribution, and trends of use over time are unknown. Evidence is needed to inform health policies and improve health services for foreign patients. The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with the distribution and trends of Mexican and foreign resident hospitalizations in Mexican public hospitals from 2010 to 2020. A graphical and statistical analysis (descriptive and correlational) of discharge trends in public hospitals was carried out. Hospitalization trends were analyzed by country of habitual residence (Mexico, US, Central and South America, and Other Continents), age, sex, primary discharge category, and region of service delivery. Adjusted Poisson modeling was used to examine the factors associated with annual hospitalizations of Mexican and foreign residents. Between 2010 and 2020, there were 26,780,808 hospitalizations in Mexican public hospitals. Of these, 0.05% were of foreign residents. Hospitalizations for Mexican residents remained stable from 2010 to 2019, while those for foreign residents trended upward over the same period. In 2020, hospitalizations of Mexican residents fell by 36.6%, while foreign resident hospitalizations fell by 348.8%. The distribution of hospitalizations by sex was higher among females for all categories of habitual residence, except among US residents. Obstetric discharges were the most common reason for hospitalization among Mexican residents (42.45%), Central and South American residents (42.24%), and residents from Other Continents (13.73%). The average hospital stay was 2 days. Poisson regression confirmed these results, showing that hospitalizations was higher among women (except among foreign residents) and in the ≤ 17 age group. Poisson modeling also showed that trauma injury was the leading cause of discharge for foreign residents after obstetric causes. It is unlikely the upward trend in hospitalizations among foreign residents in Mexico from 2010 to 2019 affected the Mexican public health system, given the small proportion (0.05%) of hospitalizations and the brief length of hospital stay. The increased number of hospitalizations during the study period may be explained by local and national measures to facilitate foreign residents' access to hospital services, while the decrease in hospital utilization in 2020 is likely associated with COVID-19. Geographic location and the most frequent primary discharge categories of hospitalizations within each population could provide evidence for modifications to public health policy in Mexico.

The Civic and Political Participation of Non-Citizen Residents in Japan: Multi-Ethnic Cities in an Ethno-Nationalist Society

ABSTRACT This article examines the roles that local actors play in driving a transition to multicultural co-living, drawing on the lessons learned from the experience of two Japanese municipalities in facilitating civic and political participation by non-citizens. It seeks to ascertain the factors that drive the transition to forms of local inclusion that foster the rights of foreign nationals to civic and political participation. Effective transitions to inclusiveness in these Japanese cities, the article finds, resulted largely from effective policy entrepreneurship and leadership, which I argue was produced by forward-looking local mayors, ethnic associations, and support groups. Given their lack of voice at the national level, the two municipalities in this study had previously had little option but to act on the pressing need to extend the rights of civic and political participation to foreign residents in their local communities. Despite differences in their circumstances, the two cities both had the skills and drive to overcome challenges and seize opportunities at the local level that effected real change for their inclusive communities.

Multilevel governance, community and emergency management during the pandemic: migrants in Japan

PurposeBuilding on perspectives from the study of multilevel governance, migrants' inclusion and emergency management, this article asks how differences across national regulations for foreign residents, work eligibility and access to national emergency supports intersected with local approaches in responding to migrants.Design/methodology/approachThis article examines national policy adjustments and parallel subnational governance early in the pandemic for three groups of foreign residents: international students, technical interns and co-ethnics with long-term visas, primarily Brazilians and Peruvians. It uses Japanese-language documents to trace national policy responses. To grasp subnational governance, the article analyzes coverage in six Japanese regional newspapers from northern, central and western Japan, for the period of April 1 to October 1, 2020.FindingsNational policies obstructed or enabled migrants' treatment as members of the local community but did not dictate this membership, which varied according to migrant group. Migrants' relationship to the community affected available supports.Originality/valueThe article brings together perspectives on multilevel governance, emergency management and migrants' inclusion. It exposes how different migrant groups' ties to the local community affected access to supports.

Detecting Urban Resilience. Foreign Residents’ Perceptions and Experiences of Public Services in a Globalising City: A Case Study of Krakow

In tennis, the sweet spot on a racket marks the point at which a ball can be hit with the greatest power for the least effort. Public services in the globalising city of Krakow found themselves in precisely such a position before the large-scale forced migration inflows as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine in February 2022. An analysis of the evaluations of public services by foreign residents in Krakow during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021) reveals, on the one hand, the overall satisfaction of users yet, on the other, significant differences in expectations and experiences amongst categories of foreign residents coming from global core, semi-peripheral and peripheral regions. The findings shed light on the nature of urban resilience in globalising cities like Krakow, which is encountering migration transitions, as well as the uneven nature of globalisation between services that have been internationalised and those which have not. The results expose considerable gaps in the process of the multi-faceted adaptation of city public services to meet the expectations of their dynamically changing population. The findings are particularly significant in the context of intensive forced migration inflows from Ukraine, critically reflecting on the resilience of public services on the eve of major shifts in population flows into the city.

Factors that Hinder the Use of Medical Services among Foreign Residents in Japan: An Analysis from a Comprehensive Web-based Survey

Factors that Hinder the Use of Medical Services among Foreign Residents in Japan: An Analysis from a Comprehensive Web-based Survey

Remote Work, Foreign Residents, and the Future of Global Cities

Remote Work, Foreign Residents, and the Future of Global Cities

Who benefits more from intergroup contact? Moderating roles of multicultural ideology on the relationship between intergroup contact and dehumanization of foreign residents

Who benefits more from intergroup contact? Moderating roles of multicultural ideology on the relationship between intergroup contact and dehumanization of foreign residents

A Comparison in Perception of Local and Foreign Residents to Thermal Comfort in Naturally Conditioned Residential Buildings

Thermal comfort is the individual satisfaction with the surrounding thermal environment. It is mainly affected by environmental factors (i.e., air temperature, relative humidity, air movement, and mean radiant temperature) and individual factors (i.e., activity and clothing). However, other factors such as acclimatization, experiences and expectations, food and drink, body shape and subcutaneous fat, age and gender, and state of health might play a significant role in the individual sensation and satisfaction of the thermal environment. This study investigates the possible differences in thermal perception between local and foreign residents, which might occur due to the influence of the individual and contributing factors that are linked to their thermal, cultural, and behavioural backgrounds. High-rise residential buildings that accommodate local and foreign residents were selected, and a questionnaire survey was distributed to assess their thermal comfort perception. The results showed differences between local and foreign residents in thermal comfort perception. The foreign residents were more satisfied and comfortable with the thermal environment compared to the local residents. However, this difference was found to be statistically insignificant; therefore, it might be linked to factors linked to the current study, including acclimatization, expectation, clothing insulation and activity levels. Therefore, a further large-scale investigation might be required with more analysis on the role and influence of the contributing factors on the thermal sensation of different gropes.

済州の結婚移民女性の事例からみた言語使用様相

This study examines how foreign residents are supported for social participation and literacy in South Korea, which is one of the first to implement a social integration program that encourages early settlement from overseas, and provides suggestions for supporting a policy for such foreign residents in Japan. Focusing on the literacy problem of married immigrant women, which has been increasing in recent years in Jeju, South Korea, the paper analyses what kind of literacy problems married immigrant women are having in their social life and interaction with local communities. And I will examine what kind of support is needed for their social participation.

The Food Delivery App Information Design Suggestion for Foreigners in South Korea

Many foreigners living in South Korea faces various problems in their daily lives, such as language barriers, cultural differences, etc. This also applies to making food orders via mobile applications. A lot of foreigners have difficulties using food delivery apps for various reasons. The purpose of this study is to create a functional design of food delivery app for foreigners based on a survey. As a part of this study, we conducted a survey among foreign residents in South Korea to identify and analyze user needs. After analyzing the survey results, we proposed a mobile app design based on user experience. As a result, we created a new design interface that includes a full English translation of the entire menu and information about food allergens. Besides, information about nutrients, ingredient’ origin, the pungency indicator and the label of vegan and halal food also have been added to the application interface.

Comparative analysis of ordinances for supporting foreign residents: Focusing on metropolitan governments

본 연구는 광역자치단체의 외국인주민 지원을 위한 조례의 특징을 파악하고 조례 내용을 비교분석하여 조례의 개선 방향을 모색하는데 목적이 있다. 이를 위하여 광역자치단체의 17건의 조례를 분석하였으며, 규범적 체계와 실효성 체계로 구분하여 내용분석을 실시하였다. 분석결과, 통합조례인 외국인주민 및 다문화가족지원 조례는 9건, 별도조례인 외국인주민지원 조례는 8건으로 통합조례가 절반을 약간 상회하였다. 조례에 따라 다소 차이는 있으나 대부분 조례내용이 중앙정부에서 제시한 표준조례안과 통합표준안을 각각 차용한 경우가 많아 지역적 특성의 반영은 미흡하였다, 또한, 상위법인 재한외국인처우기본법이 제정되기 전에 제시된 거주외국인지원 표준조례안을 대부분 적용한 별도조례는 통합조례에 비해 전반적으로 규범적 체계와 실효성 체계가 미흡하였고, 특히 외국인주민 수가 가장 많은 경기도의 조례가 상당히 미흡하였다. 이러한 분석결과를 토대로 광역자치단체의 외국인주민 지원을 위한 조례의 개선 방향을 제시하였다.

Does St-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Wait for The Vacation to End?

Objective: This is an epidemiological study of patients diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Fethiye, one of Turkey's most popular destinations for domestic and foreign tourists. It aimed to determine a tourist group at risk for STEMI and needs attention for a holiday region that does not have a catheter laboratory and is two hours away from the nearest catheter laboratory.Materials and Methods: The study was retrospective. Patients diagnosed with STEMI in all hospitals in the district, one state, and two private hospitals during the summer holiday period between June 1, 2021, and October 1, 2021, were examined. The most common STEMI dates and time intervals in tourists admitted to the emergency department were examined. Demographic characteristics and comorbidities of patients, including residents and tourists, were compared.Results: A total of 331 STEMI patients were observed. 76.7 % (n =254) of the patients were Turkish residents, 1.8 % (n =6) resident foreigners, 19.3 % (n =64) domestic tourists, and 2.1% (n =7) foreign tourists. The average age of the residents was statistically significantly higher than the tourist group (64.15 vs. 57.83, [p=0.01]). A statistically significant difference was found only with hypertension as a comorbidity (P = 0.034).Conclusion: In STEMI, no situation differs from the local people in the tourist group. Considering that elderly tourists with health problems will be encountered more frequently with the prolongation of human lifespan, efforts should continue to facilitate access to catheter laboratories in holiday regions, mainly for situations that require urgent intervention such as STEMI.

Engaging Foreign Residents

Engaging Foreign Residents

Makassar City Government Intensity in Supervision and Regulation of Foreign Residents as a Form of Safeguarding the Sovereignty of the Indonesian Nation

Makassar is now one of the most attractive cities for foreigners to visit; this then needs to be taken seriously by the authorities and those who have the power to carry out the supervisory function of these foreigners because the data revealed that in 2018 13 foreigners are detected as committing violations until they enter the realm of immigration crime, indirectly this will be a threat to the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Proposed research The implementation of supervision of foreigners and foreign community organisations are aimed at maintaining the upholding of the Sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Achieving these monitoring objectives requires an optimal role from the city government, which must also involve other elements such as relevant government agencies and the community—bearing in mind also that supervision is one of the roles of the government related to its administrative functions. The research uses a descriptive analysis approach, which will seek or describe the intensity of supervision and regulation of the Makassar City Government for foreigners in maintaining the nation’s sovereignty. The type of research applied is research with a writing method with a normative juridical approach (normative legal analysis), which refers to legal norms contained in legislation that uses a normative footing. The results of the study show the following: (a) Makassar City Government's intensity in Supervision and Regulation of Foreign Residents as a form of safeguarding National Sovereignty is carried out through the Makassar City National and Political Unity Agency by forming a Foreigner Supervision Team (POA) to carry out its supervisory role in the form of monitoring of the presence of foreigners in Makassar. Kesbangpol also involves the Regional Intelligence Community, abbreviated as Kominda, to facilitate the monitoring of foreigners in Makassar City. (b) The process of carrying out verification is the main task of the immigration authorities to carry out data collection. Data on foreigners from the immigration department is then coordinated with the Makassar City Government in a meeting of the Foreigner Supervision Team (POA). Keywords: Intensity, Surveillance, Foreign Residents, City Government

From a Japanese Language Teacher’s Point of View

<p>《日語教育推進法》於 2019 年 6 月 28 日正式實施。這對日語教育界而言，確實是一個重要的里程碑。此法案成立最主要的原因在於過去都必須仰賴志願者進行大部分的日語教育，惟特別是政府表示對於「作為一位在國內生活的外國人」的議題，已正式地感受到其必要性。因此，《日語教育推進法》中明確地指出，不僅是日語及日語教育層面，政府更明示了要針對生活於國內的外國人提供支援及必要性。為了使此法案的執行更 加落實，尚有些課題仍須解決。在本論文中，期許在實施《日語教育推進法》的環境，以及思考今後將出現的各種問題之際，能夠做出進一步的貢獻。據此，本論文將從日語教師的觀點舉出一些課題、疑問及問題點進行分析探討。隨著每五年重新審視一次，且不斷變化與發展的法案，期許其能夠更充實，並能夠直接對接目前所面臨之諸多課題的解決方案。</p> <p> </p><p>The Act on Promotion of Japanese Language Education was promulgated and enforced June 28, 2019. This was a landmark development for the Japanese language education industry. The most obvious reason is that it relied on volunteers to do most of Japanese language education, as well as to support foreigners as residents. Thus, the Act on the Promotion of Japanese and Language Education set the stage for both the teaching and learning of language, as well as supporting the lifestyles of foreign residents. Recognizing the need to provide support in Japanese we have tried to implement several important aspects of this mission. In this paper, we will discuss the promotion of Japanese language education and make observations on subsequent trends surrounding the promotion of Japanese language education. Then we will summarize the expectations, questions and problems of the bill from the viewpoint of a Japanese language teacher. In a review that takes place every five years, we look forward to seeing the results of this Japanese language education promotion as we check the conditions surrounding the actual situation.</p> <p> </p>

British Government Aid to French Émigrés and Early Humanitarian Relief during the French Revolution

Britain sheltered thousands of French refugees fleeing the Revolution. Relief organized on their behalf was unique at the time because it included both charitable and government-funded aid to temporary foreign residents. Resources were channeled through nongovernmental voluntary bodies in the French community and distributed by Jean-François de la Marche, the exiled Bishop of Saint Pol de Léon. The emigrants of the 1790s were agents of their own survival, but they also depended on diverse forms of support in host countries. That story has clear parallels in our own time. Eighteenth-century British relief also served as a precursor for subsequent humanitarian funding for victims of war and persecution.

An Exploratory Quantitative Study of Factors Associated with Dissatisfaction with Japanese Healthcare among Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals Living in Japan

Background: To identify factors necessary for the proper inclusion of foreigners in Japanese healthcare, we conducted a survey to determine whether foreign residents, even those with high socioeconomic status, referred to as “Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals”, experience difficulties when visiting medical institutions in Japan, using satisfaction level as an indicator. Method: A five-point Likert-scale, anonymous, online questionnaire was administered to faculty and doctoral students enrolled at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST). The respondents’ demographics and their opinions on what they found difficult or important during medical examinations, their impression of Japanese medical personnel, their requirements for language support and interpretation, and their opinions about local healthcare delivery systems were collected. The questionnaires were distributed and collected using Microsoft Forms. Results: Responses were obtained from 90 respondents (response rate: 20.7%). The percentage of respondents who were dissatisfied (bottom two of five Likert scales) with medical care in Japan was 23.4%. In univariate logistic regression analysis, 11 of 35 questions were significantly correlated with dissatisfaction with medical care (p < 0.1). Duration of stay, presence of family members living with the patient, satisfaction with life, and perceived usefulness of language support were negatively correlated with dissatisfaction with medical care, while communication problems with medical personnel, need for medical personnel to respect patients’ culture, religion, and privacy, and difficulty in getting to medical facilities were positively correlated with dissatisfaction with medical care. No significant correlations were found with age, gender, or Japanese language level. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of family members living with the subject (AOR = 0.092, p = 0.010), the desire for multilingual documentation (AOR = 0.177, p = 0.046), the physician’s concern for the patient’s culture and religion (AOR = 8.347, p = 0.029), and difficulty in communication with healthcare providers (AOR = 6.54, p = 0.036) were significantly correlated with overall dissatisfaction with medical care. Discussion: On average, the targeted Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals did not have strong levels of dissatisfaction with Japanese healthcare, but when they did have dissatisfaction, it was related to language barriers, lack of cultural and religious considerations, and difficulty in communication with healthcare providers. We believe that the results indicate the focus points of support necessary for the inclusion of foreigners. We also believe that the finding that family cohabitation is associated with satisfaction with medical care is a useful insight into effective reciprocal support on the part of patients.

Communication Management Processes of Dentists Providing Healthcare for Migrants with Limited Japanese Proficiency.

Low health literacy results in health inequity are linked with poor adherence to medical care. In the globalized Japanese context, the number of migrants with Japanese as a second language is increasing year after year. Since limited Japanese proficiency may pose a greater health risk, dentists are expected to manage cross-cultural communication and provide dental care to foreign patients. This study explored dentists' experiences of treating patients with limited Japanese proficiencies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 community dentists and the qualitative data were analyzed through a thematic analysis approach. Their major challenges were classified into three themes-linguistic aspect (e.g., complicated explanation regarding root canal treatment), sociolinguistic aspect (e.g., communication with foreign residents with limited dental knowledge), and sociocultural aspect (e.g., cultural differences in their dental aesthetics and insurance treatment system). Several management strategies were employed, including linguistic accommodation, avoidance of complexities, use of various communication tools, and getting help from others. However, they were unsatisfied with their practice because they could not understand the patients' psychosocial aspects due to incomplete communication. These findings provided insights into dentists' practice in the globalized context.

Building Walls Through Cultural Exchange: NHK’s Cool Japan and Home Sweet Tokyo

In this paper I look at two programs broadcasted on NHK—Japan’s public broadcaster—featuring foreigners living in Japan, Cool Japan and Home Sweet Tokyo, and the refracted ways in which Japanese identity is constructed through gazes that are self-Orientalizing and Occidentalizing. I place the two within three contexts: the Cool and Sugoi Japan campaigns, the foreign talent industry, and the increased concerns over foreigners in Japan. Using a functionalist approach, my analysis highlights the roles played by these two programs within Japanese society and for a Japanese audience, especially in its representation of foreign residents in light of cultural nationalism. While NHK produces some programs featuring non-Japanese hosts and guests, Cool Japan and Home Sweet Tokyo are of unique interest for their purported aim to represent and give voice to foreigners living in Japan.