In the last decade, Japan has seen a sharp increase in labour migrants and research shows these migrants don’t always integrate easily and are often the subject of discrimination. Research on...Show moreIn the last decade, Japan has seen a sharp increase in labour migrants and research shows these migrants don’t always integrate easily and are often the subject of discrimination. Research on migrants, however, has mostly focussed on either the barriers to integration on the work floor or on the policies of the government, without focus on integration. This thesis links these two important research bodies, by studying immigration policy in relation to integration on the work floor. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and a case study of the recent amendments of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition act, it studies the attention given to the topics of labour, national security and human security. Results show that even though the government its policies play a key role in integration, the act holds little attention to the social aspect of integration. This social aspect consists of preventing discrimination and creating mutual understanding between Japanese citizens and migrants. Analysis shows that even though more labour opportunities to enter Japan were created in the amendments in 2014 and in 2018, migrants taking those opportunities (HSM, Technical Intern Trainees, SSW and health & care workers) still have difficulty integrating in Japan.Show less
Shinzo Abe is portrayed by literature to be someone who actively tries to curtail press freedom in Japan. This thesis posits that Abe's actions regarding press freedom in Japan do not constitute an...Show moreShinzo Abe is portrayed by literature to be someone who actively tries to curtail press freedom in Japan. This thesis posits that Abe's actions regarding press freedom in Japan do not constitute an attack on press freedom. It does so by reviewing the existing literature and considering whether the examples given by the literature ought to be considered as attacks. Afterwards, the thesis examines the modern day Japanese press through the lens of social responsibility-theory and concludes that the Japanese press system works in line with the expectations of the theory. As such, Japanese press freedom should be considered to be in working order.Show less
With the upcoming World Expo of 2025, the attention will be focused on Osaka once again. The first time Osaka held the World Expo was in 1970 and attracted a staggering number of visitors. Though...Show moreWith the upcoming World Expo of 2025, the attention will be focused on Osaka once again. The first time Osaka held the World Expo was in 1970 and attracted a staggering number of visitors. Though mega-events like the World Exposition are generally used as a tool for the host city to gain international exposure and boost the economy, whether the Expo of 1970 had the desired effect on the regional development of Osaka, has not yet been extensively studied. Therefore, this thesis will research and discuss to what extent the Osaka Expo of 1970 influenced Osaka’s economic and urban development. The research will be divided into four subsections (construction, tourism, economic restructuring and global status) and will primarily focus on relevant data provided by the Prefectural Government of Osaka.Show less
This research has identified relevant financial reforms in Japan and its effects on vertical keiretsu networks. It utilized a literature review to investigate vertical keiretsu networks, financial...Show moreThis research has identified relevant financial reforms in Japan and its effects on vertical keiretsu networks. It utilized a literature review to investigate vertical keiretsu networks, financial deregulation, and keiretsu networks’ contemporary relevance. Moreover, it utilized three different case studies focused on 1) foreign direct investment, 2) changing corporate finance methods, and 3) vertical keiretsu networks. The results show that especially financial deregulations in the period ’96–’06 have affected Japan’s financial markets and vertical keiretsu networks. It demonstrated how the financial reforms have increased foreign direct investment and diminished the role of Japan’s banking industry. It demonstrated that successful vertical keiretsu networks such as Toyota and Honda continue to pursue strong buyer-supplier relationships in the form of cross-shareholding, while at the same time they adopted a market-based global sourcing strategy and utilized the international financial markets. Financial deregulation increased keiretsu networks’ foreign ownership ratios, affected their intra-network cross-shareholding, and led all ‘parent’ firms to adopt market-based purchasing strategies. Therefore, the research claims that financial deregulation forced vertical keiretsu networks to change their ways by ‘hybridizing’ their business model, and that the networks seem to continue to exist as a relevant form of industrial organization in Japan, despite its drastically changing economic landscape.Show less
