Japan’s immigration policy seems to be a popular subject nowadays, due to Japan’s rapidly aging society. When looking at the subject of immigration regarding Japanese society, the common conception...Show moreJapan’s immigration policy seems to be a popular subject nowadays, due to Japan’s rapidly aging society. When looking at the subject of immigration regarding Japanese society, the common conception seems that Japan is reluctant to implement an immigration policy, being that the main reason for this reluctancy lies in Japan’s unique history. Over the years, changes have been made to Japan’s immigration policy. From introducing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to entice foreign health care workers from the Philippines and Indonesia, to the development of a point-based system for highly skilled workers, to opening up more work sectors for foreign workers that enter under the newest visa category of ‘specified skills’ in 2019. This thesis examines the current (2019) immigration policy and analyses its most recent changes, in order to find out the political sentiments behind Japan's immigration policy. This thesis illustrates the difference between policy-making and policy-outcome.Show less
In Japan, the concept of genze riyaku, which literally means ‘this-worldly benefits’, implies the sphere of this life in which most prayers, requests and needs of the Japanese towards the supposed...Show moreIn Japan, the concept of genze riyaku, which literally means ‘this-worldly benefits’, implies the sphere of this life in which most prayers, requests and needs of the Japanese towards the supposed power of the other world (takai) and its occupants (such as kami, Buddhas and ancestors) are directed. The notion, aside from its materialistic ethic, may be aimed at the attainment of peace of mind and emotional solace; inside this framework, it is usually possible to distinguish four different categories: prevention from disasters, wish for success in life and career, a prosperous love life, and the quelling of demons. First of all, it will be important to establish the limits of the concept ‘religious’ that so often we find in the literature about this topic, which “takes for granted an essentialist (and basically Christocentric) definition of religion” [Josephson, 2011]. After laying the foundations of the Japanese ‘religious’ situation, I will return to the main topic of genze riyaku, better describing the elements that it comprises and that are related to it, such as kudoku (merit). Further, I shall explain how the support from shrines and temples can be provided in different ways, such as through specific rituals, prayers from priests, the personal worship of statues or other sacred objects, and so on. Nonetheless, another option that enable the granting of benefits is the purchase of talismans and amulets, known as ema, omamori and ofuda: altogether, it is possible to affirm that what is embedded in these ritual institutions is a role of crisis management. Since the presence of genze riyaku dates back to before the introduction of the Western concept of religion in Japan, how should we actually label it? Is it a social, cultural, religious concept? What is its relationship with the ritual institutions, and does the genze riyaku help in stressing this sort of “Japanese religiousness”? Lastly, what can the economic aspect around the selling of talismans and amulets or paid rites tell us about the notion of genze riyaku?Show less
The field of research on e-sports is relatively new, and research about e-sports in Japan is limited. Broadly speaking, e-sports refers to video games that are played competitively in tournaments...Show moreThe field of research on e-sports is relatively new, and research about e-sports in Japan is limited. Broadly speaking, e-sports refers to video games that are played competitively in tournaments and leagues. This study will first further elaborate on the term e-sports and explain e-sports by breaking it down into the player, organizational and spectatorship aspects. A review of the literature on Japanese e-sports, and looking at the state of e-sports in Japan reveals several aspects that will form the basis of this study. Firstly, e-sports is a global phenomenon but has had its own developmental trajectory in each country (Kato Hiroyasu, 2018b, p. 136). Japan is considered to be behind developmentally in terms of e-sports compared to countries like South Korea (Kanbe Masayuki, 2012). Further, the literature on Japanese e-sports is scarce. Scholars have argued that the literature on game related studies is Western-centric, and argue that studies are needed that use knowledge of Japanese studies to examine game culture in Japan (Picard & Pelletier-Gagnon, 2015, p. 1-2). Thirdly, Japanese scholars such as Kato Hiroyasu argue for the interpretation of e-sports as a sport rather than seeing games as play (in the sense of leisure of pastime). The scholar Taylor has also broken down the process of professionalization that players experience on their way to becoming pro gamers in e-sports. These two scholars involve themselves in the question of professionalization (transformation from someone who plays games to a pro gamer who makes their living off competing), and the question of recognition (of e.g. society seeing e-sports as a sport). Recognition is a process that can come in various forms and facilitates the process of professionalization. Recognition in the form of e-sports being (legally) recognized as a sport can offer pro gamers the benefit of being recognized as an athlete. Recognition in the form of pro gamers receiving valorization from society can improve their social status, and enable them to receive more social support (from e.g. friends or family) when they decide to professionalize. Finally, this study identifies several sources that contribute to the process of the recognition of e-sports in Japan: pro gamers, the Japan e-Sports Union (JeSU), and a discourse about e-sports as a potential Olympic event. This study sees an opportunity to contribute to the Area Studies and Game Studies literature by taking the recognition of e-sports in Japan as its focus. This opportunity lies in the fact that each country, and thus Japan as well, has had its own developmental trajectory of e-sports, and that the literature on e-sports is scarce and studies using a perspective rooted in Japanese studies are needed. In order to examine the recognition of e-sports in Japan this study will focus on pro gamers, and analyze how they contribute to the process of recognition. Thus, the main question in this study is: how do pro gamers contribute to the process of the recognition of e-sports in Japan? In order to answer the question of how these pro gamers contribute to the process of recognition this study will analyze how pro gamers in Japan represent themselves in the media and strive for recognition from society in order to be taken seriously as people who dedicate themselves to playing video games competitively. The analysis will reveal the strategies that pro players use to represent themselves in the media and personally emancipate themselves. The analysis will also reveal an interplay between elements of the (Japanese) cultural context players find themselves in and the strategies players use to push recognition of e-sports in Japanese society. This will show the nuance that using a Japanese studies perspective to study e-sports reveals, and try to address the problem of the Western centric literature on e-sports and games studies while contributing to the Area Studies literature.Show less
The main aim of this thesis was to take a critical stance towards the Intelligence Cycle as the foremost model on intelligence processes. The research question was: To what extent can the...Show moreThe main aim of this thesis was to take a critical stance towards the Intelligence Cycle as the foremost model on intelligence processes. The research question was: To what extent can the Intelligence Cycle, as a model of analysis, account for non-Western intelligence organisational structures, such as the Japanese intelligence community? The conclusion of the thesis is that the Intelligence Cycle cannot fully account for non-Western intelligence organisational structures, and specifically that of Japan. This is because of several assumptions that emerged when applying the Intelligence Cycle to Japan: First, that foreign and domestic security scopes cannot be consolidated into one organisation, ignoring the Japanese practice of 'amakudari'. Second, the assumption of inevitable competition between similar intelligence organisations. Third, the lack of a modernised intelligence arsenal. Lastly, the assumption that Japanese intelligence personnel is not trained appropriately, ignoring the practice of 'amakudari' and 'tenkin'.Show less
Among the vast variety of cultural categories in Japan, there is one that has been growing in strength and popularity since the 1970s and is now one of the most sought-after professions among...Show moreAmong the vast variety of cultural categories in Japan, there is one that has been growing in strength and popularity since the 1970s and is now one of the most sought-after professions among teenagers in Japan: seiyū (voice actor). Annually, hundreds of students apply for vocational schools and agencies in order to get training to become a voice actor. The profession is highly romanticized, but the reality of it includes many problematic aspects as well. This research focusses on the seiyū industry of Japan, its educational properties, and the way it supports the anime market and vice versa.Show less
