The Winner of the 2024 ISS-OUP Prize

Since 2002, the Institute of Social Science (ISS) of the University of Tokyo has partnered with Oxford University Press (OUP) to award the ISS–OUP Prize to the author of the best article published in Social Science Japan Journal (SSJJ) each year. The prize includes £250 worth of books from OUP and a year’s subscription to SSJJ. With the author’s consent, the winning paper may be translated into Japanese and published in the Institute’s Shakai Kagaku Kenkyū (The Journal of Social Science). After soliciting recommendations from SSJJ’s International Editorial Board, the SSJJ Editorial Board selects the article that makes the most significant contribution to research on modern Japan. The main criteria are (a) originality of the research theme, (b) excellence of theoretical framework and empirical data, and (c) contribution to future studies in the field.

The Editorial Board is proud to announce that the winner of the 2024 ISS–OUP Prize is

Glenda S. Roberts (Waseda University)

Noriko Fujita (Tamagawa University)

“Low-Skilled Migrant Labor Schemes in Japan’s Agriculture:

Voices From the Field”

SSJJ Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 21-39

Japan’s tentative and indirect approach to recognizing unskilled foreign labor as “labor” (not as co-ethnics or under the guise of training) came to an abrupt end in 2019 with the introduction of the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) scheme. This bona fide short-term labor program was enacted to address Japan’s persistent labor shortages and allow a broader cross-section of industrial sectors to hire foreign workers. That said, while presented as a skilled labor scheme, the SSW program operates on a shaky premise, as many of the workers coming in under this visa perform tasks traditionally classified as unskilled labor.

Against this backdrop, Roberts and Fujita examine Japan’s low-skilled agricultural migration policies, focusing on the gradual expansion of the long-standing Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) and the introduction of the SSW. Drawing on forty-five qualitative interviews conducted between 2018 and 2022 in Kyoto, Aichi, and Tokyo, it provides an on-the-ground analysis of how these programs function in practice. Using the interpretive method, grounded in social anthropology, the study amplifies the voices of farmer-employers, labor dispatchers, and local officials to highlight the practical realities and challenges of these systems.

The SSW represents a policy shift by openly acknowledging the role of temporary foreign labor, unlike TPP which has long operated under the pretense of skills training. However, the study identifies contradictions within these systems, particularly in agriculture. Farmer-employers, who primarily need workers for manual tasks after on-site training, find the SSW program encumbered by higher costs, excessive bureaucracy, and unclear definitions of “specified skills.” Systemic challenges include fluctuating labor availability, inadequate social infrastructure (such as language training and housing), and inflexible labor schemes. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated existing inefficiencies by creating mismatches in workforce supply and demand, causing significant challenges for both employers and workers. As a result, many employers prefer the more familiar and cost-effective TITP, its widely acknowledged flaws notwithstanding.

Despite these issues, Roberts and Fujita’s research underscores the indispensable role of migrant labor in sustaining Japan’s agricultural sector. The study calls for essential reforms, including clearer definitions of "skill", streamlined administrative processes, fairer compensation tied to skill levels, and stronger social inclusion measures such as language education, housing assistance, and support for migrant workers’ families. These reforms are critical to balancing Japan’s labor needs with the fair treatment of workers to create a more sustainable and equitable system.

The study’s originality lies in its theoretical and empirical contributions. It is the first to explore Japan’s low-skilled agricultural migration schemes through the perspectives of stakeholders directly involved in the systems. The rich qualitative data and its innovative use of social anthropology offer a unique lens into the lived realities of Japan’s migration policies.

This manuscript also provides valuable historical context, tracing Japan’s migration policies from the 1990 Foreign Trainee Visa Program to the introduction of the SSW in 2019. While the SSW was designed to address labor shortages directly, it often relies on the flawed foundation of the TITP. Workers transition between the two systems for up to ten years without a clear pathway to long-term residency or skill advancement.

The manuscript also opens avenues for future research. These include understanding the aspirations of migrant workers, their desired rights, and the policies they believe would facilitate their integration into Japanese society. The study suggests that future research should investigate the state’s willingness to invest in systematic language education, schooling for migrant children, housing assistance, and other measures to enhance social inclusion. Additionally, exploring how municipal policy variations and the gap between rhetoric and practice influence the lived experiences of migrant workers could provide further insights.

For its originality, critical insights, and thought-provoking questions, this manuscript raises essential issues about the social and political dimensions of Japan’s migration policies. For these contributions, we are pleased to award the ISS-OUP Prize for 2024 to “Low-Skilled Migrant Labor Schemes in Japan’s Agriculture: Voices From the Field.”