Abstract
The debate concerning the entry of unskilled foreign workers in Japan assumes that foreign workers are temporary guestworkers who are economically motivated, or that foreign workers will bring their families and reside in Japan permanently. This study attempted to critique these assumptions by focusing on the individual life histories of five Pakistanis who had worked in Japan. Interviews were conducted in Japan and in Pakistan, after they were deported for overstaying in Japan. Findings from the study revealed that they had complex reasons for coming to Japan and these varied according to their family situation. Furthermore, the family of these former migrant workers was a more extensive and broader network than the nuclear family. A more thoughtful examination of assumptions about migrant workers is necessary to arrive at a better understanding of migration.
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