Migrant Workers and Labor Market Segmentation in Japan

Abstract

Segmentation of the migrant work force in Japan is determined largely by institutional factors put in place by the 1990 Immigration Law Reform. In contrast to conventional discussions which compare migrant workers with native workers, this discussion focuses on the segmentation of the labor market among migrant workers themselves. These workers form an ethnically diverse mass in the Japanese labor market today. They are diverse not only in the time of arrival and other characteristics but also in terms of treatment under Japan's immigration control practice. This discussion describes the nature of labor market segmentation among migrant workers and examines the reasons for differentiated working conditions.