Re: Very few immigrants

Angela, I love how insightfully you recapped all that was discussed in the "immigrant" portion of the lecture. I totally agree - stastically, the changes in population seem staggering (only "1.3 kids" born per couple? 40% of the population over 65-years-old by 2050?). I think it's significant to remember that, as Professor Katada mentioned, Japan is not a country of immigrants as America is...If even the United States has debates about the amount of immigrants & refugees let into the country, I cannot fathom how controversial the idea of immigration in Japan must be! What I am curious about is where the myth about foreigneors "not being good workers" began - was it all the way back when Americans (i.e. Commodore Perry) appeared on the Edo bay in 1853? It is also fascinating that so many Japanese have immigrated themselves to other countries in Latin America (1.5 million or so?), while those on the homeland still foster a sense of mistrust of foreign nations outside of Asia...