Re: Session 1 Readings & Naturalization in Japan

[Andrew Frank]

Sara, you make a very meaningful comparison here - in questioning how foreignors living in the U.S. are treated in terms of their voting rights. I also found this article ("Muted in country of birth" by Joel Fitzpatrick) extremely enlightening, especially since it seemed to emphasize the interconnectedness of the three major East Asian powerhouse countries. The interplay between these nations, even geographically (with the "East Asia" vs. "Sea of Japan" debate discussed in the session), seems to reveal countries continuing to make bold moves to emphasize their power. The fact that part of Japan's naturalization process asks foreignors to "give up any other nationality and their old passport" (Fitzpatrick) simply seems like an extension of this power play.

As we further discussed in the session itself, while debatable in its terms of its justness, Japan's strict naturalization also seems to fall in line with its other attempts to "legitimize" itself as a nation. As Professor Dube mentioned, several Japanese individuals love to note the size of the nation (as seen with the image of Japan superimposed on the U.S.). What is surprising to me is that Japan would not be more open to immigration, due to its aging population. If a full 27% of Japan will be over 65-years-old in 2020 (Dube), then why will Japan not open its arms to easing naturalization policies, in order to build its younger generation?