{"id":1333,"date":"2023-02-03T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/?p=1333"},"modified":"2023-01-19T17:27:48","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T16:27:48","slug":"revitalization-through-internationalization-how-policy-actors-envision-buzens-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/2023\/02\/03\/revitalization-through-internationalization-how-policy-actors-envision-buzens-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Revitalization through internationalization: How policy actors envision Buzen\u2019s future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Ngo Tu Thanh (Frank Tu)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political scientists have discussed the role of ideas in policy decisions and policy implementation [1]. In my previous blog post<\/a>, I talked about the numerous revitalization activities implemented by the coastal city of Buzen, Fukuoka Prefecture. Buzen has been striving to promote international cooperation and multiculturalism, which can in turn contribute to the city\u2019s revitalization. My interviews with five policy actors from Buzen provide insights into some of their ideas for the city\u2019s future development. I talked to two local government officials, two local politicians and one policy advisor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The City Hall of Buzen where local policies are made<\/em>
Copyright \u00a9 Ngo Tu Thanh 2022<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked about possible ways to develop Buzen, all respondents mentioned strategies that take advantage of globalization. During our first online interview in September 2021, one local government official explicitly mentioned the acceptance of more international migrants as one of Buzen\u2019s four key strategies<\/em> for revitalization. Against the backdrop of population decline, he believes that Buzen\u2019s demographic problems will not change unless the foreign population expands. My other respondents shared this view and consider international migrants as \u201ca powerful asset needed to move our economy forward, in this sense, it is better to accept [migrants]\u201d (interview with Buzen\u2019s policy advisor, October 2022). Currently, there are 344 foreign residents living in Buzen, accounting for 1.4% of the city\u2019s total population [2]. The majority of Buzen\u2019s foreign population is Vietnamese, followed by Burmese and Chinese. Most of Buzen\u2019s foreign residents are technical interns (gin\u014d jissh\u016bsei<\/em>) [3]. The number of gin\u014d jissh\u016bsei<\/em> in Buzen is expected to rise in the upcoming years.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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A discussion between Vietnamese technical interns, local residents, and local officials<\/em>
Copyright \u00a9 Ngo Tu Thanh 2022<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My respondents mentioned several challenges for international migrants that need more attention, such as cultural and language barriers. They believe it important to foster mutual understanding between foreign and local residents. One local politician stresses the importance of employing a Vietnamese member<\/a> of chiiki okoshi ky\u014dryokutai<\/em> (COKT) at Buzen\u2019s City Hall to overcome the language barrier and welcome international migrants. She thinks of international migrants as \u201cindividuals\u201d rather than just \u201cworkers\u201d and wants to improve their living conditions.
International education and mutual learning between Japan and other countries were also mentioned as potential revitalization strategies connected to globalization. Such ideas include Buzen\u2019s transformation into a \u201cCity of Education\u201d (ky\u014diku no machi<\/em>) by establishing international university campuses in Buzen for international and local students in cooperation with Taiwan and Vietnam. Another local politician suggests promoting international exchange with other countries to learn \u201cgood things\u201d from them and to introduce \u201cgood things\u201d from Japan abroad. For example, Japan could learn from Europe\u2019s environmental policies, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Impression from the coast of Buzen
Copyright \u00a9 Ngo Tu Thanh 2022<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the majority of my respondents are concerned that local residents might resist accepting more international migrants, but they are determined to internationalize Buzen. They hope that local residents will interact more with international migrants and change their way of thinking, as one local government official said. Ideas and visions are subjective. My interviews reflect what kind of revitalization strategies Buzen\u2019s policy actors consider, but as I pointed out in my<\/em> previous blog post, it seems as if globalizing Buzen is not merely a lofty idea of policy actors, but rather a vision the city has been taking concrete actions to realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[1]
Mukand, Sharun, and Dani Rodrik. 2018. \u201cThe Political Economy of Ideas: On Ideas versus Interests in Policymaking.\u201d National Bureau of Economic Research. https:\/\/www.nber.org\/system\/files\/working_papers\/w24467\/w24467.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rodrik, Dani. 2014. \u201cWhen Ideas Trump Interests: Preferences, Worldviews, and Policy Innovations.\u201d Journal of Economic Perspectives<\/em> 28 (1): 189\u2013208.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]
\u2014\u2014\u2014. 2022. \u201cBuzen-shi no tabunka ky\u014dsei e no torikumi.\u201d https:\/\/www.city.buzen.lg.jp\/sousei\/tabunkakyousei.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[3]
Buzen City, Japan. 2020. \u201cBuzen-shi: Tabunka ky\u014dsei no suishin ni kakaru shishin.\u201d https:\/\/www.city.buzen.lg.jp\/sousei\/documents\/tabunkakyouseishishin.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Ngo Tu Thanh (Frank Tu) Political scientists have discussed the role of ideas in policy decisions and policy implementation [1]. In my previous blog post, I talked about the numerous revitalization activities implemented by the coastal city of Buzen, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4973,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[91],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4973"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1333"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1374,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1333\/revisions\/1374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.fu-berlin.de\/urban-rural-migration-japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}