The transient experience of living in cities: focusing on the instability of Japanese-Filipinos in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

This paper sheds light on the domestic movement of Japanese-Filipinos after migrating to Japan, focusing in particular on Japanese-Filipinos living in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture. This study examines the movement of Japanese-Filipinos by taking the perspective that their current place of residence is one part of a process of internal migration. The Filipino population has fluctuated significantly since 2017, indicating that residents are coming and going rapidly, a phenomenon closely related to changes in the Japanese-Filipino population. Most Japanese-Filipinos have moved in as a result of internal migration related to employment opportunities, mediated by a particular temporary employment agency which provides jobs to them working in factories, in addition to giving a large amount of support in both work and housing. As such, the relationship between Japanese-Filipinos and the agency is one of dependency. At the same time, however, the forced renewal of their working contracts every few months makes it difficult for them to have a long-term outlook, causing serious problems for families with children of school age. The migratory trends of Japanese-Filipinos seen in Toyooka City suggest that they are likely to stay as long as their employment contract lasts. At the same time, however, when their employment contract ends, they are compelled to move to another city or region because the choice of recruitment agencies for foreigners is limited. Previous experiences of domestic migration highlight the possibility of future replacement. These characteristics suggest that Japanese-Filipinos have chosen to settle in Japan under conditions of instability, repeatedly moving around the country. At the root of this instability and mobility might be the kind of environment in which Japanese-Filipinos are able to make a living on their own. The movement patterns of Japanese-Filipinos, not settling in one city but moving from place to place, show that it is important to follow their migration as a "line", that is, as an ongoing linear sequence of movements, in order to help clarify the way of life of Japanese-Filipinos in Japan.