Asia and the Pacific
Recent Activity
Social and economic factors are pushing Japan toward a more open immigration policy, while other concerns are prompting the country to adopt stricter immigration controls. Chikako Kashiwazaki of Keio University and Tsuneo Akaha of the Monterey Institute of International Studies provide an overview of Japan’s migration issues.
For an increasing number of scholars, international migration has undergone a transformation particularly in the last decade or so. Although circular migration’s impact on development is far from settled, a review of the current literature suggests increasing optimism about its developmental potential.
Previously confined to everyday conversations among migrants and their families, remittances are now on the minds of most governments, members of civil society, the international community, and, to some extent, the private sector. The continued deficiency in our understanding of some of the fundamental aspects of remittances is evident in current literature.
In December, about 5,000 Australian youths gathered on one of Sydney’s major surf beaches and attacked men described as “Middle Easterners.” Christine Inglis of the University of Sydney looks at the violence and the government response, and assesses the integration of Lebanese-Australians.
An estimated 8.1 million Filipinos — nearly 10 percent of the country's population — are living in close to 200 countries and territories. Maruja M.B. Asis of the Scalabrini Migration Center-Philippines explains how the country developed its emigration policies and measures to protect its citizens abroad.
This report seeks to bring new light to the issues of migration by sea—particularly the interception and rescue of “boat people”—by synthesizing key discussion takeaways from an international forum of policymakers, international organizations, NGO representatives, and academics.