What exactly are the “horrifying failures of introducing immigrants around the world using national concerns about population decline as an excuse” mentioned in the article of Sankei Shimbun(2024/11/01)?
Introduction
In recent years, labor shortages due to population decline and declining birthrates and aging populations have become problems facing many countries, and accepting immigrants has been considered as a way to solve these problems. However, simply accepting immigrants often does not solve economic and social issues, and there are countries that have failed in their efforts to introduce immigrants. In this article, I will list some examples of cases in which immigration was introduced as a countermeasure against population decline, resulting in failure, and discuss the causes and lessons learned.
1.France: Problems of social integration and deteriorating security
France is one of the countries that has welcomed immigrants for many years. When France experienced rapid economic growth after World War II, many immigrants came to France from North African countries and former colonies to fill the labor shortage in the industrial sector. However, it has been difficult for them to fully integrate into French society, and especially since the 2000s, poverty and deteriorating security in areas where many immigrants live have become issues.
France has upheld the value that all people should be treated equally as a “republican idea”, but in reality, immigrants and their descendants are often socially and economically marginalized. High unemployment and crime rates are issues, especially among young people, and deteriorating public safety in suburban areas of cities where immigrants are concentrated has become a social issue. In 2005, riots broke out in the suburbs of Paris, exposing social divisions.
This failure was partly due to the failure to provide adequate educational opportunities and vocational training for immigrants and their descendants, as well as inadequate support systems for social integration. As a result, immigrants were unable to assimilate into French society and, on the contrary, became isolated within society.
2.Germany: Immigrants as a labor force and cultural friction
Germany also accepted “guest workers” from Turkey and other countries to compensate for the labor shortage during the post-war period of economic growth. Initially, it was intended to be a temporary stay, but gradually more and more immigrants settled there, and the number of immigrants and their descendants increased. For a long time, the German government viewed immigrants only as a labor force and neglected efforts toward cultural integration.
As a result, immigrants were not integrated into German society, leading to cultural conflicts and social isolation. In particular, the mass influx of Syrian refugees in 2015 had a huge impact on German society. While Chancellor Merkel expressed her willingness to accept refugees by saying, “We can do it”, there was widespread concern and opposition in society, and anti-immigration and anti-refugee far-right forces gained support.
Germany’s failure shows that we need comprehensive policies that not only treat immigrants as a workforce but also respect their cultural diversity and promote coexistence. It taught us the lesson that we need to accept immigrants as members of society and build a system in which immigrants and the host society can understand each other through education, vocational training, and language education.
3.Sweden: The social costs of permissive immigration policies
Sweden has long had a positive attitude toward accepting immigrants. At first glance, Sweden’s immigration policy appeared to be successful, as it has accepted many refugees on humanitarian grounds. However, in recent years, the social isolation of immigrants and the increasing crime rate have become issues in Sweden.
In particular, in urban areas where immigrants are concentrated, poverty and unemployment are becoming more serious, increasing the burden on education and medical services, and putting a heavy burden on social welfare systems. In addition, increased crime rates have been reported in areas with large numbers of immigrants, and public safety issues are attracting attention. This situation has led to a backlash and concerns about immigrants in society, and there is a movement to reconsider Sweden’s tolerant immigration policy.
Sweden’s failure can be attributed to its rapid intake of immigrants. When accepting a large number of immigrants, they were unable to provide sufficient vocational training and social integration support, resulting in a situation where immigrants became isolated in society. There are also cases of over-reliance on the welfare system, and there is criticism that Sweden’s generous social security system is actually hindering immigrants’ independence.
4.UK: Dissatisfaction with immigration led to Brexit
In the UK, the rapid increase in immigration from EU member states has sparked a major social and political controversy over immigration issues. The EU’s free movement system has led to an increase in immigration from countries such as Eastern Europe, leading to complaints that it is putting a strain on Britain’s labor market and public services. The perception that this influx of immigrants led to a decline in employment and wages in local communities, and strained public services became widespread, and opposition to immigration grew.
It was against this background that the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union (Brexit). Through Brexit, the UK aimed to review its immigration policy, but at the same time the economy and international relations were greatly affected, and turmoil continues even today. The UK’s failures are a warning that a rapid increase in immigration could cause social dissatisfaction and division, leading to a reconsideration of the country’s identity and policies.
5.Japan: Problems with the technical intern training system and responses to labor shortages
Japan is also accepting foreign workers through technical intern training programs, etc. due to labor shortages due to the declining birthrate and aging population. However, the main purpose of this system is to supplement the labor force, and there are many cases in which foreigners are used as a real labor force in a form that differs from the formal concept of “technical intern training.” It has been pointed out one after another that the working conditions for technical intern trainees are poor, and problems such as long working hours and low wages have become apparent.
Furthermore, because foreign workers are forced to return to their home countries after completing their training period, they are not able to settle down or integrate into society, and their position in Japanese society remains unstable. One of the reasons why this system does not work well is that it only focuses on short-term replacement of the labor force.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, there are many failures in introducing immigration due to population decline and labor shortages. The lessons these countries offer include:
- It is necessary to have an attitude of accepting immigrants not only as a labor force, but also as citizens with whom we can live together.
- It is essential to develop education, support, and welfare systems for immigrants to integrate into society.
- A rapid increase in immigrants may cause social dissatisfaction and division, so it is desirable to accept them in a planned and gradual manner.
In the future, when introducing immigration as a means to solve the problem of population decline, careful policy planning and implementation will be required based on these lessons.