Visiting Researchers

FY2011/12 Research Theme

"A Study on Women Marriage Migration from Transition Countries in Asian Region to Japan: Case Studies from Indo―Chinese Refugee Families and Chinese Families in Japan"  

Focusing on marriage immigrant women to Japan from Vietnam and China, both economic transition countries under socialist regimes, this study will compare and examine structural gender influences. It will also analyze women's appropriate independence against such influences, found in both sending and receiving countries. The issue of marriage migration has drawn scant attention so far even in the fields of migration and gender research respectively. In Japan, however, the percentage of marriage immigrants to total immigrants is high. Also, as well as other immigrant women, such marriage immigrant women are placed under a strong structural gender influence. Despite such a structural restriction, marriage immigrant women migrate to Japan by choice. Assuming the importance of an emphasis on the independence of marriage migrants, this study will discuss gender influences on the societies of countries sending and receiving marriage migrants. Moreover, it will present a comparison and examination of these countries. The study will include a literature review and results of interviews which will be conducted.

FY2011/12 Visiting Researchers