No.7, 587-598 (2006) The Historical and Social Significance of Foreign Brides in the Uonuma Region of Niigata Prefecture (1) TAKEDA Satoko Nihon University, Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies An event that occurred in Asahi-machi in Yamagata prefecture in 1985 and was imitated by nearby towns grabbed the attention of the mass media: the local government helped its male residents suffering from a shortage of brides meet and find female partners from the Philippines, Korea, and other countries. Shortly afterwards, all of these local governments stopped offering match-making services with foreign brides because of the widespread social criticism. But the flow of foreign brides from Asian countries to Japanese rural areas has not stopped. In fact, it has been increasing because of the efforts of match-making firms and individuals. What are the social forces that support the flow of foreign brides to rural Japan, often characterized by a traditional culture that gives brides the lowest social status in a family as well as in a community life? This paper is part of a larger research project that aims at analyzing the root causes of the introduction and increase of foreign brides in rural Japan, the Uonuma area of Niigata in particular, and the impact of the presence of foreign brides in rural Japan on the transformation process of Japan into a multicultural society. This paper reviews the history of intermarriage in Japan with a particular focus on recent developments and research. Then it outlines a research project on why intermarriage is taking place in rural Japan, what will happen to it in the future, and what its impact will be on the transformation of Japan into a multicultural, multiethnic society. 1 2003 2 1 1 2 http://www.umex.ne.jp/
1985 72 417 2004 3 9,511 5.48 80 20 1 1988 2 3 907 78.2 122 1980 44 3 1 3 1 2 4 20 65 2004 91 2005 2004 4 25 19 3 3 15 9 6 4 4 2006 4 3 26-27 1988 2005 13.6 29 35.9 142 28 2005 588
5 2006 6 6 2006 9 EPA 2006 9 High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development OECD 7 2 5 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 6 1 2 10 3 7 / / 2003 16 589
1985 1988 1989 1989 80 1990 19941995 1996 1997 1998 19941995 4 21 1 2 3 1995 1998 2000 8 2002 8 2004 16 11 Multiculturalism 590
1 12 1898 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 12 17 23 23 21 22 22 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 25 26 29 33 41 37 14 14 /2006 2006 2004 4,386 36.3% 3,395 28.1% 2,504 20.7% 3 85.1 2000 1996 2002 10 9 9 2006 8 11 10 1996 42 591
11 1959 1,700 2 1960 30 3 907 78.2 600 2 6 2000 1970 1,029,405 1,023,859 5,546 2,108 3,438 1975 941,628 935,583 6,045 3,222 2,823 1980 774,702 767,441 7,261 4,386 2,875 1985 735,850 723,669 12,181 7,738 4,443 1990 722,138 696,512 25,626 20,026 5,600 1995 791,888 764,161 27,727 20,787 6,940 1999 762,028 730,128 31,900 24,272 7,628 2000 2001 798,138 799,999 761,875 760,272 36,263 39,727 28,326 31,972 7,937 7,755 13 2002 757,331 721,452 35,879 27,957 7,922 1975 3,222 2003 740,191 704,152 36,039 27,881 8,158 2,823 2004 720,417 680,906 39,511 30,907 8,604 2 1985 2004 72 417 1985 3 9511 1985 8 5.48 20 1 14 11 1992 14 International marriages 12 1989 Intercultural marriage Interracial 26 marriage 13 2000 Intermarriages 176 2 592
1985 2006 9 28 15 80 150 300 16 2006 12 25 35 18 25 30 20 30 DV 1993 35 30 17 1997 12 6 250 300 15 2005 3034 47.7% 32.6% 4.8 6 18 2004 270,804 255,505 37.5-12,071 16 39.1-3,228 37.5 2212005 125 100 17 8 / 2006 12 16 41 593
2005 10 62,761 2006 7 2004 719 2005 12 DV 584.82Km 2 67.8 16.9 15 1 2000 10.0 1 2 1995 7 66,118 20 3 1980 1985 1990 1995 2001 2004 2005 37 106 259 367 668 624 719 2004 11 0.58 1.14 3 1985 1982 2006 4 80 6 2 1987 11 5 1 () 19 19 2005 DO5-L-260 http://www.toyotafound.or.jp/shimin.html 20 69 42 43 38 50 594
21 4 15 9 6 25 44 19 3 3 4 4 1988 2 2 6 27 1988 2 4 25 15 2006 7 50 4 44 22 46 57 29 15 1 1 26 35 65 2004 91 2005 10 3 2006 6 1998 2002 25 20 8 5 10 25 11 44 1998 NPO 38.25 24 52 33.25 19 43 5 2 2 16 2 21 44 43 1988 9396 22 25 1989 27 595
1990 1970 48.9 1985 17.3 1 2000 10 80 23 80 24 2006 10 25 23 6 2006 12 26 24 24 1988 11,564 3 1 3,912 1990 8 25 6 2 2005 4,088 8,792 8,767 18,846 2006 10 596
2007 1 ( 1) 26 6. 1995 7. 1995 / 27 ( 2) 4 1. 2006 10. 1996 : 8 2. 2006 11. 1989 18 12. 1990 3. 2006 2006-13. Nobue Suzuki, Tripartite Desires: 4. 1997 Filipina-Japanese Marriages and Fantasies of Transnational Traversal. Cross-Border Marriages. 5. 1994 Ed. Nicole Constable, University of Pennsylvania 8. 2005 9. 1998 : Press, 2005 26 2007 1 14. 16 6 2006 12 26 687 27 15. 2002 2005 1 2005 1 NPO 8 16. 1989 1980 17. 2005 2005 201 1,555 1.57 2006 3 18. 2006-19. 1997 597
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