정주 외국인이 증가와 더불어 사회 통합 정책의 필요성이 높아졌고, 일본 정부는 2000년대 후반에 들어서 움직이기 시작했다. 2006년 정책으로서의 ‘다문화 공생’의 시작은 일본 사회에 정주하는 외국인의 모어 및 모문화와의 ‘공생’과 이들의 주체성에 대한 적극적인 의미 부여와 함께 이루어졌다. 그런데 2008년 가을 글로벌 경제 위기 이후, 일본 정부의 정주 외국인 정책은미묘하게 굴절된다. 정책의 대상이 되는 정주 외국인을 재일 일계인으로 한정하였고, 이들의 대량 실업이라는 긴급 상황에 대응하는 내용이 주를 이루었다. 특히, 일본어 교육과 아동의 일본공립학교 편입이 중요시되었으며, 이들의 모어 및 모문화 보장과 역량 강화는 간과되었다. 물론, 2014년 이후, 경기 회복과 더불어 관련 정책은 재일 일계인과의 보다 장기적인 관계를 염두에 두고 모어 및 모문화 존중과 주체성 확보를 다시 시야에 넣기 시작했다. 단, 이와 같이 일부발전적인 모습에도 불구하고 계속해서 재일 일계인만을 정책의 대상으로 국한한다는 점은 앞으로의 정주 외국인 정책 일반의 귀추를 살펴보는 데 있어서 주목해야 할 측면이다.
As a number of foreign residents had increased, social integration policies began to be required in Japan and Japanese government started to take action in the late 2000s. In 2006, the government finally adopted multicultural coexistence policies for foreign residents. These policies tried to coexist with foreign residents respecting their diverse language and culture and securing their subjectivity. But global economic crisis in the fall of 2008 bent the policies meaningfully. Japanese foreign residents policies started targeting only foreign residents of Japanese descendents and focusing on handling an emergency situation of their mass unemployment. Acquisition of Japanese language by foreign residents of Japanese descendents and their children's transfer to Japanese public school were main concerns. On the other hand, respecting their multicultural background and supporting empowerment were overlooked. Of course, since 2014 Japanese foreign residents policies began to change again with a long term relationship with foreign residents of Japanese descendents in mind. They are no longer emergency measures and concerning coexistence with diverse language and culture and empowerment of the minority. Despite of this progress, Japanese foreign residents policies still limit their targets to foreign residents of Japanese descendents and this point should be watched critically from now on.
As a number of foreign residents had increased, social integration policies began to be required in Japan and Japanese government started to take action in the late 2000s. In 2006, the government finally adopted multicultural coexistence policies for foreign residents. These policies tried to coexist with foreign residents respecting their diverse language and culture and securing their subjectivity. But global economic crisis in the fall of 2008 bent the policies meaningfully. Japanese foreign residents policies started targeting only foreign residents of Japanese descendents and focusing on handling an emergency situation of their mass unemployment. Acquisition of Japanese language by foreign residents of Japanese descendents and their children's transfer to Japanese public school were main concerns. On the other hand, respecting their multicultural background and supporting empowerment were overlooked. Of course, since 2014 Japanese foreign residents policies began to change again with a long term relationship with foreign residents of Japanese descendents in mind. They are no longer emergency measures and concerning coexistence with diverse language and culture and empowerment of the minority. Despite of this progress, Japanese foreign residents policies still limit their targets to foreign residents of Japanese descendents and this point should be watched critically from now on.
