Globalization and Changing Population: Japan Case

As a final assignment from Japanese and Globalization class, we were asked to write a paper related to Globalization issue. It doesn’t necessarily pertain to Japan. But since I study in Japan, then I thought why not study further about this developed country which has some interesting phenomenon. I was interesting in its population problem. In short, I decided to write this one paper.

Globalization and Its Impact on Labor Forces:

Japan Case

1. Introduction

Globalisation is a process which enables flow of information, technology, goods, services, or even people, between countries all over the world. In this era, technology and information play an important role to gain a competitive position in global market. Japan known as one of the most powerful country in term of economy and technology. However, this developed country is currently facing a great problem regarding labor forces, especially caused by its aging population.

Japan’s population at 2008　based on OECD data, was 127,568,000 with 22% of elderly population aged 65 or over. The rate of population grow from 2001 to 2008 was 0.1% in average. The number of its population projected to be declining, meanwhile the rate of elderly people itself estimated to be 33% by 2050. In order to fulfill the needs of labor market, Japan will be depending on immigrants from other countries. Besides its shortage of labor forces, Japan also facing a problem regarding its pension fund and social security.

1. Labor Force Condition in Japan
   1. Aging population

The main factor that causing the aging population can be divided into two, that is: (1) Decreasing fertility as a result of increasing marriage age. Education might be strongly influence this behaviour. (2) Life expectancy increase as a result of medical service development. Furthermore, low rate of accidents and criminal can also contributed to this matter. Currently, there are about 66.3% of people aged 55-64 who still actively working.

1. Immigration

According to Ministry of Health and Welfare (2002), between 1970 – mid 1980s, Japan annually allowed 20 – 30 thousand immigrants. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, annual immigration increased to about 70 – 90 thousand, but that number declined in recent years. In 2008, foreign population in Japan reached 1.7% of its total population with perhaps another 500 thousand illegal immigrants. The United Nations Population Division (1998) projects that to keep the Japanese population in 125 million, Japan would need an average of 400,000 immigrants annually between 2005 – 2050.

Registered Non-Japanese National Residents in Japan （end of 2008 figures）

Total	China	Korea	Brazil	Philippines	Peru	U.S.A.	Thailand	Vietnam	Indonesia	Others
2,217,426 100％	655,377 29.6%	589,239 26.6%	312,582 14.1%	210,617 9.5%	59,723 2.7%	52,683 2.4%	42,609 1.9%	41,136 1.9%	27,250 1.2%	226,210 10.2%

(1.7% of Japan’s total population)

There are two category for immigrants who enter into Japan:

1. Skilled immigrant who mostly come from English-speaking country.
   1. Unskilled immigrant who mostly come from Asian countries. This immigrants fulfill the needs of low-wage labor market in Japan.

This issue brings up some points into considerations, (1) certain characteristic of immigrants is that, unlike Japanese who would save their salary in bank, those immigrants tend to send back their salary or wage to their homecountry. Therefore, it is unfavorable for Japan’s economy, (2) There is a concern that immigrants would raising up the criminal rate, (3) Some Japanese worker afraid that the presence of this immigrants will lower their salary.

Brain Drain and Brain Circulation

Another interesting phenomenon in globalisation era is brain drain and brain circulation. Brain drain happens when someone who had received advanced education or who work in specialized occupation moved out to another country to exercise his (her) skill and abilities. Brain drain could be disadvantageous for source country since they will lose their advanced skills and knowledge, thus lose their productivity and competitiveness in global market. Furthermore, they will not fully earned their investment on higher education. Nevertheless, the process in which the “brain” moved overseas and then return is called brain circulation (Mahroum, 1998). Unlike brain drain, brain circulation may give advantegous for source country as the skilled people may bring back knowledge from destination country.

Japan is one of recipient country of these brains from overseas. Ministry of Justice Immigration Bureau (2006) reported that there were 8,406; 2,494; and 29,044 individuals with “Instructor”, “Researcher”, and “Engineer” visa respectively. On the other hand, Japanese scientists and researchers are also moving overseas, primarily to United States. According to National Science Board (2006), the number of Japanese who live in United States as high as 59,400. Mostly they are undergraduate or higher level  of education holder, with Ph.D accounted for 5,400.

Most of the “brain” who come to Japan get their higher education in Japan, thus decided to continue working in Japan. Meanwhile, the “brain” who fly away from Japan to United Stated are also get their higher education in Japan then for some reasons decided to go to United States. The reason mainly is to find better research environment. The other reasons are to receive training, to find a job that they could not find in Japan, wage disparities, to learn english, or to gain International acknowledgement. A suvey conducted by Murakami Yukiko (2005-2006) revealed that 31% are willing to work in Japan in the future, 22% says np, and 58% says it is depend on the circumstances.

1. NEET

According to wikipedia site, NEET is an acronym for Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training. This classification includes people aged 15 – 34 who are unemployed, unmarried, not enrolled in school or engaged in housework, and not looking for job or training. At first, this phenomenon only hit children from upper-class family. Yet it’s contagious to even middle and lower-class family causing the number raising each year. Survey conducted government in 2002 was revealed that 850,000 people can be classified as NEET, of which 60% were people aged 25 – 34.

1. Suicide

Japanese number of suicidal is the largest from any other country. In 2006, the number reached 19.1% per 1000 people. This issue needs to be solved quickly because it may worsen Japan’s population condition in the future.

1. Recomendation
   1. Regarding aging population problem, since the main cause is decreasing fertility rate, government should promote or encouraging Japanese citizens to have more than one child. It might be done by making a policy for example family who has third child will be given some amount of money or any other encouragement.
   2. Women empowerment by giving an equal opportunity for women to choose their career path.
   3. It is undeniable that Japan needs immigrants to fulfill the need of its labor market. Thus, it might be better to cooperate with legal government’s ­body from another country or official institution to provide it.
   4. Though most of “flied brain” are willing to come back to Japan if it is possible, yet it is still uncertain. To prevent brain drain, Japan has to reform its research environment to be more open, flexible, free, promote competitiveness, and use merit system.
   5. Government should seek the root of this NEET’s problem because if it continues, the number may be getting bigger each year. Thus, Japan will lose its productivity.
   6. Suicide is getting serious and should be overcome soon. With those low rate of population growth, this phenomenon would be more disadvantageous. Government or social organization may create a consultation peer group or something that allow someone who has problem to share with others. There should be social encouragement.
   7. To prevent pshycology-rooted problem, it might be best to prepare a strong mental or EQ from childhood, like elementary school. Another way, for entrance exam, it is not only depend on IQ but also EQ test.

References

Dekle, Robert. (2004). Financing consumption in an aging Japan: The role of foreign capital inflows and immigration. United States: Elsevier Inc.

Koyama, Kaoru & M. Okamoto. (2008). Migrants, Migrant Workers, Refugees and Japan’s Immigration Policy. Japan

Murakami, Yukiko. (2010). Japan’s Brain Drain: An Analysis of Japanese Researchers Living in the United States. Japan

Wikipedia. www.wikipedia.com retrieved July 20th, 19.45

Independent Study: Proposal

Here is my proposal for independent study related to management control system in Japan, yet it was rejected since my sensei considered it would take long time and I wouldn’t be able to finish it on time. Moreover, I wasn’t fluent in Japanese which is the main constrain for conducting this research plan.

 

MANAGEMENT CONTROL SYSTEM IN JAPAN

CORPORATION: BEHAVIORAL ASPECT

Proposed by: Cindhi Cintokowati

I.               INTRODUCTION

Organization consists of many different individuals who work together to achieve its goal. Inevitably, each individu sometime has a goal that is not congruence with organization goal. Furthermore, they may behave on their own interest which may counterproductive for organization as a whole. In that case, management control system is designed to assure goal congruence between individual goals and corporate goals. An effective management control system can be built by analyzing its individual goal and other factors that may influence worker’s behavior. Once individual goal determined, it could be an important consideration to drive it along with organization’s goal through insentives and disinsentives policy. In other word, we need to observe workers’ behavior and reveal reason behind it to design an effective management control system.

II.             RESEARCH GOAL

Formulate an effective management control system to:

–          Motivate workers to posses productive behavior.

–          Encourage workers to develop ideas, creativity, and leadership skill.

–          Build workers’ loyalty.

III.           RESEARCH  OBJECTIVES

–          Reveal current implementation of management control system related to behavioral aspect.

–          Reveal how genre issues take place on workplace in Japan’s corporation.

–          Determine factors that strongly influence workers’ behavior.

IV.           RESEARCH METHOD

–          TYPE OF STUDY

Both quantitative and qualitative.

–          DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

• Primary Data

Conducting interview with manager of Japan’s corporation and distributing questionair to its workers.

• Secondary Data

Related books and journals

V.             OUTLINE PAPER

1. Introduction: Explain definition and theory of MCS
2. Research Goal and Objectives
3. Research Method
4. Implementation of MCS in Japan’s Corporation: Nowadays

Regarding company’s policies on promotion system, salary, benefits, insentives, or any other policies that may affect workers’ behavior or motivation.

4. Research Results

Contains explanations regarding achieved objectives, such as factors that influence workers’ job satisfaction, etc.

5. Conclusion

Formulation management control system: behavioral aspect.

6. References

Indonesian Slang: Bahasa Gaul and Alay

1. Introduction

Young generation is dynamic. They are in the stage of searching for identity and recognition from community. They tend to differentiate themselves from others to create their own unique identity. In the other hand, peer group strongly influence their member’s behavior. They will try to meet up their peer-group expectation to gain a recognition. Therefore, young generation always identic with their own “world” or subculture.

The emergence of pop culture (referred to popular culture) and the use of slang words are the example of this subcultures. According to Wikipedia, pop culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred through an informal consensus within the mainstream of any given society. Meanwhile slang word is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker’s dialect or language.

This paper will be focused on slang words used among Indonesian youth that is Bahasa Gaul and Alay. The former tend to be more  wide-used among young generation especially in the urban area. Meanwhile, the latter one is just recently emerged and become a hit. Nevertheless, those two slangs have completely different image and different user.

1. Indonesian Slang
   1. Bahasa Gaul

Bahasa gaul derived from “bahasa” which literally means “language” and “gaul” which means “social” or “cool”. This language is commonly used among youngsters in urban areas such as Jakarta (capital city) and Bandung which considered as trend-setter city for young generation. Actually, bahasa gaul is an informal form of Indonesia’s National Language, Bahasa Indonesia.

Historically, bahasa gaul originated from Jakarta which using Betawi dialect. Betawi is origin residents of Jakarta. Bahasa gaul emerged  long time ago in the late 1990s and nationally recognize as language spoken primarily by youngster in Jakarta. Meanwhile for youngster in other small cities or rural area, they still use regional language for daily conversation.

Commonly, bahasa gaul formed by changing on the last syllable of Bahasa Indonesia into “e”. For example:

Bahasa Indonesia	Bahasa Gaul	English
Kata siapa?	Kate siape?	Who said?
Yang benar?	Yang bener?	Really?
Ingin	Pengen	Want
Malas	Males	Lazy
Pinjam, Meminjam	Pinjem, Minjem	Borrow, etc

Basically it sounds like they use “e” more often, though it is not always like that. Some words also completely change, for example:

Bahasa Indonesia	Bahasa Gaul	English
Saya	Gue	I
Anda	Lo/ Lu	You
Ayah	Bokap	Father
Ibu	Nyokap	Mother
Sahabat	Sohib	Best Friend, etc.
Tidak	Enggak, Nggak, Gak	No

Bahasa gaul tend to cut some syllable of the word to make it easier to say, here is the example:

Bahasa Indonesia	Bahasa Gaul	English
Sudah	Udah	Already (done)
Menulis	Nulis	Write
Lihat	Liat	See

The way of speaking or expression can also be differentiated. For example, they use this kind of expression: “..ah..”, “sih”, “dong”.

Here is the example for the full sentence:

Bahasa Indonesia		Bahasa Gaul		English
Saya malas		Males ah gue		I’m lazy
Saya minta satu		Minta satu dong!		May I have one?
Apakah anda sudah mengerjakan tugas?	Lo uda ngerjain tugas belom?		Have you done the assignment?
Apakah saya boleh- meminjam buku anda?	Gue boleh pinjem buku- lo nggak?		Can I borrow your- book?
Ibu saya sedang di Bali	Nyokap gue lagi di Bali		My mother is in Bali

Bahasa gaul is spoken by every youngster in Jakarta and probably most of Bandung’s youth. No matter from what social class their family is. It is considered as cool and trendy. In the other hand, if someone from other cities speak bahasa gaul to talk with their peers who is also from the same region, it will be considered ostentatious or city-youth-wanna-be. It does not necessarily mean that youth from other city dislike bahasa gaul. It is just not the way they interact each other. They usually prefer to use their own regional language. Even if they speak with bahasa gaul and imitate Jakarta youth’s way of speaking, it usually just as joke. Although they also take some of bahasa gaul into their daily conversation. Nevertheless, when they move to Jakarta to study or other business, they tend to adapt bahasa gaul as it is required as “social language”.

1. Alay

Alay is one of recent subculture created by young generation in Indonesia. Alay phenomenon emerged in early 2004 as a result of social network called friendster which then become a hit recently.[1] Unlike bahasa gaul, alay has a unique style of messaging, fashion style, music, pose of taking pictures, etc. The word alay itself has no definite derivation, some says it stands for “anak layangan” (kiteflyer, means someone who like to go with the mainstream) or “anak lebay” (a person who has exaggregating behavior, overacting).

Alay commonly used by middle and high school students (11-18 years old) yet it is not general. Only minor part, usually young generation who come from middle lower class use this alay style. Unlike bahasa gaul, alay mainly modify the form or the style rather than modify the language itself.

Alay messaging can be formed either by changing some spelling using number, cut some character to make it as shortest as possible, playing with capitalization, or combinasation of those all. Here is the example:

Alay	Bahasa Gaul/ Indonesia	English
gu3 M4u ke rum4h L0e y4	Gue mau ke rumah loe ya	I’m going to your house
km 5yn6 n6g4k 5H sM 4ky	Kamu sayang nggak sih sama aku?	Do you love me?
nyk4P 6 mRh MLu Nh kerjnny	Nyokap gue marah mulu nih kerjaannya.	My mom always get mad at me

Photo pose and music also can be modified to be alay. As pose, alayners tend to turn their head around 45 degrees (to become oblique) or put their finger in front of their lips like “be quite” sign. Meanwhile for music taste, they tend to like indie band or malay- pop genre band that is raising star recently.

Another sign of alay is the way they dressed. They usually wear a tight jeans, bright color, imitation brand, or something a little bit “too much” for general youngsters. Alayners (name for alay person) usually try to be cool, fashionable, or trendy but it just not fit them well. Therefore, the image of alay itself often stereotyped as “tacky” or “cheesy” or “norak and kampungan” in Indonesia. Nowadays, many people or show use alay style as a ridicule.

1. Conclusion

–          Bahasa gaul has been accepted since a long time ago as a subcultural originated and mainly used in Jakarta. It is even become a primary communication tools for among young peers.

–          Bahasa gaul considered as cool and metropolis style. Although youngsters from another cities still prefer to use their own regional language, they never consider bahasa gaul as a “minor” one.

–          Bahasa gaul used regardless of social stratification.

–          Alay just become a hit recently. It is modify style, rarely modify the language.

–          Alay is associated with high schoolers or called “Anak Baru Gede (ABG)” which literally means “Kid who just getting mature/ puberty).

–          Alay style usually considered as “minor” or “exaggregating”. Therefore, their style often become a ridicule.

Reference

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Alay. Retrieved August 10, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alay

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Indonesian Slang. Retrieved August 10, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_slang

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Popular Culture. Retrieved August 10, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_culture

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[1] According to wikipedia

Completion Ceremony Speech

みなさん、こんにちは

きょうはそつぎょうしきなので、うれしいですけどかなしいです

この広島経済大学　はわたしがはじめてりゅうがくのけいけんをしたばしょです。

日本もはじめてすんだがいこくです。ほんとうにたのしくておもしろかったです。

まいにち、わたしはあたらしいことをならいました。日本にきてから、たくさん日本とインドネシアのちがいをみつけましたので、びっくしました。

日本のまちやたてものはとてもきれいでどれもにているとおもいます。どこにでも、じどうはんばいきがあります。ほんとうにすごい！

ATM のほうがすくないです。インドネシアははんたいです。そして、日本のはるはとてもさむいですけどなつはあつすぎるとおもいます。インドネシアよりあついです。

また、日本のぶっかはとてもたかいとおもいます。

それから、日本人についてはやさしくてまじめだとおもいます。たとえば、ひとがみちをわたるとき、ドライバはくるまをとめます。こんなことはインドネシアではあまりありません。

そして、てつだってくれるとき、日本人はおわりまでてつだってくれます。

おもしろいことにたくさんの日本人はインドネシアにきょうみがあります。ときどき、さんぽをしているとき、だれかがわたしのそばにきて、インドネシアのことをはなしました。

いつか、わたしとルルクさんがみちをあるいていたとき、じてんしゃにのったひとがわたしたちにインドネシアごではなしかけました。このあいだ、またその人にあって、ばんごはんをごちそうになりました。そしてうちにつれていってくれて、かぞくにしょうかいしてくれました。

そのひとは二ねんぐらいインドネシアにすんでいたことがあるといっていました。

こんなけいけんがなんどかあるので、かんどうしました。日本はじぶんのいえになりました。

だから、もうすぐかえるので、かなしいです。また、日本にこられたり、みなさんにあえたりするとうれしいです。

さいごに、広島経済大学のみなさんありがとうございました。せんせいがたもおしえてくださってありがとうございました。このけいけんはわすれません。。