Japanese Society's Perception of Legal And Social Norm Violations Committed by Indonesian Migrant Workers in Japan
Keywords:
social perception, Indonesian migrant workers, Japan, law violations, social norms, business circles, multicultural integrationAbstract
Japan faces demographic challenges in the form of population decline and aging society, which creates opportunities for Indonesian migrant workers to enter the Japanese workforce. However, in recent years, there have been several cases of legal and social norm violations involving Indonesian migrant workers in Japan. Japanese society's perception of these cases becomes an important factor that can influence immigration policies, social integration, and bilateral relations between both countries. This research aims to explore Japanese society's perceptions, particularly in the business sector, regarding cases of legal and social norm violations committed by Indonesian migrant workers in Japan. This study employs a qualitative approach with data collection through in-depth interviews with Japanese business community members. Informants were selected through purposive sampling with criteria of having experience in interacting with or managing Indonesian migrant workers, either as business owners, managers, supervisors, or private sector officials. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore perceptions, experiences, and in-depth opinions regarding legal and social norm violations committed by Indonesian migrant workers. From the data concluded by researchers, Japanese attitudes or perceptions toward Indonesian migrant cases can still be considered social norm violations that could be committed by any migrant. However, if these cases of social and legal norm violations continue and occur on a massive scale, the level of trust in Indonesian migrants will decline, potentially leading to discriminatory attitudes that would harm both countries. The research findings are expected to contribute to understanding multicultural social dynamics in Japan and provide input for the Indonesian government in designing migrant worker preparation and development programs. For Japan, the research results can assist in developing more effective integration policies and cross-cultural education programs to reduce potential social conflicts.