Social Work with Transnational Families in Japan – Transnational Social Work in the Multicultural and Integrated Community

Authors

  • Ayako Sasaki Graduate School of Global and Transdisciplinary Studies, Chiba University, Japan
  • Reiko Ogawa Graduate School of Social Sciences, Chiba University, Japan
  • Hanako Okawara Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58671/aswj.v10i1.11

Keywords:

Transnational families, Transnational Social Work, Multicultural and integrated community development

Abstract

This paper examines social work needs for transnational families within their local areas, based on the results of a research conducted on communities with connections to Afghanistan and Sri Lankan who live in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The research focused on speakers of three languages which are not covered by the multilingual services of the local governments despite their presence. The impact on their economic situations and daily lives due to Covid-19 arose from constraints and barriers in their surrounding environments from five primary factors, and the complex intertwining thereof: language; daily life customs/norms; residency status; employment, housing environment and community; and separation from family/relatives. We conclude that it is crucial to position transnational families within community social work along with to develop multicultural and integrated communities in order to provide transnational social work services across borders in future.  

Author Biographies

Ayako Sasaki, Graduate School of Global and Transdisciplinary Studies, Chiba University, Japan

Ph.D. in Sociology (Hitotsubashi University), Master of SocialWork (State University of New York at Albany). Major in Sociology and minor in Social Work, and researched on migration and well-being of migrants. Recent publications include: “Are Trained Migrants and ‘Educated’ International Students at Risk? Understanding Human Trafficking in Japan,” Journal of Human Trafficking, 6 (2), 244-254 (Routledge, 2020); “Social Stratifications of Migrant Care Workers in Japan” ASEAN Social Work Journal, 7 (1), 15-34. (2019); Promoting International Social Welfare for Transnational Human Mobility” in S. Oka and H. Harashima eds., New Social Welfare of the World “the volume 12th International Social Welfare”, Tokyo: Junpou sha, 366-378 (2020)

 

Reiko Ogawa, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Chiba University, Japan

MA in International Relations (Sophia University) and MA in Development Sociology and Cultural Anthropology (Leiden University). Major in sociology and researched on migration and care. Recent publications include co-authored book "The Global Old Age CareIndustry: Tapping into Migrants for Tackling the Old Age Care Crisis (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021); "Routledge Handbook of East Asian Gender Studies" (Routledge, 2020), "Use and Abuse of Trafficking Discourse in Japan", Journal of Population and Social Studies,28, 106-125 (2020).

 

Hanako Okawara, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan

Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan. Bachelor of Social Welfare (Bunkyo Gakuin University). Field of interest includes multicultural social work in Japan

 

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Published

2022-06-30

How to Cite

Ayako Sasaki, Reiko Ogawa, & Hanako Okawara. (2022). Social Work with Transnational Families in Japan – Transnational Social Work in the Multicultural and Integrated Community. Asean Social Work Journal, 10(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.58671/aswj.v10i1.11

Issue

Vol. 10, No.1, June 2022

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2022 Ayako Sasaki, Reiko Ogawa, Hanako Okawara

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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