Southeast Asian Labor Migration to Japan

This paper is a critical analysis of Hannah Reeves' article titled "Southeast Asian Labor Migration to Japan," which was published in the Spring 1993 edition of the Journal of Asian Business. The paper begins with an examination of the relevance of Reeves' article given the current labor conditions in Japan, Southeast Asia, and the world in general. Such an approach is necessary because it follows Reeves' own analysis of labor migration to Japan as a movement within the context of the international labor market. The paper next examines the logic and completeness of Reeves' article, concluding generally with only a few relatively minor exceptions that Reeves' article is logically correct and her research and analysis is complete.

The primary exceptions lie with Reeves' complete dependence on the Philippines as an example of a labor-exporting country, her failure to adequately address the deceptively apparent discrepancy between the affluence required to enable immigration and the poverty indicated by the desire to immigrate, and her failure to attend to Japan's heavy investment in the infrastructure of Southeast Asian nations and the effect of Japan's moving labor-intensive industries to these nations. Finally, the paper offers bibliographic support for Reeves' claims and arguments, but also offers bibliographic support for the contention that Reeves fails to adequately address the conditions in

. . .
eves examines the case of Japan in terms of the larger international issues surrounding labor emigration and immigration. Although she appears to rely too heavily on the Philippines as an example of a labor-exporting country, she clearly and competently makes her argument for the benefits of labor exportation and importation. Reeves' argument is simultaneously supported and weakened by her reliance on the Philippines as an example of a labor-exporting nation. The Philippines does serve as an example because, as Reeves points out, it is the largest exporter of labor in Asia. However, Reeves only relies on the Philippines as such an example even though she herself states that the Philippines also serves as an example of a country that has relied too heavily and too long upon labor exportation as a means of generating income. Reeves would be better served if she would also offer examples of other countries that have relied more successfully upon labor exportation. Reeves explores very well the Japanese rationale, spoken and unspoken, for its resistance to the immigration of foreign workers and offers good suggestions for government action. However, the efficacy of her suggestions is questionable given her own classification
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1879
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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