Improving Intercultural Awareness: A Challenging Task for Japan

Traditionally, mainly due to geographical and historical reasons, the Japanese have regarded their country as an ethnically homogeneous nation. Recently, the Japanese government has begun to show a somewhat more positive attitude towards foreign immigrants. This is in large part due to the increasing pressure on the domestic economy and the society by the forces involved with the promotion of globalization. This study will try to clarify the ambiguity between the concepts of globalization and intercultural awareness. This will be done by highlighting the importance of strengthening intercultural awareness for the Japanese and also by explaining in detail the work which needs to be done to improve the living conditions of minority communities in Japan.