Weaving the Web of a Life in Japan

This chapter focuses on the narratives of immigrants who have chosen to stay and settle in Japan. Most people coming to Japan initially do not intend to stay. However, mobility is a contingent and uncertain process; trajectories change. People—for instrumental and, more importantly, emotional, social, and lifestyle reasons—moor themselves in Japan. Japan could be merely one among many migration destinations where people find a means for subsistence and romantic relationships and spin the web of life. Japan is also a particular destination; its physical setting and social engineering make it, for many, a desirable place to live. There are people who even choose to become Japanese citizens. Nonetheless, none of this means stasis; increased global connectivity has allowed more and more possibilities to move, and to move again. Japan's lack of a national narrative of immigration also makes people less certain about their future trajectory. The question then becomes, how long will people ultimately stay? To stay does not mean not moving again.