Civil Society Connectivity Program

“Symposium on Immigrant Workers from Global South to Japan, Taiwan and South Korea” : Taiwan Asia Exchange Foundation Promotes Policy Advocacy and Dialogue on Asia-Pacific Migrant Workers in Japan

August 22nd, 2024

The Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF), in collaboration with the Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO) and the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo, held the "Symposium on Immigrant Workers from Global South to Japan, Taiwan and South Korea: Present Situations and Future Challenges" today (22 August) at the University of Tokyo. The symposium brought together scholars and journalists from Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea to discuss the current working conditions of migrant workers in these three countries. The event also highlighted the differences in migration policies between Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, aiming to jointly improve the human rights of migrant workers in Asia.

In his opening remarks, TAEF Chairman Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao mentioned that following last August's forum in Taipei, co-hosted with Taiwan’s National Human Rights Commission, which compared migrant worker policies between Taiwan and Japan, this year's symposium has moved to Japan and incorporated perspectives from South Korea. He expressed hope that through cross-national exchange and dialogue, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea can collectively analyze the human rights challenges faced by transnational migrant workers in Asia. The ultimate goal is to continue providing policy recommendations to governments and to further the TAEF’s commitment to a "people-centered" approach in promoting the New Southbound Policy.

The afternoon session focused on Taiwan, where Yung Ta Chien, author of "Underground Society Built by Migrant Workers: Transnational Labor in Taiwan," shared insights with scholars from Japan and South Korea, as well as the audience, regarding the various difficulties and challenges faced by Southeast Asian migrant workers in Taiwan. Postdoctoral researcher Ting-Chien Chen from the Department of Geography at National Changhua University of Education also delivered a presentation analyzing how Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan’s semiconductor industry are influencing and shaping today's global production networks.
The enthusiastic response at this cross-national symposium in Japan underscored the growing importance of migrant worker policies and human rights in East and Southeast Asia. Next year, TAEF will continue its collaboration with IDE-JETRO, further expanding the influence of migrant worker policies and related issues in East and Southeast Asia, with the goal of fostering a more inclusive and friendly environment for migrant workers throughout the Asia-Pacific region.