The objective of this thesis is to offer an alternative to the conventional “push and pull” model of transnational labor migration to analyze the sudden inflow of migrant workers to Japan since the mid-1980’s. Michael Piore’s theory of labor market segmentation is used as a framework for the analysis. Piore’s model claims that migrant workers are wanted in the host country to provide their flexible labor in the “secondary sector,” which mostly employs socially disadvantaged groups of citizens, such as women, minorities, and youths. After analyzing the Japanese labor market for segmentation, which has its roots in extensive subcontracting production practices, this thesis argues that the inability of the secondary sector to attract domestic workers during the economic expansion in the mid-1980’s to early 1990’s created the demand for migrant workers, and that some of the measures taken by the Japanese government during the same period are directly responsible for “triggering” the migration.

Despite the expectation among employers and some government officials that the influx of migrant workers will alleviate the labor shortage in the secondary sector in the short-term, this thesis postulates that the use of migrant workers as it has been done in Japan will ultimately reinforce the production and employment practices that perpetuate the segmented structure and its labor shortage in the Japanese labor market. In addition, the labor rights and human rights of migrant workers are too often overlooked by their employers and the enforcement authorities. Based on these observations, this thesis recommends that the Japanese government emphasize on improving the remuneration systems and working conditions of the secondary sector, and regain control over immigration of foreign workers, which it did successfully prior to the mid-1980’s.