ABSTRACT
According to the 1990 revision of the Japanese Immigration Control Law, only foreign nationals of Japanese descent (Nikkeijin) up to the third generation, or the spouses of such people, are permitted to reside in Japan without legal or employment restrictions. This new law has led to a significant increase in the employment of people of Japanese descent from South America, in particular from Brazil, where many Japanese had emigrated during the first half of the twentieth century. In 1999, the number of Brazilian Nikkeijin residing in Japan was estimated at 224,299 (Japanese Immigration Association, 2000).
