ABSTRACT
Studies on immigrant entrepreneurship have burgeoned over the last few decades. Recent studies describe immigrant entrepreneurs as proactive actors who identify and take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities. This chapter discusses the conceptual foundations of immigrant entrepreneurship and social identity relevant to this study. It introduces Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Japan and their characteristics. The chapter presents the research methods and findings, including a proposed model of the opportunity identification process by immigrants, and discusses how social identity influences that process. Due to the rising diversity of immigrants in Japan, programs and initiatives that are tailored to suit different groups of immigrants, rather than “one size fits all” policies, are crucial. Measures to support immigrant entrepreneurship in Japan should include general programs that can help immigrants understand the cultural and legal contexts of doing business in Japan and develop a sense of inclusion as well as targeted programs that can address specific challenges confronting each immigrant group.
