1. The State of Social Work Education in Japan
Capacity Building Seminar
January 13, 2019
Mie Ohwa, Ph.D., MSW
Professor, School of Human Welfare Studies
Kwansei Gakuin University

2. The Contents
1. Current Status of social work education in Japan 2. Glocal social work needs and issues 3. Responses for those issues and future challenges

3. 1. Current status of social work education in Japan

4. University social work curriculum
Under the guidance of the Ministry of Education
The standard set by Ministry of Education (2007)
The Purpose of human resource development should be written in a school regulation.
Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work　（DP,CP,AP)
Under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, Labor and welfare
Educational curriculum for training certified social workers
revised in 2007
Now review is under consideration →　2020？
Qualification for certified social worker’s national examination

5. Educational curriculum for training certified social workers
A case of Kwansei Gakuin University
Necessary credits to graduate　124
Educational curriculum for training CSW designated subjects are more than 68
90% of the subjects are designated (except required subjects)
Too many designated subjects, No choice for other elective subjects

6. Questionnaire Subject：Member schools of JASWE 282
Time：January to February 2018
Methods：Internet survey
Reply：150（response rate 53.2％）
In the questionnaire, the term “a subject related to international social work” is used since “international social work” is not yet established.

7. Provide a subject within the educational curriculum for training certified social workers
Yes (36%)
No (64%)
Only 36% of the schools provide a subject related to international social work within the training course curriculum.

8. Required or Elective （number of subjects＝118）
NA (1%)
Very few (only 2%) schools set up international social work as required.

9. Credit for a subject 2 credits 99 (84%) 1 credit 12 (10%)
NA (3%)
Almost all are 2 credits (usually for one semester).

10. Class form About 70% of classes take the form of lecture.
Practicum (11%)
Practice seminar (8%)
Other (12%)
NA (1%
About 70% of classes take the form of lecture.

11. A plan for starting a subject related to international social work
Yes (1%)
No (57%)
Not sure (42%)
Only one school has a plan to start.
60% of schools have no plan.
Those schools which do not have any plan are either not aware of the importance of setting up a subject related to international social work, or not be able to plan because of the restriction of a present curriculum.

12. Name of subject International welfare studies（13）
International social welfare studies（6）
Multicultural studies（2）
Other with “international” something（11）
Else
In Japan, a subject related to international social work is provided under international welfare, international social welfare, multicultural studies and other various different names.

13. Free descriptions (opinions)

14. １) It is necessary to set up a subject related to international social work.

15. It is important to learn global point of view on international movement, educational curriculum for social workers, current of human rights protection, craft organization’s activities of each field.
Not only towards the outside of the country, but the inner internationalization and the daily life problems of local ethnic minority should be dealt with and be reflected on education.
It is a field which gives us implication on domestic multi-cultural residents.
Domestic issues are beyond borders and sometimes support is also provided beyond borders.

16. People with foreign nationality and people who do not understand the Japanese language are increasing. The need and significance of education grow more and more in the future.
Need to raise awareness of the importance of social welfare support which focused on foreigners who stay in Japan.

17. 2) It is difficult to include in the regular curriculum

18. We think international social work is important, but now we do not include it in the regular subjects but take up if necessary.
We have no choice but concentrate on the curriculum for certified social worker. There is no room for starting the subject of international social work, and also there is a problem of student’s incentives for studying.

19. Under the status quo, we share necessity of international social work but due to the time limit, it is difficult to set up a subject.
In order to deal with these issue, more than knowledge of international social work, such as global perspectives and values, English and other conversation skills are also needed.
It is not enough to set up 1 or 2 designated subjects.

20. ３) International social work should be placed in the educational curriculum for training certified social workers.

21. Since globalization is rapidly progressed, development of human resources who can deal with global social work issues both internally and externally is essential.
Enrichment of international social work education is desired by putting related subjects in the educational curriculum for training certified social workers.
In Japan, culture is diversifying by settled foreigner (immigrants, refugees) and international marriage, we want international social work to be placed in the educational curriculum for training certified social workers.

22. It will be good if we could relate to designated subjects for the national examination of certified social workers.
International social work affairs and the framework of multicultural social work practice and skills should be essentially taught and learned through the subjects of social work practice.

23. 　　　　　Others
The limits and difficulties of time and human resources (teachers)for providing international social work education
Need to enrich the university support system
Unification of curriculum to aim for international standardization of qualifications
Lack of awareness of importance and influence of international perspectives
Many students are not interested in foreign affairs

24. 　Summary　
Too many designated subjects for training certified social workers, there is no room for other subjects
domestic problems, from beginning to end
International perspectives are weakened
It is necessary to put international social work in the curriculum or construct all classes with international perspectives.

25. ２. Glocal social work needs and issues

26. Influence on local by globalization
Lack of simple workers
Amendment to Immigration Control Act →　 an ethnic Japanese is a settler
The surge in the number of Japanese Brazilians in 90’s
From the beginning of immigration, non-regular employment, unstable working environment
The financial crisis of →　lay off of temporary workers
immigrant problem　→　non-regular employment problem

27. Expand acceptance of foreign workers
Undeveloped system and organization to support foreign workers
Amendment to Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in Status of residence “Technical Intern Training”
By 2050, more than 500,000 foreign workers will be accepted.
In the field of care for the elderly, by amending Technical Intern Training Program(TITP), foreign care workers will be welcomed.
50,000 to 60,000 care workers will be accepted within 5 years.

28. Not able to respond to glocal social work needs
Problems of foreigners have been separated from ordinary social work field in Japan. Those have been excluded from Japanese social welfare.
Medical treatment for foreign workers and migrants, social security, housing, education, etc Social worker’s role is to work with all kinds of problems of daily life and help them to solve the problem.
In reality, the Japanese language supporters, NPO stuff and volunteers help those migrants’ problems, and not social workers.
Important tasks to train multicultural social worker

29. ３. Responses for those issues and future challenges

30. It is necessary to put international perspectives in all subjects
Due to the globalization, various problems have been risen in Japan, such as status of residence of foreign workers, employment, medical treatment, housing, education, divorce, DV, etc.
Only by the subject “International welfare” cannot solve the problem. We need social worker who can deal with foreign affairs in any field of social work.
In the time of globalization, we need to incorporate international perspectives in all social work field.

31. Train social workers adapted to globalization age
In the field of children, people with handicapped, older adults, health and medicine, women, we need both global and local perspectives. As a method, it is desirable to adapt glocal approach.
Since it is not realistic to set up independent subject of international social work, we should take glocal approach which make much of both global and local at the same time, and train social workers who can fit to globalized society.

32. Future Issues
Promote understanding of importance of glocal approach which emphasizes linking problems of global and local
It is necessary to rebuild the contents and methods of social work education by integrating the results of practice and research
Actual contents and pedagogy should be developed jointly by interdisciplinary educators, researchers, and practitioners.

33. Thank you for your attention.