DIVERGENT DISCOURSES ON MIGRATION AND INTERNATIONAL MARRIAGES: A FOCUS ON NIGERIANS IN JAPAN

Abstract

International migration, whether voluntary or involuntary, has a long history dating to several centuries before the slave trade. Today, the phenomenon of migration has come to stay, particularly with the advancement of globalization and the global media. As migration takes root, migrants also become more comfortable in their adopted countries and make the active decision of marrying into and creating a family. This paper takes a cursory look at migration as a phenomenon, reasons for migration, the effect of globalization on migration and the migration of sub-Saharan African men to Japan. It then focuses particularly on the marriages between migrant Nigerian men and Japanese women and, while paying close attention to five case studies, it analyzes from divergent angles, the problems and challenges that plague such unions while proffering solutions to some of the issues. It concludes by stating that a more profound understanding of the cultures of each of the partners involved is necessary for the sustainability, stability and permanence of such unions.