International Social Science Journal (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2023

 

The Development of Kobe Chinatown and the Social Space Embodiment of Relationship between Old and New Chinese Migrants

(Abstract)

 

Bian Qingyin

 

The Chinese newcomers who migrated to Japan after China’s reform and opening up differ from the old Chinese migrants who came to Japan before in many aspects, such as language, educational background and economic status. Chinatown is the cultural and economic center for Chinese migrants, which provides a social space for the integration of new and old Chinese migrants. From the perspective of urban space theory, this paper discusses the possible paths for the integration of old and new Chinese migrants through the case study of Kobe Chinatown in Japan. It reveals that the competition for space resources in Chinatown increases the opportunities for interaction between the new and old Chinese migrants. It also points out that the comparison between the current economic behavior of the newcomers and historical memories about the first generation of old Chinese migrants who built their lives in Japan deepens understanding between the new and old Chinese migrants, and it makes clear that Chinese schools and other organizations feed the mutual integration of the new and old Chinese migrants in Chinatown.