The Coming-to-Japan Boom
Revisiting Iranian Migration to Japan in the 1990s
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19214811 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Atsuko Tsubakihara (0009-0005-9778-6736, Ryukoku University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-23 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-06 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Iranian Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0021-0862 • E-ISSN: 1475-4819 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/irn.2026.10154 |
| OpenAlex | W7160373880 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 11 |
This article examines the surge of Iranian migration to Japan in the early 1990s. After Iran and Japan established a mutual visa waiver agreement in 1974, many overstayed, with migration increased notably from 1989. However, stricter rules and the suspension of visa exemptions in 1992 sharply reduced the number of Iranians in Japan by the mid-1990s. The influx represented a unique chapter in the history of the Iranian diaspora—rapid migration, informal social networks, and public gatherings characterized this period. While Japan’s strict immigration policies quickly ended the “coming-to-Japan” boom, Iranian migrants developed a sense of equality and mutual support during their time in Japan
Immigration · Public policy · Social policy · Waiver · Diaspora, migration, transnational identity · Japanese History and Culture · Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy
| Highly cited | No |
|---|