21 COE Nihon Fukushi University Project - The 21st Century Center of Excellence Program  Asian COE towards a New Policy Science for Social Well-Being and Development
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  Domain C Comparative Studies between Korea and Japan
  Ryu Niki, Domain C Leader
 


  Comparative Studies between Korea and Japan focuses on general comparative research of social security and social welfare in Korea and Japan in collaboration with YonseiUniversity and other Korean universities, and with the University of Tokyo and other Japanese universities. Our research consists of the following four groups: Research on Welfare Society Development, and the Formation and Reorganization of Welfare Society in Korea and Japan (C1); Comparative Research on Nursing, Infant Education, and Childcare Support (C2); Comparative Studies on Medical and Elderly Care (C3); and Collaborative Research on Residential Welfare in Korea and Japan (C4). Details of the C1 research and belief summary of the other research areas are given below.

Research on Welfare Society Development, and the Formation and Reorganization of Welfare Society in Korea and Japan
This group has focused on the development of the welfare society through the approach of reconstructing the relationship between the welfare regime and welfare society. Although there is some difference in degree, both Korea and Japan are facing the problems of rapid aging, low birth rate, and a reappraisal of the welfare state due to the economic downturn. To counteract these problems, policies to provide care for the aged, support for child rearing, and workfare are suggested. At the same time, both countries are in the process of establishing welfare systems run by local governments under the political trend whereby governments are attempting to decentralize their power. Local welfare plans are now being developed as the first step in its implementation. On the other hand, the actual contents of the apparently similar plans of these countries reveal distinctions due to differences in the development periods of their respective welfare societies, and the different degrees of their aging populations and low birth rates. What these comparative studies are gradually revealing is that Korea and Japan, which are classed into the same East Asia model in Esping-Andersen’s welfare regime theory, actually possess different welfare systems.
The results of this research has been reported at the: Korea & Japan Elderly Care Symposium (held on 26 November 2005); “Nihon to Kankoku no Fukushi Kokka no Saihen to Fukushi Shakai no Kaihatsu, Vol. 1, Fukushi Kokka no Keisei Saihen to Shakai Fukushi Seisaku (Reorganization of Welfare Regime and Development of Welfare Society in Korea and Japan, Vol. 1, Formation and Reorganization of Welfare Regime and Social Welfare Policies)” (upcoming from Chuohoki Publishers); a publication symposium, “Reorganization of the Welfare Regime and Development of Welfare Society in Korea and Japan,” held on 25 March 2006; and on other occasions.
Japan already recognizes the limitations of a welfare regime and therefore believes that forming a welfare society is indispensable to overcome such boundaries. While in Korea, where the history of the welfare regime is still new, little attention has been given to forming a welfare society. Now Korea is forming its welfare regime, but at the same time it also faces its limitations. The challenge in Korea is again the formation of a welfare society as a countermeasure to overcome this. One future issue in our research is to seek the method to solve the problems Korea and Japan face through forming a welfare society based on each country’s historical and cultural background, not just by creating a replica of a Western-style welfare society. The research topics we are currently planning are as follows:
(1) Comparison of community activities and the social governance realized by such activities.
(2) Comparison of residential welfare plans by local governments.
(3) Comparison of the reorganization of healthcare, medical, and welfare systems (continued).
(4) Comparison of relationships between a welfare regime and a welfare society that are constructed through the above (1) to (3).

Summary of Other Research Areas
The Comparative Research on Nursing, Infant Education, and Childcare Support group is now in the final stage of publishing the results of their research as “Social Support for Nursing, Infant Education, and Childcare in Korea” (tentative title). This publication represents the first academic Korea-Japan comparison study in this field.
The Comparative Studies on Medical and Elderly Care group is currently conducting Korea-Japan comparative studies concerning nursing care insurance systems and the healthcare, medical, and welfare complex, and a survey on the current state on Keiro-do (meeting houses for the elderly) in Korea. In May 2006, a Korean translation of a compilation of papers by Professor Ryu Niki, The Nursing Care Insurance and the Healthcare, Medical, and Welfare Complex in Japan, translated by Professor Jeong, Hyoung-Sun, YonseiUniversity, was published.
The Collaborative Research on Korea and Japan Residential Welfare group is a new group started last fiscal year organizing collaborative workshops and field surveys by Korean and Japanese researchers.

Ryu Niki
niki@n-fukushi.ac.jp
Professor, NihonFukushiUniversity;
Chairman, GraduateSchool, NihonFukushiUniversity

 


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