I liked the book for its innovative contrast of east Asian and south European countries. It is a valuable contribution to a growing literature that moves away from the 'nation-state' as unit of analysis.

Christian Joppke, International University Bremen

In this well organized and referenced collection, Tsuda and colleagues provide a great service by bringing immigration politics in Japan into focus alongside other international cases and debates. Homing in on the localities and urban contexts where struggles over citizenship rights have most meaning, the authors document the work of Japanese NGOs and legal activists - and its limits - and draw illuminating parallels between Japan, South Korea, Italy and Spain.

Adrian Favell, Centre d'études européennes de Sciences Po

The contributors should be praised for providing rich empirical accounts based on extensive field research. They offer valuable insights into the activities of and the interactions between major actors, including government officials and NGOs....Researchers of immigration and citizenship and of Japanese society should find this book highly informative.

Chikako Kashiwazaki, Pacific Affairs

The volume brings together prominent U.S.-based scholars who are actively working on Japan's immigration. It contributes to contemporary theories of immigration by de-linking citizenship from nation-states and introducing an innovative way to understand and theorize membership rules and entitlements through the activism of local actors....the argument in this book is exciting and innovative.

09/1/08, The Journal of Japanese Studies

Japan, South Korea, Spain and Italy, all relatively closed, low-birthrate, aging societies, are finding that they need to allow more foreigners in their midst. This innovative book is the first to compare how migrants fare in these two southern European and two East Asian countries. Not only NGOs, but also local governments are often far more accommodating to incorporating migrants into the body politic than are their national counterparts.

Glenda Roberts, Waseda University