Anthony P. D'Costa is Professor of Indian Studies and Research Director of the Asia Research Centre at the Copenhagen Business School. He used to teach at the University of Washington and about seven years ago had an Abe Fellowship to work on foreign technical professionals in Japan. He is now doing the last-minute research for a book and is making two short trips to Tokyo for interviews: Nov. 27-Dec 3, and Dec 8-13.

This is what he asks: "Would it be possible to introduce me or recommend me one or two knowledgeable people in Japan's technical education, who could discuss the challenges of technical labor supply and broader curricular issues in the context of labor shortages and globalization. I would also like to meet one or two people in the immigration bureau who could speak on the importance of or not of foreign technical professionals and how they fit into Japan's overall immigration context in an era of labor mobility and globalization."

Actually the immigration bureau probably isn't the right place, but in any case I don't know the right people and I'm hoping someone on this list might have useful suggestions. He is not a member so please write to me (jccamp[at]umich.edu) or, if of broader interest, reply to the list.

Yours, John Campbell