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Paper short abstract

Despite the "dekasegi" trend observed in other regions, this paper explores the transnational mobility of Japanese men in London to re-evaluate their professional identities and career trajectories. My findings suggest that destination choice is deeply intertwined with the specific form of capital.

Paper long abstract

Recent media discourse in Japan highlights a rise in "Dekasegi wa-hori (labor migration Working Holiday makers)”, driven by domestic economic stagnation and subsequent diversification of lifestyles. This trend suggests that young Japanese are increasingly moving abroad to secure economic capital. However, this study reveals a counter-narrative among Japanese men in London. Drawing on qualitative interviews, this research examines how these men—at a life stage where conventional Japanese masculinity expects institutional career stability—negotiate their identities through transnational mobility.

Contrary to the "dekasegi" trend observed in regions like Australia, my informants in London primarily pursue cultural capital in creative fields such as fashion and photography. For these men, London functions not as a site for high-wage labor, but rather as a space that allows them to temporarily detach from the rigid expectations of the Japanese labor market while seeking global validation for their professional identities.

This paper argues that the transnational mobility of Japanese men is increasingly bifurcated. While some pursue economic survival, those in London utilize the Working Holiday scheme to negotiate their masculinity by accumulating cultural prestige rather than immediate financial gain. This choice represents a strategic negotiation: they risk the delay of attainment of conventional adulthood to pursue self-realization that transcends domestic corporate norms. These findings suggest that destination choice is deeply intertwined with the specific form of capital—economic or cultural—that individuals seek to convert into their future social status.