I was a former irregular Filipino migrant (IFM) in Japan. For approximately eight months, my immigration status was in limbo. Building on this personal experience, I propose a methodological innovation for examining the inclusion of irregular migrants in Japan: utilizing autoethnography as the primary method of exploration. Although autoethnography has been gaining prominence in migration studies, particularly in exploring concepts such as integration, citizenship, naturalization, and migratory experiences in general, this method has not been conventionally used to examine the lived experiences of irregular migrants. In this paper, I attempt to highlight the importance of autoethnography as a research method in investigating irregular migration. This study offers important insights into the purposes and qualities of autoethnography and its data collection strategies, highlighting how the method provides nuanced and thick insider knowledge on the inclusion of irregular migrants in Japan. Accordingly, I use autoethnography to explore my experiences as a former IFM. I then complement these inward examinations with outside data-gathering strategies. The study presents how the lack of immigration status impacts the day-to-day life of an irregular migrant, their sense of inclusion, and how they realize their inclusion in Japan.
Gladys Fusingan BONGAPAT (Sun,) studied this question.