Japan eyes up to 800,000 more skilled foreign workers over next 5 years

In the next five years, the government expects to accept around 34,000 workers in the four new sectors under consideration for inclusion, with 24,500 projected to work in the road transportation industry, a sector set to face a manpower shortage.

I wonder how a potential applicant demonstrates their “skill” to lay rail and roads. Just be young and healthy?

They just want cheap workers from other Asian countries who can work like slaves!

In an attempt to cope with an acute labor shortage, the government is considering adding the road transportation, railway, forestry and timber industries as targets of the visa system, which was introduced in April 2019, the source said.

With automation coming for many white-collar jobs, I wonder what are the particular "skills" these blue collar positions require that are not quickly trainable for Japanese workers in need of full-time employment.

And if it is another last grasp at cheap labor to keep the easily automated away dead wood of Japanese middle management employed in these industries for a few more years.

With current numbers so many of those trainee, were fleeing their job because harsh condition and underpaid. After current number being increased to 800 thousands how many will runaway?

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-immigration/Foreign-interns-in-Japan-flee-harsh-conditions-by-the-thousands2

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13142265

I wonder how a potential applicant demonstrates their “skill” to lay rail and roads. Just be young and healthy?

For current trainee program they need to have experience before coming to Japan, even Japan call them trainee and intern basically it just a scheme to get cheap labor.

Beside trainee program they have specified skilled program, those people usually ex-trainee and need to pass certain certification test.

https://www.prometric-jp.com/en/ssw/

Hiking salaries is crucial, especially in a scenario where the yen is consistently depreciating against the USD. Otherwise, talented individuals may not be enticed, and they may still prefer opportunities in the US over those in Japan.

So 800,000 unskilled workers who receive 3 months of training in their home country before getting on a plane. I kind of think Japan is overestimating how many people actually really want to come here and do this kind of work. But hey, I could be wrong!

'"Sees" vs reality are two totally different things. Historically the government here has "seen" all sorts of things in their crystal ball and as far as I can "see" nary a one has come to pass!

With the yen at 150 to the dollar I sm embarrassed to say I make the same now as my first year out of graduate school and that doesn’t factor in inflation.

With the yen at 150 to the dollar I sm embarrassed to say I make the same now as my first year out of graduate school and that doesn’t factor in inflation.

I hear you.

Ridiculously low salaries in Japan.

LDP doesn’t care a jot.

They’ll come to Japan but see the ‘true’ working conditions and lack of general acceptance and then go back to their home countries which are rising economically.

The Japanese ambassador to India is on Instagram extolling young Indians to come and work in Japan.

The comments from Indians show very clearly that Japan is not considered as a choice.

Japan doesn’t offer a secure future but many other countries do and that is where foreign labor will go.

Japan won’t reach their targets until the elite start treating labor as ‘humans’ instead of just statistics.

Jim...

They just want cheap workers from other Asian countries who can work like slaves!

No, they want workers from other countries because the "slave" wages they pay do not attract Japanese workers.

Several European countries "imported " foreign workers to do the cheap jobs that the native weren't too keen on doing. This has led to an underclass of discriminated against, rejected, ghettoized 2nd and 3rd generations with much higher crime rates.

Japan, if you really need foreign workers, be careful with the visa renewals.

With the yen so weak and working conditions so abysmal I'd say they might have trouble filling these quotas!

So when these "skilled workers" come to Japan, will they given the same benefits as regular japanese workers or be put into low level jobs despite their skills and training? That's a big gray area.

Yen weakness makes it tough, but real problem, the quality of the companies here is less and less world class. Nobody wants to work for the B team.

Japan's workforce losing over 600k per year for next 30 years, about 20M workers, plus workforce continues to age rapidly. Meanwhile elderly burden skyrockets.

Time to globalize, Galapagos biz culture dying before our eyes, too risky and too ineffective and inefficient.

Can we take advantage of the estimated 1.46 million hikikomoris?

For expats, from Western nations, the appeal is Japan's food and culture and being in a very different place, but I'm not sure these are the same qualities that will draw people from places like India Indonesia, etc.

With the yen so weak and working conditions so abysmal I'd say they might have trouble filling these quotas!

Make no mistake : South-East - and other - Asians idolize Japan. To them, Japan is a "utopia" - an advanced nation, with a "dream culture," top notch medical care, incredible food, enviable lifestyle and good salaries compared to developing Asian nations.

A quick look at social media will reveal countless "Work in Japan" sites, where Asians in developing nations (Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand etc) express their life dreams of living and working in Japan. There is enormous demand.

Whether these foreign guest workers are actually needed in this age of AI, drones and robots is another question.

*Yes, can anyone explain exactly what the appeal of Japan is for these skilled workers coming from undeveloped nations? *Yes, Japan is great. It seems there are plenty of enthusiasts willing to work for food. best of luck to them. How many successful foreign-born professors, scientists, or corporate managers are there? Alternatively, you can check in the US. Pay them decently and see the difference. They can enjoy many holidays in Japan to cherish the experience.

At least we can see the necessity. The ones who come up with such completely unrealistic numbers are for example not skilled workers.

Start a new life for you and your family. Japan is not the first choice nor the second. Which means that the best of the immigrant workers and their families are not coming to Japan

Just call it a manual labor system for foreign workers. The fancy title doesn’t change the description. But with Japans wages be my frozen for anything below corporate managers, below average for g20, and rising quality of life in Japans usual regions to cherry pick from, how long can these intern and skilled worker systems last

Guessing significantly long looking at the ALT systems lol

Nobody is putting a gun on their heads to come to Japan. I just hope they get the whole picture such as working conditions, Japanese work culture, racism, cost of living and the continuous depreciation of the yen. They might reconsider if it is still worth it to come and spend their younger productive years here.

They might reconsider if it is still worth it to come and spend their younger productive years here.

It's a great experience, which is what many want.

Given how fast the working age population is shrinking, 160,000 a year isn't that many.

"Skilled" is a euphemism for these jobs and its basically low paid manual labour. Exploitation is rife, so I hope more protections for workers are introduced. I'm not holding my breath though.

I wonder how a potential applicant demonstrates their “skill” to lay rail and roads. Just be young and healthy?

Being Japan my guess is they have a license which you get if you pass an exam, and in order to pass the exam you have to attend some sort of senmon gakko that teaches you how to pass the exam, of course.

They might reconsider if it is still worth it to come and spend their younger productive years here.

Almost all of them will stay for a MAXIMUM of 5 years and then leave. Thats the Visa deal. It's not as if they are going to set up shop, have children and stay in Japan forever.

Skills acquired in Japan can be then utilized in their home nations ie train and truck driving, road-making, construction, farming etc. Back in their home nations is where these (up to) 800,000 guest workers will spend most of their productive years.

kokontozai Today 09:12 am JST

Can we take advantage of the estimated 1.46 million hikikomoris?

That's actually not a bad idea.

Some coaxing & workshops will be needed to convince them to come out, re-integrate into Japanese society and earn a steady income at the same time.

Maybe start them out with remote work first ( in the comfort of their home), then slowly convince them to come to the office once a week, then twice and then move up from there.

Added plus is that they already know the language, so communications will not be much of an issue.

I've always felt that the Hikikomoris are an untapped potential.

Define 'great' from their perspective

Japan is literally the top place on the planet to visit. Maybe look at their perspective.

Well, thankfully, that work has been done for us: Conde Nast Traveller just shared the results from its annual Readers Choice Awards which surveyed 526,518 people to find out which is the best country in the world.

The result? Japan.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-best-country-to-visit-in-the-world-has-been-revealed/ar-BB1jdR8z

Japan is literally the top place on the planet to visit. Maybe look at their perspective.

I agree.

In 2024, Japan is THE place to be - and to be seen. As I have mentioned, a cursory look at social media will confirm this. There are literally tens of millions of SE Asians - and even those from super rich nations - desperate to get to Japan. Tourist figures do not lie!

Tourism ≠ immigrantion

No, but it's adjacent to it, and people who want to visit a place often want to find ways to live in it as well.

It's what brought most of us to Japan I would bet.

Yes, but we are the exception to the rule. We are mostly Japanophiles.

Have you not been out in the world recently? The world is more Japanophile than it has ever been. Look at the article I posted - it's the top place on the world people want to visit.

Most ordinary people are not going to be like that when faced with living in Japan.

As I said, they are adjacent. Do you think there would be someone who would want to live in Japan, but not be one of the people who wants to visit? In otherwords, only some people who want to visit Japan would want to live there, but nearly all people who want to live in Japan, would also like to visit.

Japan should look at Europe as well as Lebanon, Egypt etc and take note that they should only let in atheists…..at worst there’s one particular religion that should never be let in.

@Fighto!

Could you please stop with the "foreign guest workers". It is highly racist. They are, most likely like you, foreign worker. They are not guest. They should be covered with the same rules, laws, ... than any of their Japanese counterpart.

A "guest worker" for example "guest university professor" is a specific situation which do not cover these foreign worker.

By knowingly improperly using it for every foreign worker, it reflect badly of you.

Thanks in advance.

@Mr Kipling

Do you have any evidence as proof of ghettoized non native population as much higher crime rate that native ghettoized population ? And if yes, any research about why, would be welcome.

Thank in advance.

chico3....

So when these "skilled workers" come to Japan, will they given the same benefits as regular japanese workers or be put into low level jobs despite their skills and training? That's a big gray area.

No, it isn't a gray area, same benefits regardless of sex, nationality is Japanese law.

I wonder how a potential applicant demonstrates their “skill” to lay rail and roads. Just be young and healthy?

Having a certificate, degree and some experience.

”Skilled” for Japan also means to better behave in a society

Yes, but we are the exception to the rule. We are mostly Japanophiles.

I knew almost nothing about Japan when I came actually, now that I think of it. I found a job teaching English, and was there a month later. It was the late-90's, there was no internet, Japan wasn't nearly as popular, and I really didn't know much about it, other than the movies Rising Sun and Gung Ho that I saw in the '80s!

Could you please stop with the "foreign guest workers". It is highly racist. They are, most likely like you, foreign worker. They are not guest. They should be covered with the same rules, laws, ... than any of their Japanese counterpart.

But, these 800,000 who will come are guests of Japan and living and working for - up to - five years only. The distinguishing feature of their Visas is that they are NOT immigrants, make no mistake.

Guest workers is actually a nice title, IMO. Sounds much more polite than just "foreign workers" which kind of sounds almost mercenary.

USDJPY over 150. Good look attracting anyone to come and be paid in Yen.

Don't forget, many other countries face similar demographic challenges, including China so the competition for skilled immigrant talent is heating up!

The often confusing bureaucracy.

The very hard to learn written language.

Housing is small and expensive in large urban areas.

Big cultural differences to adjust to.

I’ve lived in lots of counties. Most of them are like this to some degree.

Low income. Focus on language skills vrs actual work skills

horrible productivity

companies not wanting to sponsor visa

how? Why would anyone with high skills want to move here? Many better jobs in china and singapore.

Waste of time because Japanese Immigration officials haven't the English skills to read references and documents submitted when applying for a visa. Just take a look at the hundreds of Indian staff at the breeding farms in Hokkaido that submitted references with over 10 years of horse riding experience, they have never ridden a horse before and are shuffled out to the breeding farms where there is no riding, they are used for ground staff, paid more than the Japanese, take 2 months holiday a year, refuse to pay town taxes, drive around the town with no license because local Japanese police can't speak Hindi and basically are nothing more than cannon fodder.How is letting a fake "skilled" workforce going to help Japan when the quality of the workforce is getting lower and lower?

Something else to be aware of...

Dependent visas. Will they be allowed to bring in wives, future wives, children, cousins...

The UK had 280,000 of these last year.

Immigration to Japan now record levels, as companies desperately need workers, whether drivers, construction, nursing, farming, hotels, retail, etc. Meanwhile, Japan's domestic population dropping approx. 20K per/week, while rapidly aging.