Japan OKs policy for replacement of troubled foreign trainee scheme

Another complex scheme being replaced by another complex scheme, which being no mentioned how is really being enforced.

It states that skilled foreign workers, if they cannot work due to pregnancy and childbirth, can have the period spent outside the workforce exempted from their five-year residency time

Many rules seem to be nice in Japan, however since it lack enforcer many employer just choose to pressure their worker especially foreign trainee just to quite and back to home country when those foreign worker pregnant.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/04/803ebc204b8e-focus-pregnant-trainee-in-japan-feared-being-forced-to-return-to-vietnam.html

Is there truly a global race to acquire foreign talent to clean hotel rooms, do construction jobs and work in poultry processing plants?

"As the global race to acquire foreign talent intensifies, the basic policy is an important guideline to (make Japan an) attractive labor environment," Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told a meeting with ministers.

What about a permit to employ trainees that can be revoked in case of abusement and inspectors checking working conditions without appointment? For sure it will avoid slavery.

"Is there truly a global race to acquire foreign talent to clean hotel rooms, do construction jobs and work in poultry processing plants?"

Yes. Because no one wants to do that kind of work. It's dirty, long hours, looked down on, needed, and underpaid for the amount of labor involved (construction jobs are generally increasing in pay especially because young Japanese don't want to work outdoors).

Is there truly a global race to acquire foreign talent to clean hotel rooms, do construction jobs and work in poultry processing plants?

It takes something special to do a lot of these thankless and gruelling tasks.

Yes. Because no one wants to do that kind of work. It's dirty, long hours, looked down on, needed, and underpaid for the amount of labor involved (construction jobs are generally increasing in pay especially because young Japanese don't want to work outdoors).

It takes something special to do a lot of these thankless and gruelling tasks.

Will and Chabba- both of you are correct, but there is an even bigger elephant in the room- the declining birthrates around the world. Now, with the exception of the Middle East and Africa, nearly the whole world's fertility rate is below replacement, and that includes poor countries. Pretty soon, its going to be very difficult to get people to do these jobs, and if Japan has to compete with western nations for these people, it might find itself in an extremely difficult position.

It seems like a majority of construction workers, hotel staff, and food processors are all foreign these days. Most of which are contract work or day laborers. With so many of them living and working here giving priority to their rights and protection is needed. Hopefully the new standards help but it sounds like a lot of red tape still.

The program has been criticized as simply being an avenue for Japan to import cheap labor.

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Because that is what it is!

It states that skilled foreign workers, if they cannot work due to pregnancy and childbirth, can have the period spent outside the workforce exempted from their five-year residency time.

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If it’s not law then the workers will be abused

Next time,on buying something from one of the ubiquitous convenience stores in Japan, simply, ask the clerk whether they want to stay in Japan in the future or not-the answers are illuminating…

Even the businesses that are booming like hotels still treat staff with little respect.

Some of the staff are Japanese and some other staff are foreign but the turnover at even 4 star hotels is high.

OK, these are steps in the right direction. What's missing though is more severe penalties for Employers who violate these new laws.