Japan to set up immigration agency to cope with influx of foreigners

Wow, I guess we will see how this ensues in the years to come. Hopefully we become more benevolent and tolerant than in the past.

the government expects to accept hundreds of thousands of foreigners

I am being cautious about this, it troubles me. I still think Robots, automated technology (driverless car), and Artificial Intelligence are the way of the future for "labor shortages" in Japan, for farms, hospitals and factories. Also, women and seniors are being encouraged to enter the workforce, so there may be no need to import guest workers.

I am being cautious about this, it troubles me. I still think Robots, automated technology (driverless car), and Artificial Intelligence are the way of the future for "labor shortages" in Japan, for farms, hospitals and factories. Also, women and seniors are being encouraged to enter the workforce, so there may be no need to import guest workers.

AI is not yet ready for widespread use in the field. Women are already working have to choose between work and having children. Seniors are well...old. Making people work till they drop is not a solution.

They will be limited to a 5 year stay and prohibited from bringing their families. Still will change the face of the nation. More in-depth coverage here: https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/japan-open-doors-for-more-foreign-workers/

the government expects to accept hundreds of thousands of slaves for jobs in fields including nursing care, agriculture, construction, hotel, shipbuilding, manufacturing and fisheries, as the country grapples with population decline and a labor shortage.

Fixed it for ya.

The problem with an automated society is it doesnt address the dying population. If a country followed the logic, they would have just machines and no workers to operate such machines.

Even with AI, you still need someone to repair and maintain.

I still think Robots, automated technology (driverless car), and Artificial Intelligence are the way of the future for "labor shortages" in Japan, for farms, hospitals and factories.

Japan as I have said a billion times over 30years is burning the wick at BOTH ends, young & old, I suspect the birthrate will further plummet & will soon (if it hasn't already!) reached the point of no return.

Japan wont need AI/robots because there will be no one left! Obviously it wont come to that real soon but Japan is in for a wicked demographic decline & folks we are already CLEARLY, WELL into that decline NOW, hence the massive & growing labour issues. One of many issues Japan just simply refuses to address except will ill thought short term daft "solutions".

limit them to 3 years, make sure pay is capped and hold employers liable to a large financial tune if there are runners.

better do it from start.

A step in the right direction. Hopefully this will lead to easier immigration overall. Japan needs to change, and it needs to change now. The people who come will help keep the culture, trust me, and many moreso than the current crop of young people here in Japan. I find myself actually teaching Japanese culture to the locals a lot, who know what I'm talking about, maybe, but not why or the history. The fears about change and all that are just nonsense except where things NEED to change -- like not accepting in skilled workers when there are not enough here for the nation to survive into the future.

Being homogenious is  a good thing and a bad thing.  Innovating powers and dynamism of Japan is weakening. No revolutional ideas coming out from a homogenious society. Corruptions appearing in recent Japan also come from the homogenious society.

Even with AI, you still need someone to repair and maintain.

They will simply be maintained by an AI programmed and equipped to do so...next please.

What is the difference between a bureau and an agency?

A bureau is a writing desk with drawers, whereas an agency is an action or intervention producing a particular effect.

SchopenhauerToday  12:04 pm JST

Being homogenious is a good thing and a bad thing. Innovating powers and dynamism of Japan is weakening. No revolutional ideas coming out from a homogenious society.

Japan has never been a homogenious society. At best, it has been a society with a large ethnic majority and a vast variety of minorities (ethnic/cultural/class/caste) that everyone pretends don't exist.

@expat yes should be absolutely prohibited to switch that visa, they are very welcome to stop that employment ( since in its original contract its time limited ) , leave the country and re-apply or return based on marriage visa and the process currently is established.

There is absolutely no reason to make any shortcuts.

Actually abe is using the change of constitution just as an excuse, he needs support of the conservative wing. 

It's an old trick like dangle a carrot in front of someone.

The real target of abe is just to push your mass immigration policy.

What branch of government will ensure the fair treatment of foreign workers in the event of labor disputes? It seems to me that foreigners will always be at a disadvantage in cases where it's their word against that of a Japanese who speaks the language fluently and who can afford a good attorney.

being a recruiter for companies since 1989 I have to deal with the folks at the Labor Ministry regularly the nearest comparison I can make is I am flying in the space shuttle and they are just discovering the wheel

The whole thing is amusing, just the rules they have introduced shows us they only want desperate third world workers - an aging work force, declining young people and a declining population we all know how this is gonna work out.

Please invest in tech infrastructure to manage minimum baseline of 1.28 million workers. Pencil, paper and hanko stamping ain't going to cut it anymore.

Smith, how on earth you can believe they will 'keep the culture' is beyond me.

quite the opposite.