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Japan to let in 500,000 foreign workers to help plug labor shortage

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Wow, the times, they are a changin

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

However the fact still remains, Japan is competing for the same service pool with other countries facing the same labor shortages.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

They will be required to pass a test demonstrating proficiency in the relevant field and the Japanese language. Those who go through the country's foreign trainee program will be exempt from the test and can stay for a total of 10 years.

This paragraph shows the reality. Japan previously tried to get 10,000 foreign nurses from surrounding Asian countries to help with aged care. Over 90% failed the language test and those who passed were employed as virtual slaves with low wages and long hours. There has also been a spate of abuses in the trainee program from working excessive overtime to making them work at the fukushima clean up. - This may seem like a step forward for Japan, but I fear it will just be a slave labor campaign.

49 ( +50 / -1 )

Do the Hustle took the words right out of my mouth.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

So xenophobic. You can come to work with minimum wage and near slavery conditions. And you must talk Japanese first. Don't bring your family. You must leave after 5 years, and please don't make any ties to Japan.

due to concerns that an influx of immigrants could lead to a rise in crime.

Of course, dangerous foreigners!

37 ( +42 / -5 )

There is no such thing as a labor shortage in Japan, just a shortage of jobs which pay a salary on which one can live decently.

Immigration is not the answer. Look at the state of the UK these days!

-8 ( +15 / -23 )

No doubt the influx of immigrants will lead to a rise of crime: human trafficking. It will not be the foreigners commiting the crimes but the Japanese employers. Perhaps this is being done because word is spreading that trainees are not trained in anything but overworked and underpaid, maybe not even paid.

I am sure many companies will assist in finding housing, but what kind of housing?

This documentary about the trainee programme shows some of the abuses that will happen.

https://youtu.be/wt__lHCuH5g

28 ( +31 / -3 )

Those who live far away from their families end up making new families. If the men coming are young, handsome, hard workers and pick up the language quickly, it could be baby boom time.

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

Immigration is not the answer. Look at the state of the UK these days!

Many of the UK's problems are caused by the insane austerity programmes of consecutive right wing Conservative Governments. The UK is beginning to resemble the US in poverty, crime and declining public health because of American-style policies to make the rich richer and privatise everything. Blaming "immigrants" is cheap dogwhistle filth, we all know what you people mean by "immigrants".

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/world/europe/uk-austerity-poverty.html

15 ( +24 / -9 )

Just don't exploit them, please.

Look at the state of the UK these days!

You mean the Windrush debacle? I agree, it's disgusting the way people who were asked to come to Britain to help were treated.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Meaningless, take a look at the Japanese foreign nursing program over the last 5 years. They work these guys so hard they have no time to study for the Japanese test and then fail after 2 years... it's just slave labour all over again!

24 ( +26 / -2 )

Multiculturalism come to Japan! Have they got some surprises in store!

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Multiculturalism come to Japan! Have they got some surprises in store!

Only if they read the JT comments section. Otherwise, they should be relatively ok.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Sorry, but Japan is really quite selfish when it comes to this subject. There are millions of former and current Japanese living happily all around the world. Why is everything always a selfish, one way street in Japan?

26 ( +28 / -2 )

Agriculture and construction? Those need to be automated, and not supported by low wage workers who are required to learn the language and get certified in areas they likely will not be able to use once they have left.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

I suppose this is good news in that we can stop pretending these workers are "researchers" and now look upon them as the workers they are. I would hope this will result in them gaining workers' rights, not that they are worth very much in Japan. I guess the idea is to kick them all out after five years, which is shortsighted because a decent % will be well worth keeping on and having in Japan. It is a "cut off your nose to spite your face" restriction. Literally hundreds of authorities in the countryside need more residents to keep them viable.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

If these proposed 50,000 workers are not treated equally to Japanese workers there will be a backlash from the international community which could include a worsening treatment of Japanese who work overseas in some countries. Nobody wants to see that happen. All workers deserve the same respect no matter what country they are from or where they choose to work.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

In other word, more slaves for job that nobody want, not treated and paid as Japanese and more money for the "agencies" finding candidates in China, Vietnam etc....digging the grave of the country.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

The government is not about policy but convenience. Sad. Things will change tomorrow. For sure, any 'policy' limiting foreigners is history. Egg in their face. Japan's future is out of government hands and in the hands of business. Money speaks. The Abe government has !Ong bad mouthed foreigners but the reality is that they (we?) are what he needs most right now. Am I arrogant? Maybe. However, it's a!so the truth.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

barring foreign workers from bringing family members with them

Work here for 5-10 years, but no family members. This is cruel and a violation of basic human rights. Can anyone name another country which allows this?

5 ( +9 / -4 )

I can't help thinking that this is all going to go wrong. I only have to look at how brilliant ideas formulated by the Japanese government have worked out in the past.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

This has abuse written allover it.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Japan previously tried to get 10,000 foreign nurses from surrounding Asian countries to help with aged care. Over 90% failed the language test and those who passed were employed as virtual slaves with low wages and long hours.

Nurses and caregivers were and are two separate categories.

The target is not now and never was 10,000.

Foreign caregivers were guaranteed the same wages and hours as Japanese. I have seen no reports in either English or Japanese that this requirement was not generally met.

The examinations were changed to make it easier for non-native speakers of Japanese to pass the exams and foreign nationals are now given extra time.

The foreign passage rate for the caregiver exam is now not much below the passage rate for native Japanese.

This has all been reported in English and, of course, Japanese.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/03/29/national/number-foreign-caregivers-passed-japans-certification-exam-doubled-2017-welfare-ministry/

3 ( +8 / -5 )

'In a sign the country is opening up its insular job market, the Japanese government decided Tuesday to let in more than 500,000 foreign workers through fiscal 2025 to offset the labor shortage in industries such as agriculture and construction.'

Through 2025, only 500,000. Much too long of a time frame to be effective. Things will get worse! The great need is now!

Also, what the government does on one hand, they make it very difficult to work with the other hand. In some employment positions, fluent Japanese is not necessary.

If these politicians owned businesses that are on the verge of closing, because of the lack of employees, their thinking would be different.

Some good businesses are closing now for lack of employees, such as the restaurant business. Again, the great need is now!

Wake up politicians as to the real need and that need is now, not slowly over a period of years as things get worse. Take action now to truly help businesses in need. Stop tap dancing, do something positive now!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

From the title: "Japan to let in 500,000 foreign workers to help plug labor shortage". No credit to trust this number. The conditions offered to work in Japan for those 5 industries seems to be higher level, to say they have to understand/ speak Japanese ( the most difficult item). It's like to choose a fish to fly the sky. So, I think this number isn't realistic and the conditional items will be changed with time.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

HarukaToday 07:53 am JST

Those who live far away from their families end up making new families. If the men coming are young, handsome, hard workers and pick up the language quickly, it could be baby boom time.

Except that the Japanese authorities will either keep the baby but kick out the foreign father (after 5 years), or if it's a foreign mother, will kick her and the baby out because the baby is not 'Japanese' or some such mess.

This will only continue to erode at Japan's flailing international image when it comes to human rights (it's constantly looking more and more like pre-war Japan). Japan has proved that it is not capable of give and take when it comes to international relations. So, you will end up with another social mess like we have now with Koreans and Brazilians of Japanese descent.

People considering joining this '5 year, bags at the door - money on the counter, tour of Japan' should be warned against it from their own local authorities. As someone said above, it's got abuse written all over it. And because of Japan's hyper-conservative ways, will only cause problems somewhere down the pipeline (which the J-authorities will then deny any wrongdoing). This treatment does not belong in the developed world.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Truly sad day for Japan and Japanese residents.

Glad that at least they will force the 5 years limit and full proficiency tests, if you cant master Japanese - you have nothing to do here in the first place.

That said, its a victory of the industrial lobby and a loss of all Japanese citizens. Instead of forcing conglomerate companies to pay actual living wages and provide permanent employment to citizens, they will import cheap temporary workforce... my mind boggles how people dont see whats happening.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The LDP will do anything except address the causes of Japan’s population decline. The fall in childbirth rates is not the problem, it is a symptom of the problem. Importing foreign workers will not solve the problem, it will only make it worse.

Japan’s economy is uncompetitive, therefore overpriced. Old businesses which are run by old men stay in business by paying for political favors, and colluding with other companies to fix prices. The old men that run the game keep their businesses seniority-based, so only old men can run them.

People cannot afford to have children. The LDP’s vote-buying scheme which it uses to hold onto power depends on charging high food tariffs to subsidize agriculture, while taking advantage of a fix in the election system which gives 3 votes to each rural voter.

Japan Inc works with the LDP to overlook price-fixing, to keep regulations and red tape, because these make it all but impossible for new industries to grow. The current giants of Japan Inc came to power when the economy was unregulated, leaving them free to grow. New companies do not get the same freedom to grow.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I fear that this is the thin end of a mass-immigration wedge. Goodbye Japan, we hardly knew ye...

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Interesting to compare Japan's 'labour shortage' - and the potential solution of limited short-term immigration/ contract work - with the oil-rich Middle Eastern countries, who employ hundreds of thousands of foreigners to do the jobs that they can't or won't do. No language tests there, the period of employment is virtually unlimited, as long as you can physically and mentally do the job, no threat of social unrest and crime; though there is similar limited protection of workers' rights, restrictions on family, and status as second class citizens. In both cases, workers send most of their money home, spend little in the local economy, are subject to discrimination, and have little encouragement to settle down and make a permanent life there.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Japan still has the largest GDP per capita (for a major country, not mere city-states) in the region surrounded with potential access pool of 1 billion+ laborers from South and South East Asia and underdeveloped regions of China.

They can still make use of these billions as “buffer” where A.I. and automation technologies can’t yet take over.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

We will be living in 'interesting'

times.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Good start, although I noticed the "foreign trainee program" (aka labor trafficking) is still be pushed. THat should be banned outright and made illegal at best, with this 5-year visa program taking its place completely, and with strict enforcement against company exploitation (as well as visa overstays).

3 ( +5 / -2 )

This additional labor force in the 3K jobs helps keep wages for Japanese workers as low was possible. That should make the rich (aka Abe’s LDP) richer and the poor (aka citizens) poorer. Don’t forget to raise taxes!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I hope government will not repeat the mistakes Germany did with its Turkish "Gastarbeiter" program. Japan needs workers, not ghettos. And make more efforts to bring "hikikomori" shutins back to the life of society! There are dozens of thousands of such people.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Why would they work hard for a new country that wants to quickly kick them out after a few years and has a long documented history of cruelty and discrimination? There's literally no point in going.

It's not going to be wages or any savings, skills, language, or family. If there's no point in putting down roots or even receiving dual citizenship then what's the point?

They can put whatever number they want down. Without respect, there's nothing

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The framework will make inroads into solving a severe labor crunch in Japan while creating jobs for foreign workers, which have thus far been limited to highly specialized positions due to concerns that an influx of immigrants could lead to a rise in crime.

On the bright side, potential crime probably won't include exposing genitals to elementary school students, much less kidnapping and murdering them.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I notice as well that a lot of Japanese who visit Toronto like to stay and live here. I'm sure many go back, but the appeal of returning home to the morass of daily life in a Japanese company isn't there. I think it's only natural to want to avoid such a life. I would think that that happens in a lot to other cities too.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Beggars can't be choosy.

Japan, do you want to fill labor shortage gaps or do you want people to meet your high standards? You guys want to hire more people, yet you restrict their time here and offer laughably low wages? Also, they MUST be proficient in the language, which is more important than actual skills.......................Good luck finding the cream of the crop workers with those types of prerequisites.

Why would a person with great skills and probably a high demand in other countries at higher wages and shorter hours to come and take a pay cut with longer hours in Japan?

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Beggars can't be choosy.

> Japan, do you want to fill labor shortage gaps or do you want people to meet your high standards? You guys want to hire more people, yet you restrict their time here and offer laughably low wages? Also, they MUST be proficient in the language, which is more important than actual skills.......................Good luck finding the cream of the crop workers with those types of prerequisites.

> Why would a person with great skills and probably a high demand in other countries at higher wages and shorter hours to come and take a pay cut with longer hours in Japan?

Excellent post!

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Good start, although I noticed the "foreign trainee program" (aka labor trafficking) is still be pushed. THat should be banned outright and made illegal at best, with this 5-year visa program taking its place completely, and with strict enforcement against company exploitation (as well as visa overstays).

Agree but Japan will never do this of its own volition. The Japanese establishment will exploit anyone and everyone including their own citizens if left to their own devices. This should be brought up at the UN as breach of human rights.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

More cheap labour they can exploit then kick out. Any anti social behaviour and crime increases can be blamed on these workers too.

Double win for Japan.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Alfie Noakes:

Spoken like a true globalist. I respect the Japanese they want to keep their culture. Not become a diversity flop house full of foreign ne'er do wells. Dog whistle? You mean the word diversity right when you say that. After all where are the cries to open up China to immigrants? China has been dismantling "little Africa," in Guangzhou. Where are the howls of xenophobia. Diversity only applies to western countries and Japan. NOWHERE else. Compare the tsunami and the aftermath of law and order with the US aftermath from Katrina of chaos. Ganbatte Japan.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Agriculture and construction? Those need to be automated, and not supported by low wage workers who are required to learn the language and get certified in areas they likely will not be able to use once they have left.

Excellent post.

I’d just change ‘need to’ to ‘will’. Agriculture and construction are areas where increased automation is inevitable.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Bloomberg reported on Nov 21 and 30 in 2017 headlines like "Japan Ranked Last Choice in Asia for Top Foreign Talent' and "Japan wants Immigrants. The feeling isn't mutual" respectively. I don't think this has changed much in a year. It's not about more people if the underlying negatives are swept away like that poor Vietnam guy who was illegally whisked away by his company because he was going to marry a local.

haloerikaToday  12:58 pm JST

Japanese is very easy to learn, lots of foeign people will be qualified, or might get themselves out of internship to a proper job.

And in doing so instantly void their visa and be deported. Remember these are people who will have no rights outside their visa, or any sense of government concern.

Given the other choices in Asia, Japan isn't going to be attracting the cream of the crop either.

Japan could certainly use some good press about its intentions and the labour shortages are probably real enough as time goes on. However companies can't expect people to want low wages and sub zero respect and pretend it's a plan.

As long as the negative stories show the reality, forever stored on the Internet outside Japan's control, the number of labourers they want are never going to materialize.

Japan doesn't seem to realize it is not in a position to dictate terms

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Why would they work hard for a new country that wants to quickly kick them out after a few years and has a long documented history of cruelty and discrimination? There's literally no point in going. 

It's not going to be wages or any savings, skills, language, or family. If there's no point in putting down roots or even receiving dual citizenship then what's the point?

Southeast Asian countries like Philippines will still take the bait anyway because ANY (non-skilled) job in Japan will still pay more than what’s available in the Philippines.

And to most Philippinoes, they see Japan as gentler compared to the far more cruel muslim arab handlers in in rich middle east countries.

https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/24/02/2018/Suspect-in-Filipina-s-Kuwait-freezer-death-arrested

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/kuwait-death-filipina-maid-highlights-abuse-workers-180218095300168.html

So at the end of the day, Philippinoes, Vietnamese, Indonesians will still take this offer even with no permanent residency clause because the amount of money they will make in Japan (barring any shenanigans from jp employers/handlers...) will be enough to lift their families out of poverty (money saved for new house and college education fund).

This arrangement is not for us westerners. This is a win for the 1 billion + Asians surrounding Japan looking for a chance to lift families out of extreme poverty and a win for domestic Japanese business where A.I. and automation technologies can’t yet take over because it’s not yet mature or it’s too expensive to adopt.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

So at the end of the day, Philippinoes, Vietnamese, Indonesians will still take this offer even with no permanent residency clause because the amount of money they will make in Japan (barring any shenanigans from jp employers/handlers...) will be enough to lift their families out of poverty (money saved for new house and college education fund).

Too many current shenanigans already, subcontracting graft, etc, they won't be able to save anything, voiding their 5 years. It will not raise people out of poverty

2 ( +4 / -2 )

shogun36Today  01:21 pm JST

Beggars can't be choosy.

They can afford to be choosy.

consider the following:

There are 600+ million people just south of Japan

and another 1.4 bilion west of Japan.

That’s a big pool for Japan and they’re not in a hurry to let them in unless standards are met (jp style)

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Red suns

The increase means they cannot afford to be choosy. Otherwise the number would not have gone up right?

Meanwhile.."""Japan ranks last among 11 Asian nations in appeal to highly skilled foreigners, behind countries including Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, according to the 2017 IMD World Talent Ranking ..... Worldwide, Japan ranked 51st among 63 nations. Singapore ranked first in Asia, with Hong Kong second.""" from Bloomberg as mentioned before

11th and 51st place! Asians have better choices than Japan, who scores poorly on any metric. From contract law to housing to wages to living to residency etc. Why would the multitudes of Asia want to be admitted to a spiteful last place nation? They can raise the numbers wanted all they want, they're not getting those numbers to apply.

How'd those nurses turn out? The entire setup was designed to fail.

For opportunities to exist, there needs to be something positive about going to Japan. Unfortunately they haven't figured it out that people want to be wanted. When are you leaving? versus How long can you stay? makes all the difference. Japan's low class choices means continual shortages

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Same as Middle East way workers will be treated, with as low as possible social respect and very milited to no benefits required for living.

It is indeed just about economic greed. Don't raise wages if you can exploit another human.

I know because some family member do it in Japan.

If I respect everyone with equality, I am not inviting my neighbour to stay in my house.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Agree but Japan will never do this of its own volition. The Japanese establishment will exploit anyone and everyone including their own citizens if left to their own devices. This should be brought up at the UN as breach of human rights.

Exactly!

That’s a big pool for Japan and they’re not in a hurry to let them in unless standards are met (jp style)

Yes. And because these standards (and the morals surrounding the plan) are so low, they will largely attract people of low quality. And crime probably will increase as these poor people will then be marginalized in society and will have to find other ways to fend for themselves. It's so short-sighted, but what else would anyone expect from the extremists running this country...

Pay peanuts, expect monkeys.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

here's the thing, the Bloomberg articles I was citing were for highly skilled labour, not unskilled labour, and that group puts Japan last. Citing again """"Highly skilled" is used to describe workers with post-secondary education and a broad range of skills, from finance to international experience to language."""

What hope do you think an unskilled labourer is going to have in Japan if the intelligent ones have already abandoned it?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What hope do you think an unskilled labourer is going to have in Japan if the intelligent ones have already abandoned it?

Education is not always in direct correlation with intelligence...

6 ( +6 / -0 )

^

at this rate Japan will only attract otakus

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-to-ease-visa-rules-on-foreign-animators-designers

https://soranews24.com/2017/06/22/permanent-japanese-residency-to-be-possible-for-foreigners-with-anime-related-jobs-after-one-year/amp/

https://soranews24.com/2017/09/19/easier-anime-work-visa-requirements-for-foreign-students-being-considered-by-japanese-government/amp/

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/02/26/national/government-eyes-making-permanent-residency-easier-cool-japan-talent/#.Ww-TYXdlBR4

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I wonder how long abe will to keep deceiving his conservative supporters.

Abe is a liar but I admit he is a good actor.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Japan doesn't seem to realize it is not in a position to dictate terms

Spot on sf2k.

Tbh, I don't think the vast majority of J employers would know how to identify and develop high-potential foreign talent anyway. That's probably why they target/only attract docile workers from developing countries who 'don't mind' being exploited.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I have a friend from EU who lives in Japan but is not fluent in Japanese. But what she has is 25 years of international experience in the music industry (business side), including many years worth of coming to Japan for concert tours/music festivals. The very same companies who never had 1 single issue or excuse working with her when she was here on tour all refuse her as an employee now that she lives here - the excuse...language.

I'll say it again, she did the same work with these companies when not a resident and can do the same work now that she is here living. Blame it on language. They claim it's "impossible" for her to do anything for the companies, even though 40-50% of their concerts/festivals are dealing with foreign artists, even though they all have English speaking divisions where everyone uses English, even though ALL contracts, paperwork, interactions with these artists are in English.

When she finally found a company who was interested in hiring her - a Tokyo nightlife company who wanted her for booking manager for djs at their nightclubs, they welcomely said that English-only was fine, but then stated that everyone must start at the same salary (regardless of fresh graduate or someone with 23 years experience), and that she needs to work for 3 months at 1000yen/hour. And the best/funniest, kept asking if she had any bartending/service/bottle service expereince as when not booking their entertainment, they want her to bus tables, help behind the bar, etc.

Sure, Japan is in the same language boat of the majority of other countries of Asia - that their language is typically only used in that one country or neighboring area (Japanese in Japan, Korean in Korea, Tagalog in Philippines, etc). But those countries don't have this dire issue of the population turning old, not enough younger ones to fill roles, etc. So perhaps Japanese companies need to do something on the language front. At the very least, not just flagging people because of poor/no Japanese language ability for companies inside Japan who have international departments.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Multiculturalism come to Japan! Have they got some surprises in store!

Well, you're part of multiculturalism by bringing in shallowness and homemade supremacy :)

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

majority of the japanese working abroad tells the real side of labor and issues... In Korea and Japan long working hours are not helping people to socialize and spend more time with family. Workholic robotics thats why their childbirth rate .......

1 ( +2 / -1 )

And you must talk Japanese first. Don't bring your family. You must leave after 5 years, and please don't make any ties to Japan. welcome to Japan, dont come if you dont speak Japanese, wont work for a minimum wage with long overtime, dont bring any relatives we dont want you getting comfortable , there will be no chance of permanent residency ..ever...when weve worked you almost to death its time to pack your bags and GTFO. thankyou for your understanding.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Sf2k,

“that poor Vietnam guy who was illegally whisked away by his company because he was going to marry a local.”

Is that correct? I remember articles from the time that said his fiancée got information about his removal from the Japanese cooperative where the fellow worked through a Vietnamese interpreter. Why would she have needed to do that if she were a local, i.e. Japanese? I had the impression she was a fellow Vietnamese. It’s slightly possible she could have been a local Hapanese who didn’t speak Japanese. Was that the case? And the reason given for his removal was not because he was getting married but because he wanted paid leave to have a wedding.

I’m not saying what happened to him was right, actually I never completely made my mind up on that one because I wanted more information. But I don’t think it helps to strengthen your argument by twisting the facts of various previous cases.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

That’s a big pool for Japan and they’re not in a hurry to let them in unless standards are met (jp style)

thats what Japanese just cant understand, the more J companies exploit foreign workers the less theyll have to pay Japanese workers and conditions. if youve got around 2 million low skilled minimum wage part time imported workers why would any company with these workers want to hire fulltime J staff.!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

To all who is criticizing Japan as xenophobic, there was a time in the 70s/80s the Japanese Government granted visa free access for some middle eastern countries. Crime rate, sexual assaults (including pedophilia) shot up like never before. The strict border policy in Japan today is based on this daunting experience.

Carefully vetting skilled workers with solid educational background is common sense for any country that wants to ensure security of its citizens. Just look at the state of Europe now!

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Why would a person with great skills and probably a high demand in other countries at higher wages and shorter hours to come and take a pay cut with longer hours in Japan?

@ shogan, Aly Rustom, Agent X & other whiners

Good point..... soooo why are you still in Japan suffering ?

A certain level of skills and thus no sight on higher wages, shorter hours....?

Reached a point of no return ? :)

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

@sf2k

You are spot on.

The foreign nursing program has been unsuccessful.

The numbers are not sufficient to make a difference.

In fact, the high number of elderly has forced first year Japanese qualified nurses into the role of ‘visiting nurse’ prematurely.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They will be required to pass a test demonstrating proficiency in the relevant field and the Japanese language. Those who go through the country's foreign trainee program will be exempt from the test and can stay for a total of 10 years.

So what happens when you've spent 10 years of your life in Japan, made friends, formed ties and feel like you've put your roots down in the new country? Deportation?

Japan seems to want the foreigners' labour, but not the foreigners. You can't have it both ways.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

My sister is a Postgraduate Nurse and when I asked her about Japan, this is what she said, literally:

-Never! No, thanks.

I'm a Programmer so I am used to work in multicultural offices, but I also understand why her reaction was like that.

Japan today has a very different reputation from how it was before mid 2000s crisis.

"Cool Japan" campaign is a good start, but it's not enough to attract all the skilled or even non-skilled workforce they need.

I doubt even these initial 500K open positions to be filled at all. There are options out there before thinking about Japan.

Japan have to fix external public image first, meanwhile majority of people are interested in no more than tourism, of course, it's such a beautiful country with amazing architecture.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Sorry, typo: local Hapanese — local Japanese

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Crime rate, sexual assaults (including pedophilia) shot up like never before.

Equating gaijin with crime. And old, old tactic.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@ shogan, Aly Rustom, Agent X & other whiners

A certain level of skills and thus no sight on higher wages, shorter hours....?

Since when was constructive criticism 'whining'? Foreigners are stakeholders of Japan's future, too!

Good point..... soooo why are you still in Japan suffering ?

Reached a point of no return ? :)

If you have to ask, you'll never know. Besides, why do I owe you some type of explanation of my personal situation? Are you from immigration or police?

Actually, there are millions of Japanese that are quite happy that foreigners are here and that we voice the opinions that the Japanese are often forced to refrain from voicing because they agree. In those situations, we can sometimes use our 'gaijin card' and get an important point across.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Since when was constructive criticism 'whining'?  basically the basis of a modern democracy, unless youve got a totalitarian in power then its "whining"

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Since when was constructive criticism 'whining'? Foreigners are stakeholders of Japan's future, too!

What I read most of the time is complaining in relation to personal experiences so 'whining' about 'suffering' is for me everything except 'constructive criticism'

We can agree to disagree on that so be a happy stakeholder :)

If you have to ask, you'll never know. Besides, why do I owe you some type of explanation of my personal situation? Are you from immigration or police?

That's called an 'open question' so I'll take the first part 'if you have to ask, you'll never know' , the rest is 'Nicht im Frage' and too silly to reply :)

*Actually, there are millions of Japanese that are quite happy that foreigners are here and that we voice the opinions that the Japanese are often forced to refrain from voicing because they agree. In those situations, we can sometimes use our 'gaijin card' and get an important point across.*

Pure paternalism based on kitchen table assumptions :)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Peter Joseph, exactly right.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What a great offer from the LDP. Come to Japan by yourself for 5 years and get exploited working in a low paid job with no rights whatsoever. Complain about the conditions / unpaid overtime and get deported. After 5 years of hard labour you get deported anyway, to be replaced with fresh meat. Now, who's first in line for this new, Japanese form of slavery?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@netgrump

Good point..... soooo why are you still in Japan suffering ?

A certain level of skills and thus no sight on higher wages, shorter hours....?

Key word there is "skilled." I doubt they have professional skills that can be transferable to other countries; doctors, lawyers, nursing, etc have license requirements that may differ from the country that they may have acquired it from. Having said that, I highly doubt the posters you mentioned attained any professional degrees to merit licensing but who knows?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan is crazy to go down the massive immigration path. They are better off just roughing it and saving their culture for the future. Don’t throw away thousands of years of culture due to a 50 year demographic hiccup.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So xenophobic. You can come to work with minimum wage and near slavery conditions. And you must talk Japanese first. Don't bring your family. You must leave after 5 years, and please don't make any ties to Japan.

The first thing someone should do when moving to a country is to learn it's language. It's a matter of respect and it shows you're interested in integrating.

Immigrants from the thirld world have destroyed europe. Sweden, one of the richest and safest places in europe, turned into a dump after a mass immigration wave. Same with Germany. Same with France. Same with england. Australians are forced to move out of their towns because african gangs are robbing them in broad daylight. Let's not even get started with terrorism. Strangely enough, "racist" conservative countries like poland and czech republic don't have thug gangs beating people up in the streets, they don't have terror attacks, and their women can get out at night without being raped and killed.

You leftist scumbags are the scourge of this earth. Your ignorance and your blind tolerance are destroying the future of the next generations, by allowing the thirld world in. This is part of the Kalergi plan.

And now you want the same thing to happen to Japan? They have the right to be as strict to foreigners as they want. It's their country build by their ancestors, they don't want their safe cities to become cesspools of crime and terrorism. Foreign workers aren't forced to go there, if they don't want to learn japanese and integrate they are free to go work somewhere else.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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