To address labor shortages, the Japanese government is attracting skilled foreign workers.
According to NHK, the government has submitted draft operational guidelines for each field of the Special Skilled Worker System to a panel of experts, in which foreign nationals with specialized skills will undergo three-year special training after admission to upgrade to the level of Special Skilled Worker.
According to the plan, a total of 1,231,900 people will be admitted by the end of March 2029.
The Special Skilled Worker System will admit 805,700 people in 19 fields of study, including 199,500 in industry, 133,500 in food production, and 126,900 in nursing care, and the Employment Development System will admit 426,200 people in 17 fields of study, including 123,500 in construction, 119,700 in industrial product production, and 61,400 in food and beverage production.
The number of people accepted is calculated based on factors such as the country’s available human resources and prospects for improving productivity, and this will be the maximum number of people accepted.
The government plans to conduct a final review of the proposal and make a decision at a cabinet meeting early next month.