Japan Needs 800,000+ Foreign Workers

In a recent development, Japan has broadened its foreign worker visa program for the first time since its establishment in 2019. The Japanese government aims to address the shortage of drivers in the country by extending stays for up to five years.

According to the Japanese news agency Kyodo News, this expansion includes four new sectors: road and railway transportation, forestry, and timber industries. The increasing demand for foreign laborers in Japan can be attributed to various factors, including a significant decline in the birth rate and shortages in the transportation and logistics sectors.

These shortages are expected to be alleviated by the introduction of new regulations aimed at limiting overtime hours for drivers, known as the “2024 problem.” The Japanese government plans to admit up to 820,000 foreigners under the skilled worker visa program over the next five fiscal years, starting from April. This number surpasses the previous estimate for the five years leading up to fiscal 2023, which concluded in March.

In response to public feedback on the proposed reforms, the government intends to revise relevant regulations, including those under the Justice Ministry, to facilitate the acceptance of skilled workers in the newly added sectors.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has called on relevant ministers to prepare for the seamless integration of foreign workers. Under the new program, skilled foreigners can work as bus drivers, taxi drivers, and truck drivers in the transportation sector, provided they are employed by companies certified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.

Proficiency in Japanese at the N3 level, one of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test’s five levels, is required for positions involving communication with passengers. In the railway sector, skilled workers can undertake various roles, including manufacturing train cars, maintaining tracks, and serving as drivers, conductors, or station staff.