Japan is going to accept more foreign workers from April 2019

Upload: 28 December 2018, Last update: 28 January 2019

Japan is going to accept more foreign workers from April 2019. As they have been struggling with labour shortages in recent time, Abe administration steered to foreign labour forces.

Receiving workers from overseas could be one of the solutions for super aging society, but the problem still remains as regards this decision.

For example, Japan has been conducting a program started in 1993 receiving trainees from overseas countries. The aim is to give opportunities for trainees to get expertise while working. However this is criticized as abusive and exploitative program. Their working condition is unacceptable and many articles interviewing actual trainees are published online. There’s even some passed away due to accidents or other reasons during the program. After Yoshifu Arita, a member of the House of Councillors, asked and received the details from the Ministry of Justice, he posted a tweet saying that in the past 8 years, 174 trainees are dead[1]. Even though this situation is not solved yet, Abe regime has passed a law. Since this law doesn’t encourage immigration, this is just welcoming workers as labour forces to put them into the shortage. The government should pay more attention to the human rights of workers and prepare better working-situation for them until April.

What is important is that both companies and workers can get benefits from the new system. Those who desiring to work in Japan can get a chance and also companies hoping new workers can employ them. As of right now, I cannot imagine that this law will be successful. Unless the government and companies cooperate to build better rules and regulations, this will be the same as the trainee program.

[1]https://twitter.com/aritayoshifu/status/1072767599073681408 Accessed 30 December 2018