The Japanese government is considering granting new residence status to several hundreds of thousands of non-Japanese people.
As there are severe labor shortages in various fields, including nursing, agriculture, and construction, the proposed changes could be implemented from next April.
This time the goal here is to target those who have a certain skill set and knowledge of the Japanese language.
The number of foreign workers in Japan reached its highest ever in 2017 with about 1.28 million.
However, Japan is rather resistant to accepting immigrants, and official work visas were issued that year to only approximately 240,000 non-Japanese with specialist skills.
In terms of limited work visas, approximately 300,000 foreign students are allowed to work part time up to 28 hours a week, and 30,000 people in fields in which limited work is allowed, such as working holiday, and amateur sports.
Besides these, approximately 460,000 visas went to those with Japanese roots or a Japanese spouse, and in line with the Technical Intern Training Program, approximately 260,000 went to trainees in industries such as agriculture, fishing, and construction.
The Technical Intern Training Program aims to help trainees acquire skills while working, but it has been pointed out that the companies that have embraced this scheme are using these workers as cheap labor.
The purpose of the new residence status scheme is regarded as being to secure a workforce in fields experiencing labor shortages.
日本政府は、
nihonnseifu ha
(the) Japanese government
数十万人の
suujyuumann ninn no
several hundreds of thousands (of)
外国人
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese people
在留資格を
zairyuushikaku wo
residence status
検討しています。
kenntou shiteimasu.
is considering
農業、
nougyou,
agriculture
建設業
kennsetsugyou,
(and) construction
人手不足は
hitode busoku ha
labor shortages (in various fields)
案件は
annkenn ha
(the) proposed changes
導入を目指しています。
dounyuu wo mezashite imasu.
could be implemented
検討されているのは、
kenntou sareteirunoha,
(the) goal here
技術水準
gijyutsu suijyunn
skill set
日本語能力を
nihonngo nouryoku wo
knowledge of the Japanese language
身につけている
mini tuketeiru
(who) have
対象とされます。
taishou to saremasu.
is to target
外国人は
gaikokujinn ha
(the number of) foreign
2017年
nisennjyuunana nenn
two thousand seventeen [year]
128万人
hyakunijyuuhachi mann ninn
one point twenty-eight million [people]
過去最高と
kako saikou to
ever (its) highest
なりました。
narimashita.
reached
移民受け入れ
iminn ukeire
immigrants accepting
消極的で、
shoukyokuteki de,
is rather resistant and
正式な
seishiki na
official
就労ビザは
shuurou biza ha
work visas
高度な専門技能を
koudo na sennmonn ginou wo
specialist skills
24万人
nijyuuyonn mann ninn
two hundred forty thousand non-Japanese <people>
発給されました。
hakkyuu saremashita.
were issued (that year)
限定就労
genntei shuurou
limited work visas
28時間
nijyuuhachi jikann
twenty-eight hours
アルバイトが
arubaito ga
to work part time
留学生
ryuugakusei
foreign students
30万人、
sannjyuumann ninn,
three hundred thousand [people]
ワーキングホリデー、
wa-kinngu horide-,
(and) working holiday
アマチュアスポーツ
amachua supo-tsu
amateur sports
特定活動が
tokutei katsudou ga
limited work
認められる
mitomerareru
(in which) is allowed
3万人です。
sannmannninn desu.
thirty thousand people
その他では、
sonohoka deha,
these besides
日系人
nikkeijinn
Japanese roots
日本人の配偶者
nihonnjinn no haiguusha
(a) Japanese spouse
在留資格者
zairyuu shikakusha
visas went to those
46万人、
yonnjyuurokumann ninn
four hundred sixty thousand [people]
農業
nougyou
agriculture
建設
kennsetsu
construction
など
nado
(in industries) such as
技能実習制度
ginoujisshuuseido
(the) Technical Intern Training Program
に基づく
ni motozuku
in line with
研修生
kennshuusei
trainees
26万人。
nijyuurokumann ninn
two hundred six thousand [people] (went to)
技能実習制度は、
ginou jisshuu seido ha,
(the) Technical Intern Training Program
実習生に
jissyuusei ni
trainees
働きながら
hataraki nagara
working while
させることが
saseru kotoga
to help
目的です
mokuteki deus
aims
受け入れ
ukeire
(that) have embraced this scheme
企業は
kigyou ha
(the) companies
労働力
roudouryoku
labor
活用している
katsuyou shiteiru
are using (these workers)
指摘されてきました。
shiteki sarete kimashita.
(it) has been pointed out
今度の
konndono
(the) purpose <this time> of
在留資格案は、
zairyuu shikaku ann ha,
residence status scheme
人手不足の
hitode busoku no
(experiencing) labor shortages
労働力
roudouryoku
(a) workforce
確保が
kakuho ga
being to secure
みられています。
mirarete imasu.
is regarded