Japan to Limit Number of Less Skilled Foreign Workers: Kishida

Tokyo, June 6 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government plans to set an upper limit on the number of people to be covered by a proposed three-year foreign workforce development program, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday.

To alleviate serious labor shortages in domestic industry sectors, the government plans to develop less skilled foreigners into type-1 specified skilled workers allowed to work in the country for up to five years. If they become more skillful, they can be qualified as type-2 workers permitted to live in the country virtually indefinitely with their family members.

Under the new program, less skilled foreign workers will be accepted only by sectors where specified skilled workers are allowed to take jobs.

At a House of Councillors Judicial Affairs Committee meeting, Kishida said his administration does not intend to adopt the immigration policy of admitting a sizable number of foreigners into Japan without time limit to maintain the nation.

The government and ruling bloc aim to revise next week relevant laws including the immigration control and refugee recognition law to launch the new program.

The upper limit will be set for each sector after the enactment of the amended legislation, based on opinions from experts as well as labor and management organizations.

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