JPN-Journal.com News/Laws for Foreigners Working in Japan.

Welcome, Workers from Abroad

by TOSH KAMII
June 9, 2007

As low birth rate, high suicide rate, and aging society continue to reduce Japan's working population, potential of future labor shortages is becoming more and more realistic.

Japan's birth rate stood at 1.32 babies per woman in 2006, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Although the rate increased 0.06 point from a record low of 1.26 in 2005, fewer than 2.1 babies per Japanese woman means negative population growth.

According to the National Police Agency, the number of suicides in Japan fell 1.2% in 2006 but the number totaled 32,155, topping 30,000 for the ninth straight year.

And together with Japanese' long life spans, according to government data released on Friday, June 8 2007, two out of five Japanese, or 40.5% of the population, will be above 65 or older by 2055.

Such trend poses future labor shortages and serious potential economic consequences. Despite Japan's historical resistant to rapid changes, the island nation is now in dire need to find ways to fill in potential labor shortages. And quickly. The consequences will be falling behind the global economic competition, overshadowed by neighboring China and rising India.

One way, and a more realistic one than accommodating elderly to work, is welcoming more workers from outside of Japan.

The 2005 census revealed that foreign workers comprised only 1.3% of the working population in Japan compared with 15% in the U.S. The data shows that there is yet room for Japan to welcome workers from other countries.