Justice officials are considering easing regulations, which would allow immigrants to serve internships in a broader range of fields.
Asahi Shimbun
The number of job areas in which foreign nationals can be accepted as interns will likely expand under a plan being reviewed by the Justice Ministry.
The immigration control basic plan is being reviewed for the first time since its formation in 1992. Responding to requests from industries that want to employ foreign nationals as interns, Justice Ministry officials are meeting with officials from other ministries and agencies to work out details of the plan.
The plan will likely be made public by the end of February, ministry officials said. Once the plan is announced, revisions in laws and ministry orders would be required to implement it.
Currently, foreign nationals who have completed a one-year training program can be employed for up to two years as interns to acquire more practical knowledge and skills.
However, the number of job fields that are open to this system is now limited to 55, including the machinery, textiles and construction industries.
Analysts said the lack of an internship program in other job areas that accept trainees was one reason that trainees eventually left their training site to remain in Japan as illegal immigrants.
Officials in industries that currently do not have an internship program have also complained that having the trainees leave after only one year is not cost efficient.
Under the proposed plan, the number of job fields would be expanded to include areas such as agriculture and the hotel industry.
In addition, the training program would be shortened and made more focused while also leaving open the option for lengthening the subsequent internship period.
Among the ministries interested in expanding the internship program is the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Officials there said agricultural cooperatives around the country would conduct training programs and a test of skills would then be administered by the National Chamber of Agriculture. Successful test-takers would be accepted as interns to work on vegetable or fruit farms or in raising livestock.
In the longer term, analysts said there would be a need for more workers to care for Japan's rapidly expanding elderly population. However, because care of the elderly has been considered simple manual labor, foreign nationals have not been allowed to work in that area.
Negotiations are continuing with officials of the Health and Welfare Ministry and the Labor Ministry over whether to include work involving care for the elderly in the revised plan. Officials at both ministries are concerned about allowing inexpensive manpower into Japan.
At the end of 1998, there were about 1.51 million registered foreign nationals in Japan, the largest number on record. Of that number, about 120,000 had work visas.
Analysts also said there are at least 270,000 foreign nationals living in Japan illegally.
------------------------- The article mentions "120,000 had work visas." but other visas allow you to work too : students can do part-time jobs (limited to a certain amount of time a week), permanent residents don't need a work visa to work, 'spousal visa' neither etc etc.
JC Helary