According to these two articles, Japan seems to be wanting to lighten up their immigration policy to a new system that favors new educated workers. To try to help their declining economy and population.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110613004402.htm

"The government will introduce a point system by the end of the year to give preferential treatment--such as easing the conditions for permanent residency--to non-Japanese with advanced expertise who want to come to Japan, according to a government source."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...11236.html
An Immigration Stimulus for Japan
"Allowing in more foreign workers would boost growth, especially in quake-ravaged areas."

Still in draft stages, but we'll see what comes out of this.

The government is worried about the economic impact of having an aging nation, but Japan at 127 million people is still dangerously overpopulated if the importation of food and other natural resources is stopped for some reason.

Solving the aging population problem is easy:
Free love hotels for the general population...
Free cigarettes and Mcdonald's vouchers for those over 65.

tokyostyle Wrote:

Daichi Wrote:Still in draft stages, but we'll see what comes out of this.

Hopefully the DJP getting the boot in the fall elections.

Yea the LDP is totally more open to immigration...

/sarcasm

Hooray. Now just to get my career on track.

I do hope they loosen up. It would be good for the nation's economy, and I think be beneficial to their culture in the long run. Not that they should let anyone in, but making it easier for educated workers to live in Japan would provide many benefits.

The argument in the 2nd article seemed a bit confused. Yes the ageing population, especially in rural areas with industries such as farming is a worry, but allowing highly skilled workers to live in Japan more easily is hardly going to solve that problem as those people will not be wanting to live in those rural areas or work in those industries. It's pretty unlikely their children would suddenly move into farming either.

Yes Japan needs to try to attract highly skilled international workers to push their companies forward, but they also need to think about jobs at the lower skilled end of the spectrum. This means either making it easier for Japanese people to raise kids, or allowing unskilled immigrants into the country (like Mexican immigrants in the U.S. or Eastern European immigrants in Western Europe)

No amount of immigration is going to make Japanese agriculture economically viable.

Increased immigration will only create a whole bunch of ethnic ghettos in the inaka....

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/index.html

Well, looks like it's going into effect July 2012.