Japan's justice minister said Wednesday the country will draw up "comprehensive measures" by the end of the year for welcoming more foreign nationals as the country aims to open up to blue-collar overseas workers from next spring amid a severe labor crunch.
Takashi Yamashita said the measures will not only cover new visa statuses to expand the types of foreign workers the country accepts, but also steps covering foreign nationals in the country in general.
His remarks came a day after government sources said Japan is set to revise its public health insurance system and apply stricter rules for its coverage to prevent abuse mainly by foreigners.