The government plans to take measures to make regional labor markets accessible to foreign blue-collar workers to avoid them concentrating in large cities such as Tokyo when the country starts admitting them under the new visa system next year, the government's top spokesman said Thursday.
With the recent enactment of revised immigration laws, the government has compiled a draft basic policy on how to run the new visa system. Under the new visa categories Japan will accept up to 345,150 foreign workers aged 18 or older in 14 fields, including construction, over five years from April next year.
While rural areas face more serious labor shortages, concerns remain as to whether local governments are in a position to provide sufficient language education, welfare services and housing to accept more foreign workers.