Student's death reveals dark side of Bhutan-Japan exchange program
A year has passed since the lifeless body of a Bhutanese exchange student was discovered hanging from a tree in a public park in Fukuoka. Sonam Tobgay, 24, was a student in the Learn and Earn Program, an exchange program created by the Bhutanese labor ...
Foreign staff bring new perspectives to smaller firms in Japan
There's no denying that Japan, amid a severe labor crunch and a shrinking population, will need to rely more on foreign workers in the coming years, and that's especially true for small and midsize companies. Because of language issues and cultural differences, smaller firms often ...
Bumpy ride feared in Japan as new visa types issued to ease labor crunch
Japan will open its doors wider to workers from abroad when the revised Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act takes effect. However, with it comes a host of other issues.
Foreign workers are on the way, but are Japanese businesses ready?
A new visa program designed to lure more workers to Japan takes effect Monday, and government officials and industry leaders hope two new types will help alleviate the national labor shortage. But whether businesses are prepared to accept them is an entirely different matter. Companies and ...
Japan said unready for drastic social changes despite impending arrival of foreign workers
Experts bemoan the lack of support measures so far for incoming laborers.
Japan's denial of immigration reality echoes Germany's experience with 'guest workers'
The recent sweeping revision to the immigration law opens a gateway for as many as 345,000 migrant workers to enter Japan in the next five years. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, however, has repeatedly said the new visa system does not constitute an immigration policy. "This ...
Foreign talent eager to work for Japanese firms, but staid office culture a hindrance
Dozens of young people from around Asia descended on Tokyo last month for a job fair, dressed in a plain black suit of the type considered "the uniform" for Japanese college students when they meet with prospective employers. Some of the visitors said they were ...
As Japan prepares for more foreign workers, Hamamatsu serves as precedent of interculturalism
Step into the municipal office of this city and you'll find pamphlets in multiple languages lining the walls, as people waiting in lines converse quietly in Portuguese. Walk along the streets around the station and you'll find an array of Brazilian, Filipino, and Peruvian flags ...
