There has been quite a lot of debate of late about the use of immigrant labor from other Asian countries in medical jobs in Japan. The Japanese government hopes that an influx of foreign medical workers will at least partially offset this country's desperate shortage of qualified people in the medical field -- mainly in nursing and nursing -- related work.

However, many Japanese -- both in and out of the government -- seem overwhelmingly preoccupied with placing restrictions on how long such workers will be allowed to live and work here. To my mind, this is not only a self-defeating, xenophobic obsession; it is also thoroughly naive.

I bet most of the foreign medical workers will find that Japan presents opportunities for a better life for them, and the ones that are single will mostly choose to get married and make Japan their permanent home, thereby contributing much more to this country and its future.

patrick hattman