The current issues on foreign workers in Japan

In the context of globalization, there has been an emphasis on obtaining highly-qualified foreign human resources in order to strengthen Japan’s international competitiveness. At the same time, strings of dismissals, un-renewed contracts, and other issues impacting foreign workers, such as South Americans of Japanese descent who are increasingly settling in Japan have begun to draw public concerns on issues related to foreign workers in Japan. This paper gives a general overview of such themes as the employment situation of foreign workers in Japan, opinions of interest groups, public opinion, and government policy.