Japan’s Population Outlook and Immigration Talk

An April report from Japan’s National Institute of Population and Security Research predicts that the nation’s population will shrink by 30 percent within the next half century unless current government policy aimed at increasing the fertility rate is a rapid success. With a decline of 40 percent, the size of the working population, ages 15 to 64, is forecasted to plunge even further, reports the Japan Times. Although the aggregate number of foreign workers has reached a record high at more than 1 million last year, the Japanese government describes its policy toward foreigners as one “that would not be confused with an immigration policy.” Indeed, foreign workers are relegated to a limited range of fields. Increases could be planned for fields like elder care, with analysts predicting a severe shortage of nursing care workers in the coming years. In response to government intransigence, businesses are lobbying for more flexible regulations and already establishing training facilities in neighboring Asian countries. – YaleGlobal