Gov't looks to immigrants as population shrinks

Tuesday 06th May, 07:17 AM JST

TOKYO —

Japan’s ruling party is considering plans to encourage foreign workers to stay in the country long-term, a daily reported Monday after the birth rate fell for the 27th successive year.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has proposed setting up an “immigration agency” to help foreign workers—including providing language lessons, the Nikkei economic daily said without naming sources.

The party also intends to reform current “training” programs for foreign workers, which have been criticized for giving employers an excuse for paying unfairly low wages, the paper said.

LDP lawmakers believe that immigration reform will help Japanese companies secure necessary workers as the declining birthrate is expected to further dent in the nation’s workforce, it said.

A group of about 80 LDP lawmakers will draw up a package of proposals by mid-May, it said. No immediate comment was available from the party on Monday.

A government report on the falling birthrate warned in April that Japan’s workforce could shrink by more than one-third to 42.28 million by 2050 if the country fails to halt the decline.

The government said Monday the number of children in Japan has fallen for the 27th straight year to hit a new low.

Children aged 14 or younger numbered 17,250,000 as of April 1, down by 130,000 from a year earlier, the internal affairs ministry said in an annual survey released to coincide with the May 5 Children’s Day national holiday.

The figure is the lowest since 1950 when comparable data started.

The ratio of children to the total population sank for 34 years in a row to 13.5%, also a record low, the ministry said.

Local media said it was also believed to be the world’s lowest, coming below 14.1% for both Italy and Germany.

Japan has struggled to raise its birthrate with many young people deciding that families place a burden on their lifestyles and careers.

Japan’s population has been shrinking since 2005 and the country is not producing enough children to prevent the drop.

Government leaders in Japan, which largely thinks of itself as ethnically homogeneous, have rejected the idea of allowing mass-scale immigration.

Some politicians have argued an influx of immigrants would lead to lower wages for Japanese workers and a higher crime rate.

AFP

Latest 15 of 72 Total Comments Show All

timorborder at 06:15 AM JST - 7th May

NorthLondon - Lay off to dogs (laughing) Speaking more seriously, I don't think this is an "A" or "B" situation. It is not a case of "kids" or "pets," both issues need to be addressed.

A couple of months ago, I suggested that young folks should lay off buying a dachshund (sausage dog) and should instead be "hiding the sausage" in a attempt to raise the human birth rate. Cleo (rightly) called me out on the argument. Now I am inclined to believe that both young families and responsible dog owners are being disadvantaged by this mentality that sees old people being pandered to for political mileage. If Japan is going to move forward as a "functional" society (I hear some of you laughing), it is going to have to find some way of increasing its birth rate if it wishes to support its aging population in the manner to which they have become accustomed. This could either be achieved domestically, or through the introduction of immigration. Without such measures, Japan's decline will be phenomenal. At the same time, Japan is also going to have to take a hard look at its love affair with domestic pets. If the "pet in every household" mentality is going to continue, then facilities for exercising these animals (in what is a rather crowded country) need to be developed. Moreover, there is going to have to be solid policy support. At the moment, breeding dogs (and I would assume cats as well) has the impression of being a "licence to print money." As such, every Tom, Dick and Taro is doing it. This has to stop.
Jmorgan at 10:33 AM JST - 7th May

SKIPTHESONG. I dont know that there where PEOPLE/PERSON who think like me when it comes to the problem of this COUNTRY.

You will be BLESSED so say the lord.

Change or hold on with what you have. The hostile governce of the country has make it society what they are.

For a better and a greater tomorrow, I will advise the Government to SOCIALISE the system. So say the LORD. Thank you and remain bless in jesus name Amen
Badtz_Proper at 12:11 PM JST - 7th May

I doubt this will happen. The writers found an article on how the Government wants to extend visas from 2 to 5 years. So?

I'm frustrated with how people do not realize how illogical mass immigration is, it never works. Where has it worked without racial conflict and became as peaceful as Japan without the media and government forcing "tolerance" and "political correctness" on its people to silence natural human tendencies? Have you noticed in America how its okay to be proud to be black and Hispanic, but racist to be proud to be white? Thats not equality so dont tell us it works in America. Japan has a falling birthrate, if immigrants are allowed in will the birthrate rise among natives? No. The birthrate will stay low and foreigners will take up more and more of the population...it makes sense right? If you support multiculturalism so much explain the rising far right in Europe, terrorist attacks and riots in France. Unbelievable. Its a nice idea, but homogeneity works best unquestionably. Japan can find other safer means while robotics technology advances. Even if Japan allows foreigners in, robots will replace them later on anyway, leading to unemployment.
devilok06 at 12:41 PM JST - 7th May

Agree 110% with Badtz. A quick glance at the immagration problems of Europe, Australia and America should disuade Japan from letting in more foreigners. Japan and the Western democracies need to make life more affordable for their own native-born people, especially the working-class and maybe then they will be encouraged to have more children.

Minoritiy immigrants, on the other hand, need no such encouragement because the same liberal idiots who created the immigration policies are also subsidizing their increased birthrates and pandering to these 'poor immigrants' and their needs while disregarding those of the people whom they are supposed to represent. Get out and vote people!
northlondon at 02:19 PM JST - 7th May

cleo,

You clearly do not have children or have never had any emotional contact with children of your own. Your response, if that is what you call it, is pretty pathetic and shallow and you contradict yourself at least once in your post.

I was stating, very obviously, how ridiculous it is for the local council to give concerns to the dog owners in Yoyogi Park but not provide enough safe space and play areas for toddlers and children.

But there again someone who seems to have no close attachment to children would not understand people like myself.
cleo at 02:44 PM JST - 7th May

northlondon -

And you clearly do not read JT very much, or else you would know that I do have 2 very wonderful children to whom I am devoted and on the subject of which I will happily freeze the ears off any captive audience. I also have two very wonderful dogs that also come with an ear-freezing function.

I understand exactly what you were trying to say. I merely pointed out that providing a closed-in space where dogs can run around caters not only to the concerns of dog owners but also to the concerns of parents and non-dog people who want to use the park without having to worry about dogs large and small charging about all over the place. I'd rather have the dogs confined and the kids running free than vice versa. I fail to see how confining dogs to a limited area of a spacious park somehow stops kids playing or encourages people not to have kids. I would think people would be more willing to bring their kids to the park knowing that they aren't going to be bowled over by a boisterous friendly Lab or snapped at by a highly-strung Pom.

With the dogs safely in their confined area, the problem and the threat to children is, as you note, irresponsible adults who cannot or will not stick to the rules.

Yoyogi Park is big enough for dogs, kids and people who want to play with balls, cycle, jog or whatever. Sectioning off bits of it so that one group does not spoil the fun of other groups seems to me, as both a parent and a dog-owner, a very sensible thing to do.
Nessie at 02:56 PM JST - 7th May

How did we get from depopulation to dog runs? Never mind.
GW at 03:26 PM JST - 7th May

Lots of good discussion above.

Some points

Timeon, take a job outside Jpn & come back later if you want then you can skip all the crap the new faces have starting each april! especially a lousy salary!

Jpn`s people & its lousy govt will remain on its road to ruin, nothing will change

As for kids, see above thats why Jpn wont ever be kid/family friendly

Immigration will only attact low wage/skills people 99% of the time, people with skills have better options than Japan thats why there arent many of us here, never will be.

If anyone outside Jpn is thinking of moving here while they are young, I say do it, BUT make sure you plan to leave after 2yrs max otherwise it will be harder on you when you rtn home.

I love Jpn & have made myself a great job & live in a nice house with a huge yard, thankfully no kids, I dont think I cud forgive myself if I raised kids here. I have it pretty good here but most foreigners & Japanese for that matter have pretty poor quality of life here.

If I knew back in 1991 what I know now I wud have been back home before 1995 thats for damn sure.
usaexpat at 11:51 PM JST - 7th May

sounds right to me, attracting foreign skilled workers is a good thing. The key here is skilled and the visas should continue to be based on employement. The last thing Japan needs is a huge immigrant unemployed underclass like France has gotten themselves into. As for salries here, they are low but so are starting salaries in the states. Luckily for me I have more than one income stream and I'm not working all that hard. For us our decision to return to Japan was for family and we had the good fortune of making money on our home in the states when we sold. If I had been single and job hunting as others have said I probably wouldn't have come to Japan unless it was a phenomenal opportunity. I was in sales in the states so to get me here for job alone it would have had to be VP of sales Asia Pacific region or some such, otherwise it wouldn't have made economic sense.
Zaphod at 11:16 PM JST - 8th May

I just hope they dont follow Europe´s path and allow massive immigration from muslim countries. That would be disastrous mistake. If they are thinking about Chinese immigrants, I dont see a problem. I hope the Japanese politicians do their homework before making decisions here...
2_cents at 04:08 PM JST - 9th May

Significant numbers of immigrants will never be allowed and this is for one simple reason. Much of Japanese identity is based on exclusivity. For Japanese to change the way they perceive themselves in a way that would allow acceptance of different cultures in Japan is impossible. Also, significant numbers might not want to come. To allow oneself to be controlled and manipulated the way Japanese people are would be unacceptable to many other cultures.
amerijap at 03:44 AM JST - 11th May

I just don't get it. Why the JP government and mainstream media excessively report this issue as if their country is in a crisis? I know Japan is facing an age of elderly crisis syndrome, but it still has a large population of +150 million people. Japan is the second largest developed country in economic and technology, and the youth-adult generations(18-34 & 35-49) represent a large number of active labor force. If the JP government is thinking of accepting the immigrants from other Asian countries just for the maintenance of active labor, they'd better think about it twice. Is future Japan ready to accept cultural diversity and tolerate the uniqueness of each culture?
illsayit at 10:59 AM JST - 11th May

amerijap, I dont understand why you think Japan is not ready to accept cultural diversity and uniqueness? That is simply not true. In fact, I am always amazed at the diversity of foriegners that are in Japan.

In one way I agree though is that, it is not at a critical stage. It will be though if, it continues with the same lifestyles that is lending itself to drops in birthrate. Ultimately though, and especially in the case of birth-cause how is the govt supposed to make ya, "make-out", like get every womans cycles recorded and order "sex days"? -It comes down to the Peoples' Choice.

Immigration should not necessarily be limited to skilled, in fact there is a lot of foriegn business going on at the not so high levels of money companies-corporate. Introducing skilled, specifically, will only cut out the peoples' who would like to come and stay and develope with Japan; and in effect have good relations with Japan and Japanese people. It is when the limitation of Who comes that you start to divide the culture, and uniqueness.
amerijap at 01:36 PM JST - 11th May

Oops, my bad. Yeah, illsayit, you're right. Japan is already culturally diversified, having over a million of foreigners. Well, my concern is how much they will accept immigrants in the future, and how does that create the Japanese public perception toward 'incoming' citizens. In the U.S., I often watch the news about the INS crackdown on illegal immigration as well as Mexicans' protests against the government in May. I don't believe Japan will see a flood of immigrants from the neighbors like Mexicans crossing the border to get into the US soil. But how are they(especially those living in poverty: folks coming from south-east Asia, Middle-east, Africa, Eastern Europe, or South America) gonna be treated by the JP government, mainstream media, and local people? It is these people who are vulnerable to negative perceptions that are likely to be posed by these agents.
Rekishika at 05:07 PM JST - 11th May

The LDP's idea is understandable, but like it's being said, it has been tried before. The results have not alway been stellar. It is one thing to provide human beings equal protection and equal opportunities. That balancing such a policy out without falling for the trap of the euphemistically called 'positive discrimination' is more difficult than it sounds has been shown enough by several people reacting to this topic already. At best, it's an 'advanced level' balancing act. However, I get the impression that the LDP seeks a solution to an economic problem that other countries have faced before, that because of labor shortage some work isn't done. Mostly, this is the work that is less than appealing, and where labor exploitation is normally at it's highest. As enough people have said here, the experiences of other countries with bringing in people instead of doing their own dirty work have been less than happy. In too many cases, such a policy has created lasting problems. This is intended as just a little background which may come in handy.