Multilingual help centers to open
On December 25, Japanese lawmakers approved 126 measures designed to encourage foreign nationals to work in understaffed industries in the country.
According to the Nikkei Asian Review, the measures include steps to help newcomers integrate into local society and offers assistance to foreign nationals already in Japan. The government posted a supplementary budget of 6.1 billion yen (US$55.3 million) for fiscal 2018 and 16.3 billion yen for 2019 to help fund the plan.
Last April, lawmakers revised the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act to make way for an estimated 340,000 foreign workers to enter the country over five years. The new workers will be supported by 100 Centers for Multicultural Information and Assistance that offer tips on Japanese culture and lifestyles in 11 languages including English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, Thai, Portuguese, Indonesian, Nepalese and Tagalog. Japanese language teachers will also be available in every region, and new residents will be directed to medical and child care.
To assuage concerns that foreigners will usurp Japanese nationals on the job front, visas will not be issued after worker shortages are resolved, the Review reported.
