Japan to start new residency system for foreign workers
“Japan’s relative economic attractiveness to foreign nationals has been declining, with its nominal per capita gross domestic product surpassed by South Korea in 2022. Japan, therefore, has urgently needed drastic system reform in order to become a country of choice for competent foreign human resources.”
“The new system will pay particular attention to acute labor shortages in rural areas. The maximum number of foreign nationals that companies can accept for training and employment will be determined according to the number of their full-time employees. Select companies in rural areas, however, will be specially permitted to accept up to three times more foreign trainees than allowed under the standard rule.”
“Furthermore, stricter regulations will be implemented regarding job transfers to urban areas, with the aim of preventing the concentration of talent in metropolitan regions where wages are typically higher. The measure is designed to reduce outflows of workers from rural areas and help maintain a balanced distribution of talent across different regions.”
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/28/japan/foreign-workers-new-residency-system/