Latest news with #YomiuriShimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japanese Small, Midsize Firms Increasingly Employing Foreign Workers; Effort Aims to Secure Talented Employees
The Yomiuri Shimbun A Vietnamese skilled worker, right, instructs a colleague at Koganei Seiki Co. in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, in April. Many small and midsize companies are actively hiring foreign workers. Of the 2.3 million foreign workers employed in Japan, more than 50% work for companies with under 100 employees. This situation comes amid a serious labor shortage in Japan, and issues have surfaced such as a concentration of foreign workers in big cities and their worsening working conditions. Koganei Seiki Co., a manufacturer based in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, which primarily produces engines for motor sports, has 40 Vietnamese workers among its about 300 employees. All the Vietnamese employees hold visas for highly skilled workers named 'Engineer / Specialist in humanities / International services.' They operate the manufacturing equipment and program the process for manufacturing parts. 'They graduated from top-class universities in their country and have high-level capabilities,' said Yusuke Kamoshita, president of the company. Todaya, a long-established ryokan Japanese-style inn in Toba, Mie Prefecture, employs 37 foreign workers from 11 countries, including China and Myanmar. Some are technical intern trainees, while others are specified skilled workers. Many of them are fluent in English and thus are valuable for serving foreign tourists. 'It is important how our guests feel. So, I taught them the manners, etiquette and culture [of Japan],' said President Junzaburo Terada. According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, the number of foreign workers in Japan increased from 787,000 in 2014 to 1.658 million in 2019. It increased again to 2.302 million in 2024. In 1993, the government introduced the technical intern training program so that foreign workers could acquire job skills at companies in Japan and bring those skills back to their home countries. Of the about 2.3 million foreign workers, about 470,000 are technical intern trainees who are facing problems such as long working hours and nonpayment of wages. According to the Immigration Services Agency, the number of missing trainees in 2023 reached a record high of 9,753. To address such problems and encourage foreign workers to work in Japan for longer, the government will abolish the technical intern trainee system and create a new 'training and employment' resident status by 2027. Technical intern trainees are not permitted to change jobs until they have worked at a single company for three years, but in the new category, foreign workers will be allowed to move to other companies after one to two years. However, it is likely that companies in eight prefectures, including Tokyo and Osaka, will be restricted from employing the new category of workers if they are changing jobs from rural areas. As of 2024, the number of foreign workers in Tokyo was 585,000, 25.4% of the total; 229,000 in Aichi Prefecture, accounting for 10%; and 174,000 in Osaka Prefecture, accounting for 7.6%. The figures show a tendency of foreign workers to concentrate in big cities. Akita Prefecture had the smallest number of foreign workers with 3,536, or only 0.2%. According to an estimate by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan's working age population, which is between the ages of 15 to 64, will likely decrease from more than 75 million in 2020 to 55.4 million in 2050. 'There is a serious labor shortage, mainly in the transportation and nursing care sectors,' said Tomoya Suzuki of the NLI Research Institute. 'To maintain Japan's society and economy, we need to have a perspective on how Japanese and foreign workers can coexist in harmony.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Himeji Castle Forms Sister Castle Partnership with Austria's Schoenbrunn Palace; Both UNESCO World Heritage Sites
The Yomiuri Shimbun Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, center, and Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto, right, at the signing ceremony for the sister castle partnership between Himeji Castle and Schoenbrunn Palace on May 24 in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture. HIMEJI, Hyogo — A sister castle partnership has been established between Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, and Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna. Schoenbrunn Palace is now the fourth sister castle of Himeji Castle. A ceremonial signing for the sister castle partnership was held at Himeji Castle with Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in attendance on May 24. Van der Bellen's visit to Japan coincided with Austria's National Day event at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. Both parties agreed to proactively promote tourism exchanges between the city and Austria. Schoenbrunn Palace is known for hosting the Congress of Vienna in 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Courtesy of Himeji city government Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna Last spring, when Austrian government officials visited Himeji Castle, also a World Heritage Site, they proposed the idea of a partnership to Himeji officials. A basic agreement was signed in November. 'I'm confident that the partnership will help promote exchanges in a variety of fields and strengthen the ties between Japan and Austria,' Kiyomoto said. Austrian President Van der Bellen expressed his hope to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.
Yomiuri Shimbun
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
China Hopes to Improve Japan Ties Amid Conflict with U.S.; Resumption of Japanese Seafood Imports Seen as Attempt to Boost Ties with Neighbors
The Yomiuri Shimbun Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, second from left, speaks at a meeting to expand exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday. Japan and China agreed to begin procedures to resume exports of Japanese marine products to China. Amid Beijing's conflict with Washington, China is hoping the move will improve bilateral ties with Japan. However, the resumption of exports of Japanese marine products will only apply to 37 prefectures, excluding Tokyo and nine other prefectures. The Japanese side will continue to seek the resumption of exports from these 10 prefectures as well as China's positive responses to other bilateral issues. 'This could be a big step forward in tackling various issues between Japan and China,' Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said at a press conference on Friday. China imposed a total ban on imports of Japanese marine products in response to the release of treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant into the ocean. The release began in August 2023. Beijing subsequently launched a campaign criticizing the release at international conferences and other venues, saying, 'The Pacific Ocean is not a sewer for Japan's 'nuclear-contaminated water.'' Perceiving China's move as a way to undermine Japan's position in the international community, the Japanese government focused on winning the understanding of various countries, including South Korea and Pacific island nations. Japan had urged China to withdraw the embargo while spreading the view that there was no scientific evidence to support Beijing's ban. Under the latest agreement, such documents as an inspection certificate for radioactive tritium will be required for the initial exports, but the export procedures are expected to be almost the same as before August 2023. 'It took time, but we were able to achieve results without making major concessions,' a senior Foreign Ministry official said. Since U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term in January, Chinese President Xi Jinping's government has been at odds with Washington over tariffs. It is thought that China's move to resume imports of Japanese marine products is part of efforts to quickly improve ties with neighboring countries. The Chinese side hopes to attract more investments by improving ties with Japan. In 2024, direct investment in China by foreign companies declined 60% compared to the previous year, the lowest level since 1992. At the same time, China is marking this year as 'the 80th anniversary of winning the war against Japan,' inflaming people's patriotism. Some believe China worked to quickly reach an agreement with Japan because it would become more difficult for Beijing to make moves that could be seen as making concessions to Japan as the date neared Sept. 3, which marks the anniversary of China winning the war against Japan. However, some on the Chinese side have made certain remarks that raise doubts about whether the country wants to improve relations with Japan. At a press conference on Friday, Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, referred to the treated water as 'nuclear-contaminated water.' As the Chinese government has criticized Japan, it is believed that China is slowly introducing measures to improve ties with Japan while considering public opinion at home. The decision not to include marine products from the 10 prefectures may be part of that effort. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to visit Japan this year for a trilateral summit meeting between Japan, China and South Korea. Japan is to chair the summit. If realized, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's first visit to China may also be considered. However, there are still many issues between Japan and China, including ensuring the safety of Japanese residents in China and China's violation of Japanese airspace with its aircraft flying near the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. Japan plans to cautiously explore ways to improve relations with China because the issue of economic security, with China in mind, is on the agenda for Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations. 'We will carefully move forward with our diplomacy with China one step at a time while comprehensively seeing how the U.S.-China conflict and the Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations will unfold,' said a Japanese government official.
Yomiuri Shimbun
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Defense Minister Nakatani Calls for Greater Cooperation in Shangri-La Dialogue Address; Rules-Based Order Being ‘Hollowed out'
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo Defense Minister Gen Nakatani SINGAPORE — Defense Minister Gen Nakatani gave an address at the Asia Security Summit in Singapore on Saturday in which he emphasized the importance of defense cooperation among Indo-Pacific countries and laid out a new cooperative framework. At the summit, which is also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, Nakatani also spoke about promoting cooperation between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United States, Australia and India, with China in mind. 'The rules-based international order is rapidly being hollowed out,' Nakatani said. Nakatani's address took place in the context of such factors as Russia's aggression against Ukraine and China's move to ignore a 2016 decision by the Arbitral Tribunal and strengthen its effective control of the South China Sea. AP Defense Minister Gen Nakatani delivers a speech during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on Saturday. The defense minister expressed concern that 'rapid military buildups, including of nuclear weapons, and provocative military actions are on the rise' and said that such moves are 'large obstacles in maintaining a trustful relationship in security.' On the other hand, Nakatani welcomed ASEAN's expanded role in security, as well as the strengthening of the Japan-U.S. alliance and cooperation between Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines, calling such moves 'encouraging.' The cooperative framework that Nakatani proposed, which calls on the countries with common values and interests to expand their cooperation, is dubbed OCEAN (One Cooperative Effort Among Nations). He said that it is important for 'the defense authorities of those countries to create synergy by strengthening their cooperation.' In accordance with that principle, Nakatani said Japan will deepen its collaboration with ASEAN member countries through such assistance as improving their capabilities and transferring defense equipment to them. Japan, he said, would also deepen defense cooperation within the Japan-U.S.- South Korea and Japan-U.S.-Philippine trilateral groups. 'We should work to restore the rules-based international order,' Nakatani said. 'Japan will stay at the center of moves aimed at that.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
U.S. Tariffs, Rice Prices Discussed in Basic Economic Policy Draft; Disaster Prevention Agency Also Discussed
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo Prime Minister's Office The government will aim to maintain the free trade system by taking the lead in expanding the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, as part of its efforts to respond to U.S. tariff measures, according to the draft of its basic economy policy for the next fiscal year. The draft of the 'Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform' also states that the government will 'review rice farming policies to address soaring rice prices.' U.S. tariff measures 'could shake the free trade system built by the post-war international community,' the draft says. It goes on to state that the government will 'grapple with maintaining and strengthening international economic order based on free and fair rules' through international cooperation, such as expanding the TPP and building a more resilient supply chain. Regarding the domestic economy, the draft states it is necessary to take caution against possible impacts of the tariff measures and the economic risks of surging prices.' It stresses the need to mobilize all possible policy measures, including passing costs onto prices as appropriate, to increase people's income and the country's productivity. Touching on the soaring rice prices, the draft states the government will ensure the stable supply of rice through the smooth distribution of its stockpiled rice. It also states that the government will take concrete steps to review its rice farming policies. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed his willingness to review the policy of adjusting rice production, which is effectively a policy of reducing rice acreage, and instead expand sales channels by increasing rice exportation. These stances are reflected in the draft. The draft makes reference to a disaster prevention agency, which the government aims to establish in fiscal 2026. The envisaged organization will be positioned as the central command for the entire government on the coordination of policy measures for disaster prevention. The draft states that the agency will have the authority to issue recommendations to other government bodies, and that the government will secure sufficient funding and personnel for the agency as well as appoint a dedicated cabinet member to head it. According to the draft, the government will also consider setting up regional bases for disaster prevention, an idea which Ishiba has touted. Following adjustments by the ruling parties, the basic policy is expected to be approved by the Cabinet as early as on June 13.
