The number of foreign workers under Japan’s specified skilled worker’s visa reached 251,747 at the end of June, a 20.8% increase compared with six months ago, the latest data from the Immigration Services Agency shows.
The government is aiming to attract 820,000 foreign workers under the specified skilled worker program over a five-year period through April 2029, which is twice the number seen over the previous five-year period. Japan has been steadily expanding the list of designated industry sectors eligible for the visa framework to meet increasing labor demands.
Labor shortages are forcing companies to seek talent from overseas. Japanese retail giant Aeon, which operates supermarket chains such as My Basket and Maruetsu, announced in June that it plans to hire 4,000 foreign workers under the specified skills visa framework by 2030.
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