Japan tightens foreign hiring
Japan suspended the entry of new foreign workers under the Specified Skilled Worker (i) visa for the food service sector in April, intensifying pressure on restaurants, hospitals and care facilities already facing severe labor shortages.
At a nursing home in Odawara, Kanagawa, two workers from Myanmar help prepare three meals a day for 120 residents. The kitchen has nine employees, including three Japanese workers over 70. The facility says it needs at least three more cooks.
The labor shortage has worsened since 2019. Recent Japanese hires quit within two months, citing physical strain and difficulty adapting to the work.
The government announced the suspension in March after projections showed that the sector could quickly exceed its 50,000-worker limit. Facilities relying on foreign workers may now face continued shortages until 2029.
Companies providing outsourced meals to hospitals and care facilities also warn that services, especially in regional areas, could be affected.
Source: The Mainichi
