As promised, a couple of recent articles of interest.
ATTRACTING FOREIGN WORKERS KEY TO REVITALIZING JAPAN
Extracted from an article written in Japan’s Daily Yomiuri’s ECONOMIC FORUM, by Masaichi Nosaka
Comparisons of a rising Asia with an aging Japan have sparked concerns over the future of this country, which is on the decline.
It cannot be denied that Japan, which has reached the point where it will sink unless it can deal with an ageing society and declining population, pales in comparison with other Asian nations such as China, which is growing rapidly.
However, the Economy, Trade and Industry Minister has drawn up its 2005 White Paper on International trade, based on the belief that even if the nation’s situation appears gloomy, it will not immediately lose its vitality.
The ministry apparently has realized that revitalizing Japan requires forming win-win relationships with East Asian economies, including China (with a population of 1.3 billion).
Because of its aging society and declining population, a slowdown in Japan’s economic growth is inevitable.
To make up for a future labour shortage, the paper calls for measures to encourage skilled workers, experts, and researchers to stay in East Asia rather than going to Europe and the United States.
Japan also can help train workers in other East Asian countries and adopt an aggressive policy of bringing more of them here, a move that would benefit both sides.
To encourage foreign skilled workers to come to this country, Japan has to remove many barriers, such as simplifying the processing of working visas, and offering salaries linked to their abilities.
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And from an article on the other side of the page….
New database to monitor human trafficking
The Justice Ministry will create a database of information on human traffickers and victims’ accounts to help investigators find leads on offenders, sources said Monday.
The database is designed to identify methods used for human trafficking, the sources said. The Ministry intends to begin building the database this summer and have it ready for use as early as 2006, the sources added.
The move is aimed at stemming international criticism of Japan’s track record on human trafficking.
Information to be stored in the database will include victims’ accounts about how they were brought to Japan and forced to engage in prostitution here, and information on traffickers.
The ministry likely will question on a volunteer basis, illegal overstayers or other visa violators it suspects of being exploited, even if they do not consider themselves victims of human trafficking. It will include their data if it finds they were forced to work under poor conditions in industries such as the sex and hospitality industries.
Stricter penalties for human trafficking were introduced under revisions to the Penal Code passed by the Diet in its current session. The Government hopes to demonstrate a proactive stance by cracking down on human trafficking.