The Tokyo Diet passed a controversial new bill on Saturday to overhaul Japanese immigration control laws.
The new immigration laws seek to adopt changes as a means to supply the increasingly aging population of the country with a steady supply of foreign workers in manufacturing, service and other so-called blue-collar jobs.
A significant immigration policy shift for Tokyo, the revised laws open the door for an estimated influx of 340,000 foreign workers over the next five years, according to reports.
The new work visa system, coming into effect in April 2019, has dominated government debate in traditionally foreigner-shy Japan, as opposition lawmakers ride a powerful backlash, particularly from those who claim that the new laws are short on specifics, according to the Japan Times.
Last week’s revelation about the details of the controversial immigration work program point to what many suspect are exploitative internship practices designed to lock immigrants into contracts at low wages, an echo of the ongoing state-sponsored Technical Intern Training Program (TITP), found to be rife with human rights violations, including harsh working conditions, sexual harassment and below-minimum wages, according to the Japan Times.
