Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga
(There were statements on the overview of the extraordinary Cabinet meeting, and others.)
 
Q&As
 
REPORTER: As you have just mentioned, the 2018 Basic Policy, which was approved in the extraordinary Cabinet meeting, includes the creation of a new category of residence status for foreign personnel. It serves as a new system to accept foreign workers in sectors where there are serious labor shortages. Could you tell us about the aims of establishing such a system, and what you consider its significance to be?
 
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Labor shortages are becoming increasingly severe in workplaces, particularly in micro, small and-medium-sized enterprises. In order to continue to strongly promote efforts to improve productivity and secure sufficient workforce domestically, it is necessary to create a mechanism for accepting a broad range of foreign personnel with specific expertise and skills which can be immediately effective in the field, without limiting acceptance of foreign personnel to specialist and technical areas under the current arrangement. Therefore, to this end, the 2018 Basic Policy, which was approved in the extraordinary Cabinet meeting today, set out the creation of a new category of residence status, in order to broaden the acceptance of foreign personnel, apart from immigration policies, focusing on areas where personnel are truly required. The relevant ministries and agencies will advance the required preparations to swiftly submit draft bills to the Diet.
 
(Abridged)