Japan will need 4-times more foreign workers in 2040 – JICA
Japan is expected to need 6.74 million foreign workers in 2040, four times more than it has today, according to a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
However, the study stated that the country will have trouble attracting many foreign workers, specifically from Southeast Asian nations, as they deal with aging and declining populations of their own.
JICA estimated that Japan will fall short by 420,000 foreign workers in 2040.
This finding comes as the government looks into expanding their foreign worker program and allowing more foreign employees to gain permanent resident status.
The study also projects that Vietnam will remain the biggest source of labor for Japan, accounting for 28% of all foreign workers in 2040.
JICA Vice President Kenichi Shishido said that the country will need to work on attracting employees from other regions.
He mentioned extending their efforts in African countries as it is the only continent where population growth is expected to continue in the coming years.
As of October, Japan reported over 1.72 million foreign workers, including nearly 350,000 individuals who are taking part in a government-approved trainee program and another 330,000 part-timers and foreign students.
