日本放鬆外國人入籍

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

法務省は、日本が活力を維持するためには、研究開発などに携わる外国人を積極的に受け入れるべきだとして、永住資格を得られるまでの期間を半分程度に短縮することを検討するなどとした、外国人の出入国に関する新しい基本計画をまとめました。
これは、千葉法務大臣が閣議のあとの記者会見で発表したものです。それによりますと、少子高齢化で本格的な人口減少時代が到来するなか、日本が活力を維持し持続的に発展するためには、アジア地域を中心に積極的に外国人を受け入れていくべきだとしています。具体的には、▽企業で研究開発に当たる技術者をはじめ、▽専門知識を持つ研究者や学者などの入国を促すため、資格や研究実績などの一定の基準を満たせば、永住資格を得られるまでの期間を、現在の平均１０年から半分程度に短縮することなどを検討するとしています。また、医療分野で働く人材を確保するため、現在、働く期間が制限されている歯科医師と看護師について、医師と同じように制限を撤廃することを検討するとしています。その一方で、計画では、治安を守るため、▽出入国審査の厳格化などの水際対策や、▽不法滞在している外国人の摘発などを強化することも盛り込んでいます。法務省は、この計画をもとに必要な法律の改正案をまとめ、早ければ来年の通常国会に提出したいとしています。

In order to maintain Japan's vitality, the Ministry of Justice brought in a review assuming that it should actively accept foreigners who were involved in the research and development etc, and to shorten to half the period that was needed for them to obtain the permanent residency status, the Ministry was seeking a new basic plan that was related to the acceptance of foreigners' entering and leaving the country.
This was what had been announced by Minister of Justice Chiba at the press conference after the Cabinet Council. According to it, when the age of population decrease came to Japan due to declining birth rate and growing number of elderly people, it should actively accept foreigners around Asian region so as to to maintain vitality which Japan would depend on in order to continue its development. Concretely, it started with those who undertook the research and development in enterprises, also, in order to attract researchers and scholars with professional knowledge to enter the country, a review would be made to shorten to half the period needed to obtain permanent residency status, from the present on average ten years if their qualification and research performance and had met the specified standards. Moreover, for the purpose of securing talent who worked in the health care sector, it would consider removing the limitation on the working period imposed on dentists and nurses who were now under restriction just like doctors. On the other hand, in the plan, for the purpose of defending public peace, it included strategy on applying severe examination over leaving/entering country and on strengthening the prosecution of foreigners who had over stayed unlawfully. The Ministry of Justice was making the assumption that it would submit to the Diet as early as in next year's regular session the amendment bill that was needed to put the plans into law.

Out of practical needs, now Japan is opening up its door a little bit wider to foreigners who want to stay in Japan.