In the fall of 2018, JCIE launched a new roundtable to discuss Japan’s immigration policy. The second year of the program began with a broader group, as we welcomed new members representing 7-Eleven and Dai-Ichi Kangyo Credit Cooperative. Masahiko Takamura, former vice president of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) also joined as a special advisor to the roundtable. 

Members then shared information on recent activities, including the Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan National Forum, which was held in Tokyo in early June. Professor Eriko Suzuki of Kokushikan University gave a presentation on the “current status and issues of the legal status (status of residence) and rights of foreigners,” and a livery discussion was held, focusing on Japan’s new immigration laws, and more specifically on the criteria for accepting foreign nationals into the country as workers. It was decided that in FY2019, the roundtable will concentrate on the overall framework for accepting foreigners and a comprehensive approach to accepting foreigners in light of Japan’s declining population and labor shortage.