Opinion

Japan’s senior employment challenge

Rapid population aging and labour shortages are common challenges among developed countries. Japan stands out in this regard, with a particularly high and steadily rising labour force participation rate among older adults. The proportion of employed individuals aged 65 and over has increased for 20 ...

Opinion

Can Japan’s wastewater release plan stand up to public scrutiny?

After the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, radioactive water has been generated daily inside the plant. But even after the disaster, voters were still less concerned about nuclear energy than other major issues such as employment. In April 2021, as public concern around nuclear e...

Opinion

Signs of progress in how Japan treats foreign workers

In the early 1990s, Japan was under pressure to play a larger role in the international community. Japan’s government established the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) in 1993 to transfer skills to trainees from developing countries to meet international community expectations. The intr...