60 percent of small and medium-sized companies in Japan are understaffed, and it’s time to take a hard look at the situation.

Seeking work in Japan can seem like an insurmountable task, particularly if you’re a foreigner who has to pass the language barrier and navigate through cultural differences, not to mention the harrowing job-seeking hurdles that even normal Japanese people face.

Coupled with a rapidly aging workforce with no influx of young people to replace them, it comes as no surprise that Japan is on the verge of facing an infrastructural meltdown.

▼ Understaffed companies means overworked employees.

A new study by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has revealed that a startling 60 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises are short-handed. Akio Mimura, Chairman of JCCI, has appealed to the government to relax job requirements for foreigners as a means of defusing the crisis.

In an effort to recruit only highly-skilled foreign specialists, the Japanese government currently has a points-based preferential immigration system in place, one which essentially excludes the large majority of workers due to its stringent requirements; only a fraction of even skilled foreign talent would satisfy them.

▼ They want a skilled professional with years of experience
who also speaks fluent Japanese? They might have better luck at a lottery.

Akio proposed for the government to accept and integrate low and non-skilled foreigners into construction and transportation industries, a move that might solve the staff shortage problem various companies are facing.

Prime Minister of Japan, Shizo Abe, has opposed the relaxing of foreign recruitment requirements in the past. He believes that such a change may have far-reaching consequences that affect the livelihoods of locals and the country as a whole.

▼ “Foreigners are taking away my job!”

Japanese netizens see low salaries as the main cause of understaffing:

“They’ll have better results if they raise wages.”
“That’s like saying we’ll import foreign slaves into our country who will work a minimum wage.”
“It’s because there’s no pay raise at all. Do something about it!”
“Small and medium-sized companies pay really little, and that’s why they can’t find people for their jobs.”
“Understaffed? They only want slaves!”

Whether it’s the minimum wages or the aging population, employee shortage is hurting Japan and the country needs a solution. Fix the crazy work hours that salarymen have to endure while they’re at it, and they’ll be all set.

Source: News24 via My Game News Flash
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