News On Japan

Number of foreign workers in Japan totals record 1.66 million

Feb 01 (Japan Times) - The number of foreign workers in Japan totaled 1,658,804 as of October last year, up 13.6 percent from a year earlier and marking the highest level on record, government data showed Friday.

It was the 12th straight year of increase as companies continue to struggle with a labor shortage amid Japan’s rapidly graying population.

Those of Chinese nationality accounted for about a quarter of the entire foreign workforce at 418,327, followed by Vietnamese at 401,326 and Filipinos at 179,685, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The number of Chinese rose 7.5 percent from a year earlier, while the figures for Vietnamese and Filipinos were up 26.7 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively, the ministry said.

By sector, manufacturers hired the largest number of foreign workers at 483,278, or 29.1 percent of the total, followed by retailers at 212,528, with 266,503 workers categorized under “other services.”

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A civic group in Usa City, Oita Prefecture, that collects and analyzes materials from the Pacific War has released twelve pieces of footage showing U.S. air raids and kamikaze attacks.

The Japanese government on March 21st released a report outlining countermeasures for volcanic ash in the event of a Mount Fuji eruption, including a four-stage evacuation plan based on ashfall volume.

Police uniforms in Japan will undergo their first major redesign in 31 years, with changes including the abolition of skirts for female officers and the introduction of polo shirts to help cope with rising temperatures.

Japan ranked 55th in the latest World Happiness Report, released on March 20th to coincide with the International Day of Happiness. Finland secured the top position for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Denmark and Iceland, with Nordic countries dominating the upper ranks due to strong welfare and education systems.

A third-party panel investigating allegations of power harassment against Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito submitted its findings to the prefectural government on March 19th, concluding that ten instances of his conduct constituted workplace harassment.

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Japan ranked 55th in the latest World Happiness Report, released on March 20th to coincide with the International Day of Happiness. Finland secured the top position for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Denmark and Iceland, with Nordic countries dominating the upper ranks due to strong welfare and education systems.

Today marks 30 years since the Tokyo subway sarin attack carried out by Aum Shinrikyo. Newly discovered photographs believed to be among the earliest taken after Chizuo Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara, was found in a concealed space have come to light.

The risk of having personal information exposed online is something nearly everyone now faces. An investigation revealed that even a seemingly harmless photo can contain hidden risks, and that there are people who specialize in "identification" as a profession.

A foreign man was caught trespassing on the Imperial Palace grounds early on March 16th and was arrested on the spot.

Six teenagers have been caught for repeated reckless motorbike riding in Tokyo’s Hino and Hachioji, ignoring traffic signals and weaving through the streets.

In Japan, one in every 24 babies is born to foreign parents. For many of these parents, giving birth and raising a child in an unfamiliar country can be daunting. Language barriers and cultural differences often lead to isolation, sometimes resulting in prenatal or postnatal depression.

"The Human Face of Japan" (1982), directed and written by Oliver Howes and narrated by Peter Gwynne, is an insightful documentary produced by Film Australia in collaboration with the Australia-Japan Foundation. This compelling documentary series offers an intimate exploration of Japan during the early 1980s, revealing the complex interplay between rapid industrialization and enduring traditional values. (TRNGL)

The Japanese city of Kamaishi was almost entirely destroyed in the earthquake and ensuing tsunami of 2011. It was the biggest natural disaster to hit Japan, killing nearly 20,000 people. (Al Jazeera)