Japan is ready to issue permanent residency status for skilled immigrants in a bid to attract skilled foreign personnel to boost its lagging economy.

The government aims to boost the labor force of the understaffed nursing care market. More workers are also needed for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics construction projects. Additionally, Japan is opening opportunities to foreign students who might also want to work in the country after their studies.  

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The country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has reportedly included these measures on their platform for the upcoming parliamentary elections in July.

A party spokesman mentioned that "grave effects are emerging because Japanese people alone are insufficient for the workforce." A "large increase in foreign workers is anticipated." Officials see this as a bright promise amid the aging and declining Japanese population.

However, the government is yet to clarify the details for impending migration of unskilled workers.  

The immigration debate stemmed from the failure of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government to achieve consistent economic growth. One of the causes of Japan's inability to get over the recession is because of its declining workforce, which continues to falter after the country lost almost a million people from 2010 to 2015. Japan now has 127 million people.

Traditionally, it was difficult for students or even workers to obtain a permit to get into the country, especially those who do not have specific skills. Thanks to its geographic location, Japan has successfully warded off unwanted migrants, avoiding immigration issues that continue to plague the U.S. and Europe. The difficulty of learning the language and adjusting to its culture are two other reasons why not too many are keen on moving there.

But with the native-born population declining, Japan's only hope is in luring skilled foreign workers.  

Abe's proposal to grant permanent residency for skilled foreign workers has been hailed. However, there is no specification of how fast it would be approved.

Currently, skilled workers in the field of engineering or finance must be living in Japan for at least five years before they can apply for green card.

However, business leaders have urged the prime minister to loosen immigration rules in a bid to boost the country's economy. It was also suggested that technical interns are granted green cards. Technical interns who get to work in Japan, most of whom are from neighboring countries, are bound to return to their homeland after three or five years.

TagsJapan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe