Japan Aims to Increase Rural Working Population by 300,000

June 6, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese government on Wednesday set a goal to increase the working population in rural areas by 300,000 over six years through fiscal 2024.

The target was included in draft basic policies for regional revitalization presented at a meeting of the Council on Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy, which mainly comprises experts.

The government plans to adopt the policies at a cabinet meeting as early as June 15.

To boost the working population, the government proposed creating a website to offer nationwide employment information with the aim of matching job seekers with employers across the country. Regional companies and individuals will be allowed post information on job offers free of charge.

The government is considering providing moving expenses to people who relocate to rural areas to take jobs from the website.

For people who start businesses in rural areas after moving there, the government plans to assist startup funding.

Such financial assistance will be financed by state subsidies for regional revitalization that are allocated to local governments.

Through the measures, the government will aim for 60,000 people to move from the Tokyo metropolitan area and for 240,000 people, mainly women and the elderly, to enter the labor force.

In addition, the government will promote the utilization of foreign nationals as a driving force for regional revitalization.

Specifically, it plans an exceptional measure of allowing foreigners to engage in job types that are not authorized under their visa status.

For example, assistant language teachers working at elementary, junior high and high schools under the visa for education will be allowed exceptionally to work as local government staff to help attract tourists and expand exports of local specialties.

The government also plans to facilitate procedures for changing visa status for foreign students who get jobs at small companies in rural areas.

"We'll accelerate regional revitalization by cooperation among government agencies to give shape to the ideas included in the basic policies and implement them swiftly," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the council's meeting. Jiji Press