Foreign Workers in the Context of Economic Recession

Abstract

The main objective of this chapter is to examine the situation of foreign workers and the government’s response to the issue of foreign workers under the current recession, which started around the autumn of 1991. This chapter explains measures against illegal foreign workers and visa control over existing status of residence by the government during recession and analyses how the government has chosen to adjust the level of its control for the granting of immigration permission, while making references to the potential influence on various industries in Japan as well as other economic, political and international position of the country.