Japan looks to foreign workers to solve looming labour shortage

Japan's population began to decline in 2005; a first for an economic superpower. By 2050 it is predicted that Japan's current population of 127 million will have shrunk to 100 million. According to government statistics, the working population (15-64 years of age) will have dwindled from today's 66 million to roughly 44 million.
Japan has been aware of this imminent economic threat for many years. Its aging population and declining birthrate have rendered the situation inevitable. Now the nation which once forbade foreigners to set foot on its soil is in intense debate over the prospect of allowing a large influx of foreign workers.
Despite attempts to bolster the birthrate and increase the numbers of women and elderly in active employment, Justice Ministry investigations are indicating that bringing skilled workers from overseas is the most practical way of dealing with the dilemma. Long-term policies to handle the dynamics involved have not been formulated yet. In 2004, the Japan Business Federation outlined strategies to ensure the proper provision of human and workers' rights but revisions to these proposals still continue. The two million registered foreigners now in Japan account for only 1.57 per cent of its population.