아베노믹스와 외국인 노동시장의 확대

Abstract

This article focuses on the inflow of foreign labor during the period of Abenomics. We analyze the explicit features of these new foreign laborers with their nationalities, visa status, and workplace. According to this analysis, there were some unprecedented changes in the inflow of foreign labor in Japan and the immigration policies including the visa status after the inauguration of Abe cabinet. After the issue of labor shortage emerged in the period of Abenomics, the inflow of foreign laborers has drastically increased in the wider range of business including non-office and unskilled jobs. Additionally, we figure out the distinct feature of Korean workers in Japan as 'highly-skilled and professional worker'. In contrast to any other nationalities of foreign laborer in Japan, most of Korean workers have migrated into Japan with the visa status of 'Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International services'. This phenomenon is associated with the severe unemployment problem of labor market in Korea contrary to Japan that suffered from labor shortage over the whole industry in that same period after 2013. In consequence, Korea and Japan mutually complements each other to resolve their issues of labor markets. Lastly, we can predict that the labor market in Japan will undergo its structural transition owing to the expansive inflow of foreign labor. The amendments of immigration law that will be implemented from April, 2019 authorize the foreign laborers to longer stay over 5 years and settlement in Japan with new visa status called 'Specified Skills'. New expansive inflow of foreign labor is predicted to change Japan into the unprecedented form of society to the existing Japaneses who recognize themselves as a homogenous ethnicity group.