Kirk here. Kumamoto and Miyagi Prefectures will be the first in Japan to get special treatment that will allow them to bring in foreign workers more quickly. The headline refers to “semiconductor-related personnel” (半導体関連の人材), but I suspect that they are really talking about bringing in foreign construction workers (folks willing to take jobs Japanese people tend to avoid); TSMC has had plenty of time to screen and prepare to bring in highly-trained engineers.

— ChatGPT translation of the article —

Shortage of Semiconductor-related Personnel: Kumamoto Designated as National Strategic Special Zone (Kokka Senryaku Tokku) to Shorten Foreign Worker Residency Screening Period June 6, 2024, 16:32

With the advance of TSMC, the severe shortage of personnel has become a critical issue. As a solution, Kumamoto Prefecture has been designated as a “National Strategic Special Zone (Kokka Senryaku Tokku),” allowing for the shortening of the residency status screening period for foreigners employed by semiconductor-related companies.

Prime Minister Kishida (June 4, National Strategic Special Zone Advisory Council)

In Kumamoto, the concentration of semiconductor-related companies has progressed with TSMC’s advance, resulting in a severe shortage of personnel and a growing demand for foreign workers. However, according to the prefecture, currently, issuing a certificate of eligibility for residency status for foreigners requires not only the residency status screening but also the examination of the stability of the employer’s management, which can take up to about three months.

To address these issues, the prefecture applied for the newly established special zone system by the Cabinet Office aimed at solving regional and social issues.

At the National Strategic Special Zone Advisory Council held on the 4th, Kumamoto Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture were designated as the first-ever “Industrial Base Formation Collaboration ‘Kizuna’ Special Zones” (Sangyō Kyoten Keisei Renkei ‘Kizuna’ Tokku) nationwide. As a result, the residency status screening period will be shortened to about one month.

Governor Takashi Kimura of Kumamoto Prefecture

Governor Kimura commented, “We believe that this will further accelerate the resolution of various issues accompanying the concentration of the semiconductor-related industry and contribute to the realization of the ‘New Silicon Island Kyushu’.”