Kirk here with an AI translation of something I found interesting. It rings true to me because I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some young people from other countries as they walk to work in a nearby hospital.
Foreign Care Workers in Kumamoto Prefecture Reach 1,107 — A Thousand-Person Increase in Five Years 2024-12-06 Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun
Article Summary The number of foreign nationals working in care facilities in Kumamoto Prefecture has grown from 134 in fiscal year 2019 to 1,107 in fiscal year 2024. Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines are the most common countries of origin, and approximately 60% of these workers hold “Specified Skilled Worker” residency status. The prefecture has begun offering rent subsidies to facilities that employ foreign care workers, and is working to further strengthen its capacity to receive them. Against a backdrop of nationwide labor shortages in the care sector, Kumamoto Prefecture is projected to face a shortfall of 4,820 care workers in fiscal year 2026 and 9,554 by fiscal year 2040, making foreign workers an increasingly vital part of the workforce.