TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Japan's aging population and declining birth rates have led to an increasingly severe labor shortage crisis. In response, the Japanese government has stepped up its recruitment of talent from overseas in recent years by offering higher pay and introducing new kinds of work visas.
A striking 68% of 3,120 small and medium-sized enterprises in Japan reported a "shortage of manpower," marking a new 15-year high, according to September 2023 data from the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Additionally, a 2023 report by a Japanese bank highlighted that 260 businesses closed over the year due to labor shortages, a new high since 2013.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare's statistics show the average annual salary for employees is around NT$1.06 million. This has attracted approximately 12,000 young Taiwanese workers to Japan each year.
In 2023, Japan introduced the J-Skip visa, which grants permanent residency to individuals with a master's degree and an annual salary of at least NT$4.2 million after a one-year residency.
Li Shih-hui, a professor from National Chengchi University's Program in Japan Studies, stated, "Taiwanese who can easily adapt to Japanese society and corporate culture, and communicate effectively in Japanese, are highly sought after by Japanese companies."
He added, "In the past, working in Japan typically required studying at a Japanese university or graduate school, securing a job before graduation, and then choosing to stay. However, nowadays, more Japanese companies are directly recruiting talent from Taiwan."
Alex Chio, CEO of a DEI consulting firm, outlined three key aspects of Japanese corporate and workplace culture: Report, inform, and consult. "Japanese companies place a strong emphasis on Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and maintain a significant emphasis on hierarchy and authority, unlike in many other countries," he noted.
Chio further explained the widely known 'spinach rule' or 'Ho-Ren-So' in Japanese workplaces, which stands for 'report, inform, consult.' It emphasizes the importance of reporting everything, actively communicating and consulting with relevant stakeholders on work or projects, and initiating discussions when necessary.
