Overview

• Japan's government has approved a new foreign trainee program designed to replace the current system criticized for exploiting cheap labor.
• The new program aims to teach skills and safeguard trainees' rights, allowing for up to five years of stay and the possibility of obtaining permanent residency.
• The initiative is a response to Japan's aging and shrinking population, which has led to a labor shortage in various industries.
• Critics of the current Technical Intern Training Program have highlighted its role in importing cheap labor under abusive conditions.
• The new system will continue to restrict the types of jobs available to foreign trainees, reflecting the government's cautious stance on immigration.