Japan’s international competitiveness, while simultaneously assessing and confirming their specialties and technical skills through the results of mutual certification of examinations or qualifications.

With respect to foreign nurses qualified through Japan’s national examinations, their acceptance will be expanded by easing the present restrictions that limit their stay for training purposes in Japan to four years. Regarding foreign medical doctors qualified through Japan’s national examinations, the present restrictions on their working locations and those limiting their stay for training purposes to six years will be eased. As for foreign medical doctors or dentists, who are accepted based on written agreements with foreign governments to mutually accept medical doctors and dentists from each other’s countries and who are allowed to treat foreign nationals in Japan on passing a national examination in English, the requirements for landing permission will be established while observing the conditions of conclusion of such agreements, from the point of view that their acceptance can contribute to creating an environment where foreign nationals can live comfortably.

As the movements of natural persons have become key in negotiations on economic partnership agreements, the framework, including measures to prevent illegal employment if necessary, will be considered in cooperation with relevant government agencies in order to promote active acceptance of foreign nationals highly valued in professional or technical fields.

### B. Promoting Acceptance of Highly-Skilled Foreign Workers

Amid economic globalization and industrial development, international competition has intensified to secure outstanding foreign nationals who have world-class knowledge and skills. Such highly-skilled foreign nationals' entry and settlement in Japan depend on the nation's economic attractiveness and high living standards including the employment conditions of companies. Since such highly-skilled persons are expected to contribute greatly to Japan's economy and society, the immigration control administration should also take further measures to attract such people and secure their settlement in Japan. Therefore, out of those workers in specialized and technical fields who already will be openly accepted in Japan, a scope will be considered for defining highly-skilled foreign nationals, such as those who owing to their highly sophisticated knowledge and skills are desirable from the viewpoint of international recruitment competition, and then the following measures will be taken.

## (a) Extending Periods of Stay

The maximum period of stay in Japan given for a single permission of status of residence is three years for foreign nationals, aside from the statuses of “Diplomat,” “Official” and “Permanent Resident”. The period of stay can be extended unlimitedly for those continuing activities related to their respective status of residence. However, it has been pointed out that highly-skilled foreign nationals contributing to Japan in economic, cultural and other fields should be given longer periods of stay for the single permission so that they are able to engage in their respective activities in Japan stably.

On the other hand, fraudulent foreign residents who engage in activities that are different from those meeting their primary status of residence have become a problem along with illegal foreign residents. In this respect, there is a need to develop a system, such as restricting the scope of organizations employing foreign workers, to prevent such problems. In line with the nationwide promotion of acceptance of foreign researchers under the system of the Special Zones for Structural Reform to be implemented in FY 2005, imposing certain responsibilities and obligations on employers of foreign workers will be considered.

The periods of stay for highly-skilled foreign nationals will be extended with the prerequisite that a system be developed to ensure such extension does not cause a problem of illegal employment. Consideration will also be given to extending periods of stay for foreign nationals with statuses of residence in professional or technical fields, other than the highly-skilled workers.

(b) Easing, Clarifying and Increasing the Transparency of Requirements for “Permanent Resident” Permission