what the acceptance of foreign workers should be in a population-declining age.

As the productive population decreases substantially, it is important for Japan to further promote the acceptance of foreign workers in professional or technical fields. The statuses of residence or conditions for landing permission will be reviewed for foreign workers who are highly valued in professional or technical fields according to changes in the economy and society.

Accepting foreign workers in fields that are not valued as professional or technical at present will also be given consideration in light of the decrease in the productive population, while also taking into account the need to maintain Japan’s economic vitality and national living standards, the public consciousness and the existing conditions of the nation’s economy and society. In this respect, consideration should be given not only to new industrial fields, Japanese language aptitude and other conditions for accepting foreign workers, but also to the positive and negative impacts on Japan’s industry and public welfare which stretch over a wide range of factors covering domestic security, the domestic labor market, industrial development and restructuring and social costs.

As for nursing-care workers who will be in growing demand due to the ageing of the population, consideration will be given to whether and how to accept foreign workers in the field while paying careful attention to the acceptance of such foreign nationals under economic partnership agreements with foreign countries and taking into account nursing-care jobs being created for Japanese workers.

One single administration field cannot cover all the responses to a declining population: the falling birthrate and ageing population. Technological innovation and other measures in various fields including industry should be combined to tackle these problems. The immigration control administration for its part will consider measures while taking into account various requests.

## (3) Expanding International Exchange through Tourism

### A. Contributing to Development of Tourism in Japan

In tourism, Japan ranks 11th in overseas travelers, while taking 33rd place in attracting foreign travelers. Japan thus has a huge imbalance in tourism.

The government is promoting measures to make Japan a country built on tourism, setting the goal of doubling the annual number of foreign tourists visiting Japan by 2010.

In April 2003, the Japanese Tourism Advisory Council, a group of experts, submitted a report subtitled "Building a Country That Is Comfortable to Live in and Visit" in order to realize a country built on tourism. In response, the Cabinet Ministers Committee for a Country Built on Tourism, consisting of all the cabinet ministers decided on an "Action Plan for a Country Built on Tourism" in July 2003, putting forward specific measures. In November 2004, the Committee for a Promotion Strategy for a Country Built on Tourism presented 55 proposals to effectively and comprehensively implement measures for realizing a country built on tourism. The immigration control administration will contribute to realizing a country built on tourism through implementation of smooth immigration procedures for foreign travelers visiting Japan, while taking note of the problem of illegal