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

It is beneficial to Japanese society as a whole to take measures to promote the entry, settlement and permanent residence of highly-skilled workers among those that Japan should welcome. In order to demonstrate to foreign nationals and Japanese society that Japan welcomes highly-skilled foreign nationals, the requirements of permission for permanent residence for foreign nationals will be clarified and published in order to encourage settlement. Easing the requirements for permission for permanent residence of highly-skilled foreign nationals will also be considered as well as extending periods of stay for such foreign nationals as noted in (a) above. In addition, reducing the burden on these foreign nationals regarding renewal of periods of stay will be considered.

## (2) Responding to a Population-Declining Society

According to the estimate (a median estimate) by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan’s population is predicted to peak at 127.74 million in 2006 before entering a long-term decline hitting some 100.6 million in 2050. The nation’s productive population, which already peaked at 87.17 million in 1995 and turned down, is predicted to decline to 53.89 million in 2050. If Japan were to accept foreign nationals simply to make up for the decline and to maintain a productive population at that peak, the nation would have to accept some 650,000 foreign nationals annually. It is, however, not appropriate to simply supplement the decline by accepting foreign nationals alone.

Measures responding to the population-declining society amid the falling birthrate and ageing population should be considered along with birthrate-boosting measures, improvements in labor force participation ratios for women and elderly people, and other measures in various fields. However, the time has also come for the immigration control administration to consider