Is Japan Attracting The Best And The Brightest?

Is Japan Attracting The Best And The Brightest?
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As Japan's population declines, new policies are in place to entice non-Japanese to move to Japan. Changes being made seem to be on the right track, but many questions remain.

There is a long list of reasons why Japan is an appealing place to live and work: it has safe and clean cities, abundant job opportunities (particularly in IT and engineering), and a reasonable cost of living. But are policies in place to encourage young, experienced and talented people to choose Japan as a place to develop a career?

Important policy changes have been established to make such a decision easier. These include relaxed visa regulations (1), reduced time required to attain a minimum pension (2), and even enhanced use of English throughout the nation.

However, much remains to be done. At a time when Japan's immigration numbers are reaching new highs (3), new taxation laws are being introduced to discourage non-Japanese from staying well into old age (4). In addition, work-related issues such as a systemic priority for work-life balance, elevation of women on par with men in the workplace, and a general acceptance of change remain elusive.

There are promising signs of 'innovation hubs' throughout Japan (5), promoting out-of-the-box thinking and allowing space for people to exchange and test out ideas. This needs further nurturing.

All in all, promising signs of hopeful change are in the air. The question is how many people from outside Japan will elect to take a chance and make Japan 'home'.

(1) http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/11/15/national/crime-legal/japans-permanent-residency-rules-may-loosened-lure-global-talent/

(2) http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2015/12/02/how-tos/life-work-japan-tackling-readers-pension-posers/

(3) http://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00137/

(4) https://www.pwc.com/jp/en/taxnews-international-assignment/assets/gms-20161222-en.pdf

(5) https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/mar/31/japan-silicon-valley-osaka-hi-tech-startups-reverse-economic-woes

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