(Courtesy of Mynavi Global)
TOKYO – Japan’s restaurant industry is facing worsening labor shortages in regional areas as more foreign workers relocate to major cities in search of higher wages and better career opportunities.
The trend follows Japan’s decision in April to suspend new admissions of foreign restaurant workers under the Type I Specified Skilled Worker residency status, which allows eligible foreign nationals to work in the country for up to five years.
According to a survey by Mynavi Global Corp., job openings for foreign workers holding Type I status have surged 2.8 times since the suspension took effect.
The survey found that 46.4 percent of foreign skilled workers who secured restaurant jobs in July moved to six major urban prefectures from workplaces outside those areas.
These prefectures include Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka and Aichi.
The figure increased sharply from 31.9 percent in March, indicating a growing concentration of foreign restaurant workers in urban centers and increasing recruitment challenges for establishments in regional communities.
Mynavi Global President Motoki Yuzuriha said higher salaries are among the primary reasons foreign workers choose to relocate.
He added that many employees also seek workplaces that offer opportunities to qualify for Type II residency status, which allows workers to bring family members to Japan and provides a pathway toward permanent residency.
“Many switch jobs because they believe there is no opportunity at their former workplaces for them to obtain the Type II status,” Yuzuriha said.
A Myanmar national who recently secured employment at a Tokyo restaurant said he left his previous job at a sushi establishment in a regional area to gain more experience in food preparation.
He explained that his former responsibilities were largely limited to serving customers, while his new position would allow him to work in the kitchen.
The move will also increase his monthly salary by approximately 10,000 to 20,000 yen.
The worker expressed hope that his new position would help him develop the skills needed to qualify for Type II residency status.
Under Japan’s immigration requirements, applicants for Type II status must have at least two years of management experience and pass an examination covering restaurant operations, food preparation, customer service and hygiene.
Yuzuriha emphasized that employers should provide training and examination preparation support from the beginning of employment to help foreign workers advance their careers.
He said such assistance is important for businesses in both urban and regional areas seeking to retain skilled employees.
Meanwhile, Japan Research Institute senior researcher Hajime Inoue called for reforms to the specified skilled worker system to encourage foreign employees to remain in regional communities.
Inoue suggested introducing incentives that would make long-term employment outside major cities more attractive, including potentially easing permanent residency application requirements for workers who continue working in regional areas.
He stressed the need for a system that makes remaining in regional areas a practical and rewarding option for foreign workers.
The growing movement of skilled foreign restaurant employees toward major cities highlights Japan’s continuing challenge of addressing workforce shortages while maintaining economic activity in regional communities.
