Japan needs to increase foreign migrant workers to achieve its growth target

Japan needs big number of foreign workers by 2040 to achieve its economic growth target, according to a Tokyo-based public think tanks group.

The group's analysis noted Japan's reliance on migrant workers because of its declining and ageing population, according to a report from Reuters.

There was doubt on the ability to attract overseas talents due to the strict COVID-19 border controls.

Japan needs to increase the number of its foreign workers to 6.74 million by 2040 to maintain its average annual economic growth of 1.24%, according to a report by think tanks, as well as the research arm of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

"We must discuss accepting foreign workers with a greater sense of urgency, as the competition for workforce would grow in the future against countries like China," sabi ni JICA president Shinichi Kitaoka.

Based on the study, Japan will lose more than 10% of their domestic workforce over the next two decades.

It is expected that the supply of migrant labor will be short due to the current immigration system and Japan will need to consider the provision of long-term visas.

Strict border control for non-Japanese will also be a problem due to fears of coronavirus.

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