RESEARCH PROJECT

Consulting Division

Research Projects for FY2026

Research on policies to increase labor mobility in Japan based on international comparisons

Staff：HATTA Tatsuo

Chairman of Executive Board

It has been pointed out that the reason for the significant decline in Japan’s international ranking of GDP per capita over the past 30 years is that it has not established labor market in which “performance-based compensation” is paid, and therefore labor mobility is low. To find a solution to this problem, this research will conduct the following analysis.
1. We will examine how employment legislation should be reformed to increase labor mobility while protecting workers’ rights, comparing with precedents in other countries.
2. We will compare research on the effects of minimum wage systems in various countries and consider the possibility of reforming the minimum wage system in Japan. In this research, we will analyze cases where those who are willing to work for a lower wage than the minimum wage are unable to enter the labor market even if employment does not decrease due to the minimum wage system.
3. We will also consider how the acceptance of low-wage foreign workers will affect the labor mobility of low-wage workers in Japan.

The Impact of Foreign Care Workers on the Health of Host-Country Residents: Evidence from Japan

Staff：PENG Xue

Associate Professor

Many high-income countries are confronted with severe challenges related to population aging and shortages of care workers. To alleviate the growing shortage in the care sector, the recruitment of foreign labor has become an important strategy in many countries. However, the impact of foreign care workers on the host society has not yet been fully studied.
Japan’s ageing rate—defined as the proportion of population ages 65 and above—has reached 29.3% as of November 1, 2024,. According to official projections, Japan is expected to face a shortfall of approximately 570,000 care workers by 2040. Japan officially began accepting foreign care works in 2008. To date, four visa categories accommodate foreign care workers: Nursing Care (NC), Designated Activities (DA), Technical Intern Training (TIT), and Specified Skilled Worker (SSW). The total number of foreign care workers has now exceeded 75 thousand.
This research project takes Japan as a case study, aiming to reveal the impact of foreign care workers on the host society, with a particular focus on elderly residents’ health outcomes.

Formation of Attitudes to Foreign Residents among Children in Kitakyushu

Staff:KUDO Takahiko

Assistant Professor

Although there was a temporary decrease between 2020 and 2022 because of COVID-19, the foreign resident population in the City of Kitakyushu rose from 11,009 in 2013 to 16,930 in 2025. Incoming more foreign residents, xenophobia or anti-immigrant attitudes among indigenous citizens may become a major obstacle that hinders foreign residents from adapting to the community. Because anti-immigrant attitudes may partially be formed by upbringing environment as children, it is critical to analyze children’s family and socioeconomic backgrounds and attitudes to foreign residents to better understand how anti-immigrant attitudes are created. In this study, we analyze what factors influence elementary – high schoolers’ attitudes to foreign residents in the City of Kitakyushu. Targeted at elementary to high schoolers in the City of Kitakyushu, a social survey will be conducted to collect data on their family and socioeconomic backgrounds and attitudes to foreign residents. Field work targeted at children, family, and teachers may also be performed.