JETRO Invest Japan Report 2022
Chapter3. Recent Government Policies [Column] Improving Foreign Investors- and Businesses-friendly Living Environment

The policy package sets a goal that the number of medical institutions with capabilities to accept foreign patients is to expand to around 40 locations nationwide by March 2017.

Promoting the capacity development for accepting foreign patients by supporting the placement of medical interpreters and furthering the use of telephone medical interpreters, etc., mainly at core medical institutions selected by prefectures. (As of September 2021, multilingual medical care covers 95.8% of the medical areas in Japan) (Note)

Under the Strategy for Promoting FDI in Japan, the government will work to develop a foreigner-friendly healthcare system, specifying the target of having at least 1,000 hospitals providing care in multiple languages by March 2026.

The policy package specifies the promotion of educational support for foreign schoolchildren.

Supporting local governments working to develop systems to promote the acceptance of returning and foreign children at schools and enhance Japanese language support. Promoting initiatives by setting organizing and implementing "special curricula" for schoolchildren who need Japanese language support as a mandatory requirement.
(Of the total foreign schoolchildren requiring Japanese language support, the percentage of those receiving it based on special arrangements at school increased from 76.9% (2016) to 90.9% (2021)) (Source)

The Strategy for Promoting FDI in Japan has established a goal for improving the educational environment for foreign school children, ensuring that all those who students who need it can receive Japanese language instruction by March 2023.

Based on the discussions of the Working Group, "Japanese Green Card for Highly-Skilled Foreign Professionals" system was established to significantly shorten the period of stay required to apply permanent residency for highly-skilled foreign professionals. In addition, requirements for the highly skilled professionals' point-based system were reviewed (the addition of evaluation items, etc.).

Foreign entrepreneurs who receive approval from a local government whose "Management Support Plan for Foreign Entrepreneurial Activities" was accredited by the government can stay to prepare for starting a business for up to one year. 14 local governments have been accredited (Note).

As part of the initiatives to achieve “Japan as a Global Financial Center (Finance Place Japan)" described below, a person completing registration as an investment management business while staying in Japan as a "temporary visitor" can change the status of residence straight to "highly skilled professional" or "business manager," etc. Expansion of preferential treatment in the highly skilled professionals' point-based system for financial professionals and relaxation of requirements for employing domestic workers, etc. were introduced.

Promote multilingualization of retail stores, food service, roads, and public transportation based on the "Five Commitments to Attracting Foreign Companies to Japan" in March 2015 .

The Policy Package set a target of publishing translations of more than 500 laws and regulations in foreign languages by March 2021.

Foreign-language translations of 503 laws and regulations (Note) (including revisions) were published. The cumulative number of translated laws and regulations approaches 800.

The Strategy for Promoting FDI in Japan set a target of publishing at least 600 new English translations of laws and regulations by March 2026. Effort will be made for another 400 translations (making a total of 1,000 pieces), depending on the advancement in translation technology, etc.
(*) The "Public-Private Strategy Council for Promoting the International Dissemination of Japanese Laws and Regulations" held in January 2021 has set the field related to foreigners living in Japan as one of the priority areas.