1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,310 Speaker 1: This is a C N A podcast 2 00:00:05,950 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 2: That is music to a statistician's ears, especially statisticians in 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:15,510 Speaker 2: countries with a falling birth rate, governments, the world over 4 00:00:15,510 --> 00:00:19,510 Speaker 2: are wringing their hands because fewer babies means a smaller 5 00:00:19,510 --> 00:00:23,829 Speaker 2: working-age population in the future and that is bad news 6 00:00:23,829 --> 00:00:28,530 Speaker 2: for economic growth. Japan knows this problem all too well. 7 00:00:28,540 --> 00:00:32,740 Speaker 2: In 2021 the country recorded its lowest number of birth 8 00:00:32,750 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 2: in more than a century. 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,510 Speaker 2: So how do you bolster and stabilize the workforce, enter 10 00:00:39,510 --> 00:00:40,610 Speaker 2: foreign workers? 11 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to CNN correspondent. I'm your host, Teresa Tang. 12 00:00:56,220 --> 00:00:59,350 Speaker 2: This is the podcast where our network of correspondents shine 13 00:00:59,350 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 2: a light on stories from wherever they are in the world, 14 00:01:02,210 --> 00:01:06,429 Speaker 2: bringing you behind and beyond the headlines on today's edition. 15 00:01:06,430 --> 00:01:10,270 Speaker 2: We speak to Michio Ishida and explore how Japan is 16 00:01:10,270 --> 00:01:12,970 Speaker 2: dealing with its severe labor shortage 17 00:01:20,610 --> 00:01:24,140 Speaker 2: and Mikio joins me now. Hi mitch, thanks for joining me. 18 00:01:24,150 --> 00:01:29,459 Speaker 2: Hi Teresa. So we know Japan is aging, its population 19 00:01:29,459 --> 00:01:32,870 Speaker 2: is shrinking and a labor shortage has led some companies 20 00:01:32,870 --> 00:01:36,780 Speaker 2: there to hire migrant workers. First off in your day 21 00:01:36,780 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 2: to day life, is it common for you to come 22 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,569 Speaker 2: across foreign workers or are they more of a hidden demographic. 23 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: I live in central Tokyo and I basically see foreign 24 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 2: workers every day for instance, I go to the supermarket, 25 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,029 Speaker 2: there are hardly any staff who are Japanese, I go 26 00:01:54,030 --> 00:01:59,050 Speaker 2: to restaurants, the workers are mainly Koreans, chinese Vietnamese. I 27 00:01:59,050 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 2: walk past nepalese indians quite often that's actually my area 28 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,460 Speaker 2: which is an area with a big asian community 29 00:02:06,660 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 2: and other industries here in Japan are in dire need 30 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:17,060 Speaker 2: of foreigners, the factories, food processing firms, construction sectors, those 31 00:02:17,060 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: really need people who can work hard and elderly care facilities. 32 00:02:21,930 --> 00:02:26,179 Speaker 2: It's because of Japan's demography and aging population and with 33 00:02:26,180 --> 00:02:30,290 Speaker 2: low birth rate. It's interesting you describe such a multicultural 34 00:02:30,290 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: mix because Japan 35 00:02:32,055 --> 00:02:35,855 Speaker 2: is a country that once prided itself on being homogeneous 36 00:02:35,865 --> 00:02:39,505 Speaker 2: and for a long time it was closed to immigration 37 00:02:39,505 --> 00:02:43,765 Speaker 2: because of strict policies barring foreigners. You profiled a few 38 00:02:43,764 --> 00:02:47,145 Speaker 2: foreign workers and their employers, how willing were they to 39 00:02:47,145 --> 00:02:50,565 Speaker 2: speak with you and our employers open about having to 40 00:02:50,565 --> 00:02:53,924 Speaker 2: hire foreign workers. Okay, let me explain to you the 41 00:02:53,925 --> 00:02:57,315 Speaker 2: five different categories that foreigners living in 42 00:02:57,450 --> 00:03:00,399 Speaker 2: pan are listed under. There are those who are the 43 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,310 Speaker 2: permanent residents and this includes the Koreans who at the 44 00:03:04,310 --> 00:03:08,250 Speaker 2: time of Japan's colonization were sent to Japan and their 45 00:03:08,250 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: Children grandchildren have been born and grew up in Japan. 46 00:03:12,450 --> 00:03:17,059 Speaker 2: And also in the category are foreigners married to Japanese. 47 00:03:17,070 --> 00:03:22,270 Speaker 2: There's the other category, the professionals and another category are 48 00:03:22,270 --> 00:03:22,820 Speaker 2: those with 49 00:03:22,845 --> 00:03:27,605 Speaker 2: specialized jobs. The fourth category foreign students, they can work 50 00:03:27,605 --> 00:03:31,424 Speaker 2: up to 28 hours a week and the fifth category 51 00:03:31,435 --> 00:03:36,215 Speaker 2: technical trainees, They're invited from developing countries to acquire new 52 00:03:36,215 --> 00:03:40,015 Speaker 2: skills in Japan. I try to feature the technical trainees 53 00:03:40,015 --> 00:03:43,605 Speaker 2: as much as possible because their numbers have been increasing 54 00:03:43,605 --> 00:03:48,225 Speaker 2: dramatically during the past five years, especially those from Vietnam 55 00:03:48,370 --> 00:03:51,430 Speaker 2: and in order to cover them. I tried to reach 56 00:03:51,430 --> 00:03:56,630 Speaker 2: out business organizations here in Tokyo but companies were basically 57 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,410 Speaker 2: unwilling to cooperate, they didn't want to be known, they 58 00:04:00,410 --> 00:04:03,580 Speaker 2: have technical trainees. So I got in touch with a 59 00:04:03,580 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: contact and rural Japan which is Shizuka home to big 60 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:13,589 Speaker 2: companies such as Suzuki Motor, Yamaha Motor and some companies management, 61 00:04:13,590 --> 00:04:16,030 Speaker 2: we're willing to talk but there were 62 00:04:16,043 --> 00:04:19,973 Speaker 2: Cases of management and technical trainees not in good relationships 63 00:04:19,973 --> 00:04:21,933 Speaker 2: so they didn't want to talk and didn't want to 64 00:04:21,933 --> 00:04:26,313 Speaker 2: have any coverage. There are negative stories regarding relationship between 65 00:04:26,313 --> 00:04:31,653 Speaker 2: technical trainees and Japanese workers there corporate bosses or their 66 00:04:31,653 --> 00:04:36,772 Speaker 2: colleagues bullying them abusing them knowing that these technical trainees 67 00:04:36,773 --> 00:04:40,553 Speaker 2: can't easily go home as many have huge debts to 68 00:04:40,553 --> 00:04:43,702 Speaker 2: pay back some up to 10 million yen 69 00:04:43,716 --> 00:04:48,026 Speaker 2: which is around $7000. They pay to asians to be 70 00:04:48,026 --> 00:04:50,496 Speaker 2: able to work in Japan. So this is the kind 71 00:04:50,496 --> 00:04:53,825 Speaker 2: of situation it is in Japan for foreign workers. It's 72 00:04:53,826 --> 00:04:57,696 Speaker 2: a difficult situation for them and not completely accepted in 73 00:04:57,696 --> 00:05:00,275 Speaker 2: the mainstream, it sounds like okay mitch I want to 74 00:05:00,276 --> 00:05:04,385 Speaker 2: play a short clip from your Tv package. This is 75 00:05:04,546 --> 00:05:08,666 Speaker 2: of interest Sakti, he is from Indonesia and he works 76 00:05:08,666 --> 00:05:11,376 Speaker 2: as a salesperson at an electric company. 77 00:05:12,690 --> 00:05:17,770 Speaker 2: May I ask what you're working on? Yes from my customer, 78 00:05:17,779 --> 00:05:21,790 Speaker 2: we've got quotation requests, we have to inquire to our 79 00:05:21,790 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 2: supplier and then I got a reply from the supplier 80 00:05:25,089 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 2: regarding what customer needs about the product. 81 00:05:29,050 --> 00:05:31,670 Speaker 2: Now he like many others have had to learn the 82 00:05:31,670 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 2: technical aspects of the job and he spoke to you 83 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: in english Mikio but he also had to master the 84 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,290 Speaker 2: japanese language as well speaking and writing, is that right? 85 00:05:40,300 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: That's correct. Sakti is multi lingual. He went to Japanese 86 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,550 Speaker 2: University and to enter a Japanese university. You have to 87 00:05:48,550 --> 00:05:51,820 Speaker 2: go to Japanese language school first. So his Japanese was 88 00:05:51,820 --> 00:05:54,830 Speaker 2: already good before joining the company that he works for 89 00:05:54,830 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 2: currently after graduating from Shizuoka University 90 00:05:58,490 --> 00:06:02,490 Speaker 2: he went back once to Indonesia. His home country worked 91 00:06:02,490 --> 00:06:06,420 Speaker 2: as an interpreter for Japanese companies but then he decided 92 00:06:06,420 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 2: he wanted to come back to Japan and he has 93 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,060 Speaker 2: family and he was allowed to come back with his 94 00:06:11,060 --> 00:06:14,539 Speaker 2: family because now he has a so called professional status 95 00:06:14,550 --> 00:06:17,270 Speaker 2: and he wanted to earn a full time job. So 96 00:06:17,270 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 2: that's what he did. And he's fluent now and Japanese 97 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 2: and can converse with his bosses and japanese and can 98 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: sell products as well. How was his Japanese when he 99 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 2: talked to him? 100 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,230 Speaker 2: I think it was quite good. I mean he can 101 00:06:30,230 --> 00:06:33,110 Speaker 2: do business in japanese and that's good enough because Japanese 102 00:06:33,110 --> 00:06:35,860 Speaker 2: is not an easy language to be able to be 103 00:06:35,860 --> 00:06:36,660 Speaker 2: fluent in. 104 00:06:43,745 --> 00:06:47,885 Speaker 2: But integration in a new country isn't always easy as well. 105 00:06:47,985 --> 00:06:51,035 Speaker 2: Stay with us up next on CNN correspondent more with 106 00:06:51,035 --> 00:06:54,385 Speaker 2: Michio Ishida. We look at what keeps these foreign workers 107 00:06:54,395 --> 00:06:58,395 Speaker 2: in Japan and also why some companies are reluctant to 108 00:06:58,395 --> 00:06:59,284 Speaker 2: invest in them. 109 00:07:04,270 --> 00:07:04,630 Speaker 2: Mhm 110 00:07:06,029 --> 00:07:09,030 Speaker 2: Hi my name is julie you and I'm the host 111 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,940 Speaker 2: of the new season of the climate conversations from chefs 112 00:07:12,950 --> 00:07:16,390 Speaker 2: to scientists join me as we get personal with the 113 00:07:16,390 --> 00:07:20,630 Speaker 2: people driving change and sustainability. Look out for our episodes 114 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 2: wherever you get your podcasts. 115 00:07:30,370 --> 00:07:34,130 Speaker 2: Welcome back to CNN correspondent Mikio, I don't know if 116 00:07:34,130 --> 00:07:37,620 Speaker 2: you know, but I'm from Vancouver Canada and I've lived 117 00:07:37,620 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 2: in various cities around the world and every time I 118 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,890 Speaker 2: move there are adjustments that you have to make differences 119 00:07:43,890 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 2: you have to accept about the society that you're in. 120 00:07:46,690 --> 00:07:49,490 Speaker 2: What struck you in terms of how those you met 121 00:07:49,490 --> 00:07:52,410 Speaker 2: have embraced life as a foreign worker in Japan. Did 122 00:07:52,410 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 2: they yearn to go home at all? Just like you've 123 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 2: lived in various cities. I lived in a few cities 124 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 2: to like new york and san Paulo brazil and I 125 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,060 Speaker 2: myself had to make adjustments to learn the language, the 126 00:08:05,060 --> 00:08:09,230 Speaker 2: culture and most important, perhaps the temperament of the people. 127 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: If you live a long time in certain places, it 128 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:13,530 Speaker 2: does 129 00:08:13,545 --> 00:08:16,095 Speaker 2: become your home. I think it's no different for the 130 00:08:16,095 --> 00:08:18,955 Speaker 2: foreign workers in Japan. They live in Japan for a 131 00:08:18,965 --> 00:08:21,845 Speaker 2: long time and they find Japan to become their home 132 00:08:21,855 --> 00:08:26,275 Speaker 2: but you know, it really depends on their aspiration, some 133 00:08:26,285 --> 00:08:29,455 Speaker 2: are used to living abroad in different countries so they 134 00:08:29,455 --> 00:08:32,825 Speaker 2: can live anywhere and perhaps they don't really miss their 135 00:08:32,835 --> 00:08:37,355 Speaker 2: parents and you know, today you have social media facetime, 136 00:08:37,365 --> 00:08:40,395 Speaker 2: you can use all those to communicate with them every time. 137 00:08:40,670 --> 00:08:44,500 Speaker 2: But one thing, most foreign workers or foreign residents in Japan, 138 00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:47,910 Speaker 2: tell me about the difficulty of adjusting to the Japanese 139 00:08:47,910 --> 00:08:52,420 Speaker 2: culture is many highlights how it is difficult to dispose 140 00:08:52,429 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 2: waste in Japan. There are specific days you can trash 141 00:08:56,610 --> 00:09:04,550 Speaker 2: certain categories of waste, you have to separate plastic bottles, cans, newspapers, 142 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:08,090 Speaker 2: the combustibles, that's how it works here in Japan 143 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,020 Speaker 2: and if you can't understand the japanese language, if you 144 00:09:11,020 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 2: can't read what's posted on the trash man area, then 145 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,410 Speaker 2: you really get into trouble with your neighbors. There are 146 00:09:18,410 --> 00:09:21,910 Speaker 2: materials you have to pay to dispose in Japan too. 147 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,790 Speaker 2: So this is something that has really confused a lot 148 00:09:25,790 --> 00:09:29,300 Speaker 2: of foreigners living in Japan and the initial start of 149 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:30,470 Speaker 2: their life in Japan 150 00:09:30,620 --> 00:09:33,179 Speaker 2: and this is really something that it takes time to 151 00:09:33,179 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 2: get used to. Now. I talked to one Indonesian worker, 152 00:09:36,850 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 2: Kadek youth quesada, he works as a professional engineer at 153 00:09:42,350 --> 00:09:43,790 Speaker 2: electric co operation, 154 00:09:43,980 --> 00:09:47,650 Speaker 2: He's lived in Japan before joining this company and it's 155 00:09:47,650 --> 00:09:51,140 Speaker 2: for three years as a technical trainee. After that he 156 00:09:51,140 --> 00:09:54,830 Speaker 2: went home that he decided to join the Japanese company, 157 00:09:54,830 --> 00:09:58,770 Speaker 2: he's currently with, he's committed to having a life here 158 00:09:58,780 --> 00:10:00,780 Speaker 2: in Japan and this is what he told me 159 00:10:01,950 --> 00:10:07,439 Speaker 2: if it's possible, I'd like to marry Japanese 160 00:10:08,230 --> 00:10:13,070 Speaker 2: woman, I want to have family also here in Japan. 161 00:10:13,070 --> 00:10:17,460 Speaker 2: So maybe if if it's possible, I can go back 162 00:10:17,460 --> 00:10:21,010 Speaker 2: to Indonesia and back to Japan 163 00:10:22,250 --> 00:10:25,300 Speaker 2: speaking to some of foreign workers, they tell me that 164 00:10:25,300 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 2: they look up to Japan and believe coming to Japan 165 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:31,570 Speaker 2: would be an asset to their career. They think Japan 166 00:10:31,570 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 2: is advanced in technology with high working ethics and by 167 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 2: learning the language, if one day they return to their 168 00:10:38,690 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 2: own country, they can be highly 169 00:10:40,770 --> 00:10:44,980 Speaker 2: sought by big japanese companies as they have branches in 170 00:10:44,980 --> 00:10:49,110 Speaker 2: many countries and now there are those who want to 171 00:10:49,110 --> 00:10:53,459 Speaker 2: come to Japan admiring the Japanese culture. Now, once this 172 00:10:53,460 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 2: person I met is an Indonesian student, she's leyla Diana cogliatti, 173 00:11:00,230 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 2: Japan is my A list, my number one list I 174 00:11:03,850 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 2: grew up watching animals, j drama movies, listening to J 175 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:12,740 Speaker 2: pop and reading manga. So from those interests, I want 176 00:11:12,750 --> 00:11:15,429 Speaker 2: to make that happen after my bachelor degrees. 177 00:11:16,730 --> 00:11:19,830 Speaker 2: One element of your coverage, Michiko that I found really 178 00:11:19,830 --> 00:11:24,050 Speaker 2: interesting is many business owners in Japan have a very 179 00:11:24,050 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 2: conservative mindset and loyalty is actually a big part of 180 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,370 Speaker 2: the work culture in Japan but they were surprised to 181 00:11:31,370 --> 00:11:34,930 Speaker 2: learn that it's common for foreigners to change jobs, loyalty 182 00:11:34,929 --> 00:11:36,350 Speaker 2: doesn't really exist, does it? 183 00:11:36,540 --> 00:11:40,730 Speaker 2: Yeah, well when you talk about business owners of international 184 00:11:40,730 --> 00:11:45,310 Speaker 2: companies with Japan as a headquarter, they will understand that 185 00:11:45,309 --> 00:11:49,700 Speaker 2: foreigners change jobs and try to advance in their career. 186 00:11:49,910 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 2: But those Japanese business owners who only know the domestic 187 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,770 Speaker 2: market have no idea, they take it for granted that 188 00:11:57,780 --> 00:12:02,140 Speaker 2: as the Japanese do, they will stay loyal and commit 189 00:12:02,140 --> 00:12:05,540 Speaker 2: to working for them for many, many years. The small 190 00:12:05,540 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 2: and medium sized firms have that tendency and it's only 191 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:09,950 Speaker 2: Reese 192 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 2: that they've started to hire farmworkers to make up for 193 00:12:14,450 --> 00:12:18,709 Speaker 2: the shrinking recruitment market. So they're shocked if they're foreign 194 00:12:18,710 --> 00:12:22,410 Speaker 2: workers start leaving them or taking away with them the 195 00:12:22,410 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 2: skills they acquired, including japanese language skill. There was one 196 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,950 Speaker 2: company that I talked to that decided to accumulate 197 00:12:30,030 --> 00:12:33,770 Speaker 2: Retirement funds for their employees. So the longer they work, 198 00:12:33,780 --> 00:12:37,500 Speaker 2: the more reserves and the company President told me that 199 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:41,300 Speaker 2: he hopes that would encourage the workers to stay many, 200 00:12:41,300 --> 00:12:45,110 Speaker 2: many years in Japan, 10, 20 years. Yeah, you have 201 00:12:45,110 --> 00:12:47,390 Speaker 2: to make it attractive for these foreigners to want to 202 00:12:47,390 --> 00:12:51,079 Speaker 2: stay with one company for an extended period. Okay, Michiko, 203 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,180 Speaker 2: I want you to take us to Japan of 2050 204 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,890 Speaker 2: Because that is when projections suggests that the population in 205 00:12:57,890 --> 00:13:01,850 Speaker 2: the country would have declined by 20 million people. How 206 00:13:01,850 --> 00:13:05,500 Speaker 2: do you think the complexion of society in Japan will 207 00:13:05,500 --> 00:13:09,190 Speaker 2: change between now and then, given the increasing numbers of 208 00:13:09,190 --> 00:13:12,930 Speaker 2: overseas workers, do you think any ethnic tensions are on 209 00:13:12,929 --> 00:13:13,710 Speaker 2: the horizon? 210 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:19,490 Speaker 2: It's really difficult to imagine about Japanese society and 2050 211 00:13:19,490 --> 00:13:23,820 Speaker 2: for instance. Currently it's really just the beginning of Japan's opening. 212 00:13:23,830 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 2: It's slow. It's cautious, but many understand that without foreign workers, 213 00:13:29,570 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 2: the Japanese economy cannot be sustained. There has been kept 214 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:34,150 Speaker 2: on the 215 00:13:34,165 --> 00:13:37,885 Speaker 2: a number of years those people called technical workers can stay, 216 00:13:37,895 --> 00:13:41,204 Speaker 2: but if they pass test now they can stay as 217 00:13:41,205 --> 00:13:43,735 Speaker 2: long as they wish. So this is the kind of 218 00:13:43,735 --> 00:13:47,135 Speaker 2: transformation in Japan. Let me give you an example of 219 00:13:47,145 --> 00:13:51,944 Speaker 2: elderly homes. That's one of the sectors seriously short staffed 220 00:13:51,955 --> 00:13:56,445 Speaker 2: with the Japanese fast aging. Now the japanese generally do 221 00:13:56,445 --> 00:13:59,715 Speaker 2: not want to do hard labor and the sector is 222 00:13:59,715 --> 00:14:01,915 Speaker 2: known for not paying well. 223 00:14:02,090 --> 00:14:05,910 Speaker 2: The japanese government is encouraging wages to be raised but 224 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,189 Speaker 2: it's really not enough to attract workers here in Japan 225 00:14:09,190 --> 00:14:14,710 Speaker 2: so they're turning to foreign caregivers and in reality those 226 00:14:14,710 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 2: in the caregiving industry have to pass the national exam 227 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 2: to be qualified. 228 00:14:19,820 --> 00:14:24,730 Speaker 2: So to exempt the foreign caregivers from that qualification, they 229 00:14:24,740 --> 00:14:28,890 Speaker 2: are brought in as technical trainees now while working they 230 00:14:28,890 --> 00:14:32,180 Speaker 2: can study japanese and try to pass the national exam 231 00:14:32,180 --> 00:14:35,900 Speaker 2: to stay as long as they wish. But Japan is 232 00:14:35,900 --> 00:14:39,190 Speaker 2: really worried well in the future, those from other parts 233 00:14:39,190 --> 00:14:42,700 Speaker 2: of Asia make Japan their destination choice. 234 00:14:43,070 --> 00:14:46,530 Speaker 2: Japan really has to lower its bars further if it 235 00:14:46,530 --> 00:14:50,110 Speaker 2: wants more to work in this country. Yes, it's hard 236 00:14:50,110 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 2: to force people to have more babies. So you have 237 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,630 Speaker 2: to find another solution to this labor shortage, thank you 238 00:14:56,630 --> 00:15:00,010 Speaker 2: very much for this. Really great having you on, Thank 239 00:15:00,010 --> 00:15:01,340 Speaker 2: you for having me, Teresa, 240 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 2: the tv version of Sienna correspondent airs on Sienna every 241 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,870 Speaker 2: Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. You can also catch up with 242 00:15:11,870 --> 00:15:14,729 Speaker 2: them whenever you like on C N A dot Asia 243 00:15:14,740 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 2: follow this podcast version that takes you behind the scenes 244 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 2: with our correspondence so you'll know when a new episode 245 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:26,730 Speaker 2: is out. Our podcast team is made up of daniel, lee, Christina, robert, 246 00:15:26,740 --> 00:15:29,830 Speaker 2: Clara Yong and me, Teresa Tang. Thanks for listening.