In rural areas, technical intern trainees have become important players in major industries, contributing to securing the local labor force and maintaining the population. However, there is a noticeable out-migration to urban areas when the technical intern trainees move from the technical training to the specified skills. In addition, the “training and employment system” to be established in 2027 to replace the “technical internship system” will allow workers to change jobs if they meet certain requirements, which is expected to further accelerate the movement of human resources to urban areas. In addition, the “Specified Technical Skills System,” to be established in 2019, will allow for high mobility of human resources who are free to change jobs, and the number of accepted trainees has now reached approximately 200,000, and is expected to increase to up to 820,000 over the next five years. Against this backdrop, competition to secure human resources in regional areas is expected to intensify, and there are fears that the outflow of human resources will have a serious impact on local economies.
JP-MIRAI supports the establishment of a system to promote the retention of human resources by improving the environment for companies and strengthening cooperation throughout the region to address the ongoing outflow of foreign workers in regional areas. Recent studies have shown that not only salary, but also good human relations and a work environment with appropriate guidance, evaluation, and growth opportunities are the keys to regional retention. On the other hand, many local governments have voiced concerns that they are still searching for ways to address these issues, that they do not have a system in place for sharing case studies and understanding their effectiveness, and that they do not have an effective system for cooperation among all parties involved. This project will support the “creation of a community of choice” through the collaborative efforts of local stakeholders, including local governments, companies, support groups, and foreign residents themselves.
On October 15, 2025, JP-MIRAI concluded a memorandum of understanding with Nagasaki Prefecture regarding cooperation for “promotion of appropriate acceptance and coexistence of foreign human resources through video materials, etc.” and is working on the following activities with mutual cooperation.
Utilization and effectiveness measurement of JP-MIRAI corporate video materials
Work Engagement Survey in the Region
In-house training for companies
Conducting seminars on appropriate employment of foreign nationals, etc.
Seminars and workshops are held for local government officials to share case studies.
The results of this event are “ Activity Report (search for “municipalities” in the search window).
