[Nagged]

Police plan quick transfer of foreigners overstaying visas

Tokyo police plan to transfer foreign nationals found staying in Japan illegally to immigration authorities within 48 hours, unless they are suspected of involvement in other crimes. It estimated that more than 100,000 individuals are overstaying their visas in metropolitan Tokyo alone.

A swift transfer to the immigration authorities and subsequent deportation should alleviate the problem of overcrowded detention centers that are reaching capacity.

Well, I don't how many are skilled but if they want some extra bodies to fill in a labor shortage, the solution might be closer to home than they think.

[Taro Toporific]

Japan needs more babies!

.Japan's birthrate dropped to 1.32 in 2002, the lowest on record.

This is another odd stat...
Census: record number of US women childless
AP / Oct 25
... Just over half of Asian women were childless, the highest rate among race and ethnic groups. ...

[Caustic Saint]

This is another odd stat...
Census: record number of US women childless
AP / Oct 25

What the article doesn't mention, is how many of them are childless and how many are childfree. I don't have any kids (nor will I ever) and I can assure you there's no loss in my life. I am definitely free from children.

Some of the other stats in that article are a bit dodgy though. "Also, about 8 percent of births were to women in unmarried partnerships, the first time the bureau had tracked such a category in the survey."

Way too low. According to the National Center for Health Statistics stats on unmarried childbearing, that figure (for 2002) is 34.5% - quite a bit different from 8 percent.

[Taro Toporific]

Some of the other stats in that article are a bit dodgy though. "Also, about 8 percent of births were to women in unmarried partnerships, the first time the bureau had tracked such a category in the survey."

Way too low. According to the National Center for Health Statistics stats on unmarried childbearing, that figure (for 2002) is 34.5% - quite a bit different from 8 percent.

"unmarried partnerships" = PC-term for lesbian couples and officially registered common-law couples

[Caustic Saint]

Some of the other stats in that article are a bit dodgy though. "Also, about 8 percent of births were to women in unmarried partnerships, the first time the bureau had tracked such a category in the survey."

Way too low. According to the National Center for Health Statistics stats on unmarried childbearing, that figure (for 2002) is 34.5% - quite a bit different from 8 percent.

"unmarried partnerships" = PC-term for lesbians

I thought they meant "people living in sin." Isn't an unmarried hetero couple living together considered an "unmarried partership?"

[americanchamberofcommerce]

The basic issue is of course is the low birth rate and aging society.
Japan made up its mind years ago, Just Say No to Mass Immigration!
It is never gonna happen because no body wants it to happen.
Japan would rather lose market share and have a lower standard of living.
To be honest, I would not really like to have hundreds of thousands of Gaijin pouring into Japan. I would lose my status!