Foreign workers are keeping Japan's aged care sector afloat

I read a recent report today via the Mainichi, and it really showed how crucial foreign workers have become to Japan's aging society. At the Ainohana nursing home in Oizumi, Gunma, 11 of 35 care staff are from overseas, and mainly from the Philippines. When the facility opened eight years ago, there was only one international staff member. 

The deputy manager of the facility said the home began hiring foreign staff after struggling to find Japanese applicants, and a lot of national figures reflect the same challenge. According to the health ministry, the ratio of caregiving job openings to applicants rose from 1.33 in 2009 to 4.08 in 2024, which is far higher than the average across all fields.

Many of Ainohana's foreign staff speak fluent Japanese and have built strong relationships with residents, with some even being told they provide warmer care than local workers. Of course, language and admin tasks can still be difficult (I think that's to be expected for any foreigner in Japan at times!) but colleagues have stepped in to help.

This article was a good reminder for me that many foreigners in Japan are not just filling labor gaps, but helping to shape a sustainable future in fields such as elder care.