Current situations and issues about acceptance of foreign nurses and caregivers based on the Economic Partnership Agreements

Abstract

Agreement on migration of nurses and caregivers is a component of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA), which is an international trade agreement aiming at reducing tariffs. Current Japanese acceptance scale of nurses and caregivers is so small, comparing other countries' situation, that it would hardly have any impact on Japanese domestic labor market. The source countries could learn nursing care techniques through EPA program for coming aged society. Japan is requested to consider the acceptance of foreign nurses and caregivers because of severe shortage in near future. It needs to start national debate on this issue paying special attention to mutual merits for both host countries and source countries.