Introduction: A Groundbreaking Initiative in Railway Maintenance

According to reporting and JR East Railway Company’s own public materials, Japan’s railway industry has begun developing foreign personnel under the Specified Skilled Worker framework, with JR East aiming to train around 100 people in FY2025.

At JR East’s General Training Center in Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture, according to media reports, 113 trainees from four countries including Indonesia and Vietnam participated in practical training for approximately four weeks. The curriculum includes lectures in Japanese, hands-on rail work on practice tracks, and operation of ballast tamping machinery—all essential skills for railway maintenance.

What distinguishes this initiative is that all trainees had already received job offers from 47 railway-related companies, including JR Group companies and major private railways. Upon passing the Specified Skilled Worker evaluation exam after training, they were scheduled to begin working in summer as practice-ready personnel.

As an administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi) who has supported numerous companies with foreign worker acceptance, I find this initiative profoundly significant. This article examines the railway industry case to explore how to utilize the Specified Skilled Worker system, key considerations for accepting foreign workers, and essential knowledge about status of residence that companies should understand.

Why Foreign Workers in Railways Now: The Background of Severe Labor Shortage

The railway industry, particularly in maintenance, faces persistent severe labor shortages driven by several factors.

First, the declining working-age population due to Japan’s aging society and low birth rate. As Japan’s productive population decreases nationwide, fields requiring specialized technical skills like railway maintenance face particular difficulty securing young talent.

Second, changing worker attitudes. Railway maintenance work was traditionally conducted at night, but workers increasingly avoid night shifts. Consequently, railway companies have shifted to conducting maintenance during daytime service suspensions, yet labor shortages persist.

Third, heightened safety requirements. Following a series of transportation troubles at JR East in early 2025, the company announced plans to increase technical staff in the coming fiscal year. Maintaining railway safety requires sufficient personnel and advanced technical capabilities.

Naoyuki Sakaguchi, Manager of JR East’s Human Resource Development Unit, explains: “We are introducing new equipment, technologies, and labor-saving systems, but it is difficult with Japanese workers alone. Foreign workers are rare in the railway field, so we called on other companies to participate.”

This situation extends beyond railways. Manufacturing, construction, nursing care, and agriculture face similar challenges. Utilizing foreign workers is no longer a temporary measure but a structural necessity for sustaining Japanese industry.

What is “Specified Skilled Worker”? Differences from Technical Intern Training and System Characteristics

The railway industry initiative utilizes the “Specified Skilled Worker” (Tokutei Gino) status of residence. Companies considering foreign employment frequently ask: “How does this differ from the Technical Intern Training program?” Let me clarify the fundamentals of the Specified Skilled Worker system.

The Specified Skilled Worker system was established in April 2019 as a relatively new status of residence. Specified Skilled Worker (i) is a status of residence for foreign nationals who can work in designated labor-shortage fields with a certain level of skill and practical readiness. It is available in 16 industrial fields, including railways.

In the railway field, Specified Skilled Worker (i) covers track construction and maintenance, electric facilities construction and maintenance, rolling stock maintenance and overhaul, rolling stock manufacturing, and train operation work. Japanese-language requirements differ by job category: for most railway categories, JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese) or JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) N4 is accepted, while train operation work requires JLPT N3 or higher.

The official expected number of accepted workers in the railway field is 3,800 over the five-year period from April 2024 to March 2029, reflecting the serious nature of labor shortages in this sector.

Specified Skilled Worker has two categories. Category 1 (SSW1) is granted to foreign nationals with skills requiring considerable knowledge or experience in specified industries. SSW1 is limited to a cumulative period of up to five years and generally does not allow family accompaniment. Category 2 (SSW2) is granted to those with more advanced skills, is renewable without a fixed upper limit, and permits family accompaniment. However, the railway field is currently limited to SSW1.

The most significant difference from Technical Intern Training lies in purpose. Technical Intern Training aims at “international contribution,” premised on trainees returning home with acquired skills. Conversely, Specified Skilled Worker explicitly aims at “securing workforce,” anticipating contribution in Japan as practice-ready personnel.

Job mobility also differs. Technical Intern Training generally prohibits job changes, while Specified Skilled Worker permits transfers within the same field. This enables more flexible career development for foreign workers.

Media reports indicate that around 60% of the railway trainees had prior experience in Japan under the Technical Intern Training program. This demonstrates a successful pathway where individuals who acquired workplace culture and basic Japanese language skills through Technical Intern Training further develop specialized skills to work as Specified Skilled Workers.

Learning from the Railway Training Program: A Success Model for Foreign Worker Acceptance

JR East’s training program contains several critical success factors for foreign worker acceptance. These elements offer valuable lessons for companies in other industries.

Point 1: Clear Process Design
The process follows a clear sequence: “employer confirmed → training → examination → placement.” Trainees received job offers before arriving in Japan, clarifying training objectives and future workplaces. This allowed trainees to focus on learning with confidence while companies prepared systematically for acceptance.

A common challenge in foreign worker acceptance is post-employment mismatch. Early departures occur when workers find “the job differs from expectations,” “Japanese language skills are insufficient,” or “cannot adapt to the workplace.” Clear processes and advance preparation effectively prevent such mismatches.

Point 2: Practical Training Content
The four-week training combined Japanese-language lectures with hands-on work on practice tracks and specialized machinery operation—content directly relevant to actual duties. The design emphasized “what participants can do on site” through practical skills, not just classroom learning.

Le Nhat Tinh (30) from Vietnam reflected: “Technical terms were difficult, but with dedicated instruction, I came to understand them.” Mastering technical terminology is essential for foreign workers to succeed on site.

Point 3: Industry-Wide Collaboration
This initiative was not JR East alone but a collaborative effort among multiple JR companies, major private railways, and the broader industry. This structure distributed training costs while addressing industry-wide labor shortages.

Manager Sakaguchi stated they “called on other companies to participate” and planned to continue training around 100 annually, with multiple sessions per year if demand exists.

Point 4: Smooth Transition from Technical Intern Training
That a substantial portion of trainees had Technical Intern Training experience demonstrates effective transition from Technical Intern Training to Specified Skilled Worker. This pathway—where individuals with Japanese workplace culture and foundational skills gained through Technical Intern Training advance to specialized Specified Skilled Worker roles—represents an ideal model for both foreign worker career development and corporate talent acquisition.

Requirements Companies Must Know for Accepting Specified Skilled Workers

Accepting Specified Skilled Workers requires companies to meet certain conditions. As an administrative scrivener specializing in status of residence applications, I will explain key points companies should understand.

1. Requirements for Foreign Workers
In general, SSW1 requires passing the relevant skills test and a Japanese-language test, although those who have satisfactorily completed Technical Intern Training (ii) in the corresponding field are generally exempt from these examinations.

Additional requirements include:

  • Health condition: Possess health status that does not impede work duties.
  • No disqualifying circumstances: No history of criminal offenses, deportation, or other disqualifying factors.

2. Requirements for Accepting Organizations (Companies)
Companies accepting foreign workers must meet the following requirements:

  • Appropriate employment contract: Establish appropriate employment contracts ensuring compensation equal to or exceeding that of Japanese workers performing comparable work, full-time employment status, and other legally compliant terms.
  • Support system establishment: For SSW1, the accepting organization must ensure the required support is provided, either directly or through a registered support organization. Support includes pre-arrival guidance, housing assistance, daily life orientation, Japanese language learning opportunities, and consultation/complaint response.
  • Standards as accepting organization: Meet standards as an accepting organization, including compliance with labor and social insurance laws and no history of improper conduct.

3. Field-Specific Standards
Each industrial sector has unique acceptance standards. For railways, appropriate business operations under the Railway Business Act and related regulations are required.

4. Application Procedures
Applications are filed with the Regional Immigration Services Bureau. Applications require numerous documents—employment contracts, support plans, corporate financial statements, skills and Japanese language test certificates—sometimes numbering dozens of pages.

Deficiencies or errors in application documents may delay review or result in denial. Engaging a specialized administrative scrivener enables accurate and smooth applications.

For Foreign Residents in Japan: Stepping Up to Specified Skilled Worker

For foreign nationals already working in Japan, Specified Skilled Worker status represents a significant career advancement opportunity.

Technical Intern Training participants who satisfactorily complete Category 2 can transition to Specified Skilled Worker Category 1 with exemption from the skills and Japanese language tests, provided they move to the corresponding field. That a substantial portion of railway trainees had Technical Intern Training experience demonstrates this transition pathway functions effectively.

Benefits of transitioning to Specified Skilled Worker include:

  • Extended period of stay: Up to five years cumulative for SSW1, with the possibility of transitioning to other long-term statuses depending on circumstances.
  • Job mobility: Job changes are permitted within the same field, enabling selection of better working conditions.
  • Career development: Acquire more advanced skills and build professional careers in Japan.

As Pandu Mukti Pranoto (24) from Indonesia stated, “I want to work in Japan for a long time.” Many foreign workers desire long-term careers in Japan. The Specified Skilled Worker system opens pathways to realize such aspirations.

However, changing status of residence requires proper procedures—taking skills exams (unless exempt), preparing necessary documents, and applying for status change permission. If you have concerns, I recommend consulting a specialized administrative scrivener.

Local Railway Maintenance and Foreign Workers: Community Impact

Professor Hitoshi Tsunashima, Specially Appointed Professor at Nihon University’s College of Industrial Technology, who specializes in railway engineering, states: “Looking ahead, it is extremely important to have foreign nationals participate and develop human resources to address railway labor shortages. Labor shortages are an urgent issue affecting route maintenance, especially for local railways.”

Many local railways face declining ridership and labor shortages. Route abolitions and service reductions deprive local residents of transportation and seriously impact regional economies. Railways are vital infrastructure supporting daily life, particularly for elderly people and students who cannot use automobiles.

Foreign workers contributing to railway maintenance not only address corporate labor shortages but also support community sustainability. By supporting public infrastructure like railways, they help maintain quality of life for entire regions.

Additionally, foreign workers living in communities foster multicultural coexistence. People from diverse cultural backgrounds working and living together can bring new vitality to regions.

If the railway initiative succeeds, it may extend to other local infrastructure sectors. Foreign worker contributions may expand across various fields supporting regions—roads, water supply, electricity, and more.

Implications for Other Industries: Applications in Manufacturing, Construction, and Nursing Care

The railway initiative offers numerous insights for other industries.

Manufacturing
Manufacturing is a Specified Skilled Worker target field, with many companies advancing foreign worker acceptance. Like railways, industry associations or multiple companies collaborating to establish training programs is particularly effective for small and medium enterprises. Jointly conducting training that individual companies find burdensome enables high-quality talent development while reducing costs.

Construction
Construction also faces severe labor shortages. The Specified Skilled Worker system covers 19 work categories including formwork construction, plastering, concrete pumping, and tunnel propulsion. Programs combining practical training with certification, like the railway model, would be effective in construction.

Nursing Care
Nursing care is projected to face increasingly severe labor shortages. The Specified Skilled Worker system covers nursing care, with many foreign workers already active. Like the railway approach, conducting training after confirming accepting facilities would improve foreign worker retention.

Common across all fields is the importance of “establishing acceptance systems” and “appropriate support.” A perspective is needed that develops foreign workers not merely as labor but as specialized professionals who can contribute effectively over time.

Support Administrative Scriveners Provide: Bridging Companies and Foreign Workers

Administrative scriveners play an important role connecting companies and foreign workers in foreign worker acceptance.

Support for Companies:

  • Status of residence selection advice: Proposing optimal status of residence based on business type and employment form.
  • Application document preparation: Accurately preparing complex application documents and organizing necessary attachments.
  • Immigration bureau application representation: Representing application procedures at Regional Immigration Services Bureaus.
  • Support plan formulation: Preparing support plans for Specified Skilled Workers and assisting in establishing appropriate support systems, whether in-house or through registered support organizations.
  • Legal compliance advice: Supporting compliance with labor laws, social insurance laws, and other regulations related to foreign employment.

Support for Foreign Nationals:

  • Status of residence consultation: Advising on career paths available from current status of residence.
  • Status change procedures: Supporting status change procedures, such as from Technical Intern Training to Specified Skilled Worker.
  • Period extension procedures: Representing period extension procedures.
  • Permanent residence and long-term status consultation: Providing guidance for those considering long-term residence options in Japan.

Administrative scriveners do not merely prepare documents but assist in creating environments where both companies and foreign workers can work with confidence. Please consult anytime you have concerns or questions about status of residence.

Conclusion: Toward a Society Where Diverse Talent Thrives

The training program for foreign “Specified Skilled Worker” talent in railways, led by JR East, has potential to become a new model for foreign worker acceptance in Japan.

The essence of this initiative lies in its approach: developing foreign workers not as temporary labor but as practice-ready professionals who can contribute meaningfully to Japan’s social infrastructure over time.

When trainees from Indonesia and Vietnam expressed that they “learned the importance of safety” and “want to work in Japan for a long time,” it demonstrated that foreign workers seek not only economic opportunities but clear goals of enhancing expertise and building careers in Japan.

In Japan’s aging society with declining birth rates, utilizing foreign workers is an unavoidable reality. However, this is not negative. People from diverse cultural backgrounds working together and supporting society together brings new vitality and possibilities to Japanese society.

For companies, establishing appropriate acceptance systems and creating environments where foreign workers can demonstrate their abilities is essential. For foreign residents in Japan, opportunities exist to leverage Japanese experience and further enhance expertise.

As administrative scriveners, we aim to support both companies and foreign workers, contributing to realizing a society where diverse talent thrives.

For consultations regarding status of residence, visa applications, and foreign employment, please feel free to contact us anytime. Let us take steps together toward the future.

Reference Article:
“Railway ‘Specified Skilled Worker’ Training Starts: Immediate Foreign Workforce, 100 Annually, Addressing Maintenance Labor Shortage”
Jiji Press, March 21, 2025
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/63141ecf652f93f810e18982e30d0cdac9bbc5a8

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