The legal profession is one of the most demanding careers anywhere across the globe. It entails full attention and dedication when it comes to preparation of written pleadings, oral arguments and courts cases. A lot of lawyers with foreign licenses are not quite open about the idea of working in Japan after considering the language barrier and cultural differences in the country.
However, in view of the increasing number of international companies and firms established in the Land of the Rising Sun, there is also a tremendous growth in international arbitration as well as matters that require the expertise of legal professionals. But, with the tremendous increase in legal needs especially in the corporate sector, there has been a dearth of lawyers in Japan.
In this regard, the Japanese government through its National Diet deems it proper to amend the immigration policies of the country that used to provide stringent requirements for foreign nationals who seek to land a job in the country. Under the new immigration control act which took effect last April of 2019, foreign professionals are granted more perks and special privileges in order to address the workforce setback that Japan is currently dealing with.
Under this new policy, highly skilled foreign professionals such as business executives, engineers, scientists and lawyers are granted preferential treatment. They are allowed to bring their mother or father and a domestic helper from their country of origin in order to assist them by taking care of their children and other household chores. As such, it would be more convenient for foreign professionals to focus on their respective works.
Lawyers can pretty much avail of these benefits so that they can effectively engaged in the private practice of law while coping with the challenges of settling in Japan as immigrants.
References:
Highly-Skilled Foreign Professional Visa for Japan: How and Why to Apply
