At soba chain Yudetaro, where 30% of employees are “foreign workers,” Ikeda Tomoaki (池田智昭) says, “Foreign workers are diligent. Japanese people do not want to work on the front lines”; Hiroyuki (ひろゆき) counters, “The more low-paid workers are brought in, the less Japanese wages will rise” (ABEMA TIMES)

The number of foreign workers has exceeded 2.57 million, helping to address labor shortages in agriculture, nursing care, food service, and other sectors. At the same time, concerns have been raised over illegal employment and integration with local communities. The Specified Skilled Worker program began in 2019. In the food-service industry, the intake cap is expected to reach 50,000 in April this year, and intake is expected to be temporarily suspended.

At soba chain Yudetaro, foreign employees account for approximately 30% of the workforce, or around 500 people, and can advance their careers to become store managers or area managers. Pay is reportedly on par with that of Japanese employees. The company provides housing for ¥31,000 per month, along with benefits including ¥300 meals and paid leave. ABEMA Prime discussed the current situation and related challenges.

Ikeda Tomoaki (池田智昭), representative of Yudetaro System, explained that securing staff had become difficult around 2017–2018 and that hiring Japanese workers was also challenging. Regarding the Specified Skilled Worker program, he said, “20万人 is not enough for the food-service industry alone. A quota of 50,000 is out of the question,” suggesting that the limited quota could lead to a reduction in store-opening plans and a review of operating hours.