Ideal Type and Practical Transformation of the Statuses of Residence for Employment in Professional or Technical Fields

This paper will explain the political history of the statuses of residence for employment in professional or technical fields which have been actively promoted by the Japanese government. First, the scope of "specialized and technical fields" is discussed from the perspectives of eligibility for status of residence and the relevant standards of the Ministry of Justice order. The gradual expansion of the acceptance of workers in these fields since the 1990s is then outlined, organized by time period. For each status of residence, the paper summarizes its main features, the history of legal amendments and changes in administrative practice, and trends in the number of foreign residents. The government's original principle—actively accepting foreigners in professional or technical fields while taking a cautious approach in other areas—has been significantly altered and undermined through successive revisions of laws, ministerial orders, public notices, and internal regulations, driven by demand from various sectors. While immigration reforms in other countries are often implemented through top-down initiatives led by national leaders, Japan’s approach is characterized by a bottom-up process, beginning with the revision of internal regulations, public notices, and ministerial orders. These incremental changes gradually advance toward higher levels of formal regulation, resulting in legal revisions that codify what has already become a fait accompli.