Specified Skilled Worker Consortium (TGC) Support Agency Committee Officially Launches

Proud Partners Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryuji Suzuki) announces that the Support Agency Committee of the 'Specified Skilled Worker Consortium'—established to visualize the actual conditions and define the ideal framework for accepting foreign nationals, including those under the Specified Skilled Worker status—has officially commenced its activities as of June 15, 2026, with the initial participation of four registered support agencies. The four member agencies have cumulatively supported over 12,000 foreign nationals (hereinafter 'Specified Skilled Workers') employed in 16 sectors across Japan under the Specified Skilled Worker residency status, including construction, nursing care, food service, agriculture, accommodation, food manufacturing, and automobile transportation. The results of the 'Survey on the Reality of 1,000 Specified Skilled Workers' will be published in June 2026.

Launched in April 2026, the 'Specified Skilled Worker Consortium' consists of a headquarters, a Support Agency Committee, and an Employer Committee, among others. Its primary activities include collecting and analyzing real-world data to understand the actual conditions and enhance residency-based system design, organizing and publishing cross-industry information and reports, defining and standardizing the 'ideal model of acceptance' across sectors, and issuing policy recommendations and opinions for institutional improvement.

The Support Agency Committee, centered on registered support agencies, will continuously collect challenges and operational realities arising at the field level and systematize them as knowledge related to recruitment, living support, and retention. It will serve as a bridge between policy and practice by using first-hand field information to clarify the gap between the Specified Skilled Worker system and its practical implementation.

First, to ensure accurate public understanding of the actual conditions of Specified Skilled Workers, the results of the 'Survey on the Reality of 1,000 Specified Skilled Workers' will be published in June 2026. By directly confronting the realities of what these workers think, how much they earn, and what difficulties they face, we aim to elevate the quality of public discourse on 'accepting foreign nationals' in Japan.

[Reference] A registered support agency is an organization authorized to provide support—on behalf of companies accepting Specified Skilled Workers—to ensure that foreign nationals can smoothly carry out their work and daily lives. For Specified Skilled Worker No. 1, there are 10 mandatory support items.

Introduction of Support Agency Committee Member Companies

*In alphabetical order. For details on each company’s characteristics as a registered support agency, please refer to the attached document.

NINAITE Co., Ltd. (Location: Hokkaido / Main Supported Industries: Nursing Care, Agriculture, Food Manufacturing, Food Service, Accommodation)

▼Comment from President Shizuro Yokoyama

Traveling through rural areas, one sees the reality that entire industries are on the verge of collapse due to labor shortages.

At the same time, the field of foreign employment still faces numerous challenges, including complex systems and procedures and fragmented information. Through our direct engagement in introducing and supporting foreign nationals, NINAITE has become convinced that foreign employment is not merely a solution to labor shortages, but a vital component supporting Japan’s industrial and regional future.

Therefore, we believe this Consortium—aiming to accurately visualize on-the-ground realities and collaboratively shape better models of acceptance with support agencies, employers, and industry stakeholders—holds great significance.

NINAITE aims to build new infrastructure for foreign employment by leveraging field insights and AI-driven systems.

We will contribute to the advancement of the entire industry toward a society where foreign nationals are welcomed not merely as 'employees,' but as partners in building the future.

Funtoco Inc. (Location: Osaka Prefecture / Main Supported Industries: Nursing Care, Food Service, etc.)

▼Comment from CEO Masato Yamamoto

In Japan, where national strength is declining due to population decrease, coexistence with foreign nationals is indispensable.

While preserving the strengths Japan has built, the ability to adapt and evolve is what Japan needs moving forward. We believe it is meaningful that those confronting reality—not just idealists—have gathered to initiate the necessary discussions and actions.

At Funtoco, we will fulfill our social role by enhancing support for individuals in areas such as education and finance, centered on introduction and support services.

LivCo Inc. (Location: Tokyo / Main Supported Industries: Food Service, Nursing Care, Accommodation, Food & Beverage Manufacturing, Agriculture)

▼Comment from CEO Shotaro Sasa

The Specified Skilled Worker system is now facing an unprecedented turning point. As of the end of December 2025, the number of foreign nationals under this status reached approximately 390,000, a record high, marking an era where the question of 'how to build a society of coexistence' has become critical.

Meanwhile, the field faces accumulated challenges such as disparities in support quality among agencies and mismatches between policy and practice. To develop this sector into a healthy industry, we believe the industry must redesign its business practices so that host companies, foreign workers themselves, and support agencies all receive fair value.

As a player that entered during the early days of the Specified Skilled Worker program in 2021, LivCo will continue to share authentic field voices and contribute to realizing a society where we coexist with foreign nationals.

Proud Partners Co., Ltd. (Location: Tokyo / Main Supported Industries: Construction, Food Service, Automobile Transportation, etc.)

▼Comment from CEO Ryuji Suzuki

The Specified Skilled Worker system was established to address severe labor shortages in domestic industries. In regional economies and in industries avoided by Japanese youth, securing personnel has become a critical management issue affecting business continuity. Foreign nationals, particularly those under the Specified Skilled Worker status, are diligently working and supporting these 'frontlines.'

Recently, there has been a series of regulatory changes and tightening measures related to residency status. The government’s sudden announcement and implementation this spring of halting new issuance of Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 visas in the food service sector remains fresh in memory. This was a shocking event that undermined the business planning foundations not only for foreign nationals preparing for employment overseas but also for food service companies struggling to secure talent.

We view this not as a fundamental review of the Specified Skilled Worker system itself, but rather as part of a broader review (and tightening) of residency statuses for settled foreign nationals, including Business Management (investment visas), Engineering/Humanities/International Services (EHI), and Permanent Resident visas.

Nevertheless, we believe the Specified Skilled Worker system must remain fair for both foreign nationals seeking employment in Japan and domestic companies aiming to resolve labor shortages and achieve sustainable growth.

As a registered support agency, our company has always addressed both the personal lives of individual Specified Skilled Workers and the growth of host companies. With our inclusion, along with three other agencies, in the Support Agency Committee of the Specified Skilled Worker Consortium, we aim to contribute to building a society where fair discussions take place—by accurately visualizing operational realities through future committee activities, such as 'what working Specified Skilled Workers think, how much they earn, and what they struggle with,' as well as 'what expectations and challenges host companies face.'