Japanese five construction giants established an organization in January to supervise companies which employ foreign workers. The companies will launch its first action as a group on March 10 in Tokyo, holding a seminar for businesses with interests in workforce import.

Foundation for International Transfer of Skills and Knowledge in Construction, or FITS consists of Japanese construction leaders; Obayashi, Kajima, Taisei and Takenaka and several players in the industry. The body will collect and provide information on the government’s new policy of foreign workforce and assist companies accepting workers from abroad by giving advises and training.

Tokyo decided to ease restrictions of foreign labors working in construction industry from April. Technical trainees who enter Japan under the existing scheme will be allowed to extend their stay by two or three years. The new system is a part of emergency and temporary measures to address labor shortage in the industry which has seen a sharp increase in construction investment toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. (2015/02/19)