Demographics in Hokkaido Return of foreign workers to tourist spots Issues with permanent residence and year-round employment

NAC – Niseko Adventure Centre (nacadventures.jp)

Niseko real estate News

According to a demographic survey as of January 1 this year by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of foreign residents in resort areas such as Kutchan-cho in the Shiribeshi area and Shimukappu-mura in the Kamikawa area has increased significantly. With the easing of immigration restrictions due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the number of foreign workers, who had been declining, is returning. Local governments welcome them, but seasonal work in the winter is still the mainstream, and there are many challenges for permanent residence.

“Niseko has an image of winter, but I also want to convey the fun of summer activities.” Mr. Bimal Itani (28), a Nepali national who is a staff member of Niseko Adventure Center (NAC), which handles rafting and other activities in Kutchan, said with a smile. NAC will have less than 20 foreign staff working this summer.

Regarding the corona border measures, the government has gradually eased the entry of foreigners for non-tourism purposes since March last year. This made it easier for them to travel back and forth to their home countries, so even registered foreign workers returned.

■Increase by an order of magnitude
According to a demographic survey, the number of foreign residents in Kutchan-cho increased by 985, the largest number among towns and villages in Japan, bringing the total to 1,665. Although the number is not as high as the 2,497 people in January 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic, the town’s Residents’ Environment Division says, “The number has increased by an order of magnitude as immigration restrictions have been eased.”

Shimukappu village had the highest population growth rate of 13.43%, including Japanese, among towns and villages nationwide, but the increase in foreign workers pushed up the overall population. About 20% of the approximately 280 employees of Hoshino Resorts Tomamu in the same village are foreign nationals. About 20-30% of the guests are from overseas, especially from Asian countries such as South Korea and China. The company is focusing on hiring foreign personnel who can speak Japanese, and a spokesperson explained, “We need personnel who can speak the language and can provide a sense of security in the event of an emergency (e.g. sudden illness).”

Jang Hyojun (25) from Busan, South Korea, joined the company in April this year. He became interested in Japanese animation and studied Japanese at a university in South Korea. He says that he finds it rewarding to work at the front desk of a hotel, making the most of his area of expertise.

■ Limited to working visas
However, many foreigners working at resort facilities in Hokkaido are only employed during the winter ski season. The town of Shintoku in the Tokachi jurisdiction has the second-highest rate of increase in the population of foreigners at 362.07% among towns and villages in Japan, but this is largely due to the re-opening of Club Med Hokkaido Sahoro, a resort facility in the town that is only open during the winter, in December last year for the first time in three seasons following the coronavirus pandemic.

Ross Findlay, president of NAC in Kutchan Town, pointed out that there are restrictions on the type of work that can be done on a work visa, and that foreigners who work as ski instructors in the winter cannot do other work in the summer. “Foreign staff will play an important role in dealing with future inbound tourists,” he said.

On the other hand, the number of foreign residents in Higashikawa-cho, which is located in the Kamikawa district, where the Higashikawa Japanese Language School, which opened as the first public Japanese language school in the country, increased by 126 from 2020 before the corona disaster to 517. The town said, “International students lead to increased consumption and liveliness in the town.

Hokkaido News Papar2023.7.26

Niseko real estate company CEO’s perspective

Lack of people in the Niseko area is a serious problem. Businesses that provide services to the wealthy hire employees all year round in order to stabilize the quality of their services. In order to improve the quality of service at restaurants and facilities, it is impossible to do it only with a “limited-time resort part-time job”. One of the challenges is to make this area more attractive and increase the number of permanent residents.