<span style="color: #222222;">Japanese government today enacted a new law to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country to address chronic labour shortages. Under the new law, Japan plans to bring in 3 lakh 45 thousand foreign workers in construction, food services, nursing and other sectors for five years. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The law allows foreign nationals with skills in sectors facing severe shortages to obtain five-year visas, which will not allow them to bring their families. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Foreign workers in those fields who hold stronger qualifications and pass a more difficult Japanese language test will be able to obtain a visa that can be extended indefinitely, eventually leading to residency, and will be able to bring over family. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Parliament that the government plans to start the new scheme from April next year. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Opposition parties however, claimed that the law failed to address its potential impact on Japanese society and does not protect foreign workers' rights.</span><br />''  <br />