# Japan language gap threatens immigration plan

> Japan's new immigration scheme faces language teaching shortage as foreign workers outnumber slots.
- Title: Japan language gap threatens immigration plan · Nikkei Asia
- Summary: Japan's new immigration scheme faces language teaching shortage as foreign workers outnumber slots. Japan's new immigration program can only train 7,500…
- Keywords: japan, immigration, language teaching, foreign workers, japanese language, new immigration scheme, language slots, news, business, world, language, gap
- Source: Nikkei Asia — https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/japan-immigration/japan-faces-wide-language-teaching-gap-as-new-immigration-scheme-looms
- Published: 2026-10-05T19:21:36+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: japan, immigration, language teaching, foreign workers, japanese language, new immigration scheme, language slots, news, business, world
## Japan's new immigration scheme
Japan's new immigration program set to launch in April 2027 aims to help 150,000 workers improve Japanese annually.
## Language teaching capacity
Japan can accommodate only 7,500 foreign trainees at Japanese-language schools nationwide under the new program.
## Foreign trainee shortage
Foreign trainees may outnumber Japanese-learning slots by tens of thousands under the new immigration framework.
## Toei Industry class example
Toei Industry offers classes to foreign workers taught by a Vietnamese employee who may not be qualified under Japan's new immigration framework.
## Immigration program challenge
Japan's language teaching gap threatens the new immigration scheme's ability to train enough foreign workers.
## Key takeaway

Japan's new immigration program can only train 7,500 foreign workers in Japanese at once, far below the 150,000 needed annually.