自動車運送など４分野追加へ　特定技能、自民に慎重論も

　政府は２２日、人手不足が深刻な業界で外国人労働者を受け入れる特定技能制度の対象に、自動車運送など４分野を追加する方針を自民党の外国人労働者等特別委員会に示した。党側からは公共交通の担い手確保の観点から追加に積極的な意見があった一方、安全性などの観点から慎重論も出された。
　追加するのは、他に鉄道、林業、木材産業の各分野。自動車運送ではタクシーやバス、トラックの運転手を想定する。政府は３月中に与党の了承を得た上で決定したい考え。正式に決まれば最長５年働ける「特定技能１号」の対象は１６分野に増える。（2024/02/22-17:25）

The Japanese government Thursday proposed to add four sectors including automobile transport to the country's program of granting residency status to foreign workers with specified skills.
   The plan, aimed at tackling labor shortages in the sectors covered by the program, was presented to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Special Committee on Foreign Workers. While some in the party voiced support for the move from the perspective of securing labor for public transport, others expressed reluctance due to safety concerns.
   In addition to automobile transport, which includes drivers for taxis, buses and trucks, the sectors to be added are railway operations, forestry and the timber industry.
   The government hopes to adopt the plan after obtaining approval from the ruling bloc by the end of March.
   The proposal increases the number of sectors for which the Type 1 residency status would be granted to foreign workers to 16. The status enables them to work in Japan for up to five years.