Japan - Due to the recession, Latin American guest workers in Japan have been offered money to return to their own countries.

The offer is targeted to workers whose Japanese ancestors emigrated to Brazil and neighbouring countries a century ago. Special work visas were issued to them due to a labour shortage in 1990, making them the largest group of foreign blue-collared workers in Japan filling three-K jobs (kitsui, kitanai, kiken — hard, dirty and dangerous). Japanese officials have reported at least 100 workers agreeing to leave with their families, according to a report in The New York Times.

While critics are accusing Japan of being short-sighted and inhumane, former health minister and senior lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Jiro Kawasaki, says it is better to have these Brazilians return home as there will not be many job opportunities for the foreseeable future.

Introduced earlier this month, the country is offering US$3,000 (SG$4,480) in airfare and US$2,000 (SG$2,987) for each dependent. Those who leave are allowed to pocket any remaining amount but will not be allowed to reapply for another work visa in Japan. Instead, they can only come back on three-month tourist visas or apply for professional visas.

“The Japanese government has previously made it clear that they welcome Japanese-Brazilians, but this is an insult to the community," says Angelo Ishi, an associate professor in sociology at Musashi University in Tokyo.

Japan is already facing an impending labour shortage, and this move could hurt the ageing country in the long run. However, Kawasaki feels this is the best time to overhaul Japan's immigration policy.

“We should stop letting unskilled laborers into Japan. We should make sure that even the three-K jobs are paid well, and that they are filled by Japanese,” he says. “I do not think that Japan should ever become a multi-ethnic society.”