Labor Law and Policy Issues Relating to Foreign Workers in Japan by Chizuko Hayaka, Iwate UNiverwsity. This is an academic article. Section IV. Foreign Workers and Labor and Employment Law—Realizing the Principle of Integration, on p31, looks at whether foreign workers are treated in Law in the same way as Japanese workers with information from p34 on protecting labour conditions, including a discussion of legal treatment of discrimination at work and legal protection for undocumented workers. Japanese, Labour Review, Summer 2010.
A new law regarding foreign workers brings up old problems This article, which includes interviews with three activists working with foreign workers in Japan, mainly discusses the new immigration law in terms of policy on immigration Japan. But it does have a section, in the interview with the lawyer, Shoichi Ibusuki, that explains that labour law protections were first applied by courts to foreign trainees in 2009. Japan Times, 12 Dec, 2018.
Tokyo Employment Service Center for Foreigners: Labour related laws you need to be aware of
This section explains some basic information briefly which should be recognized by foreigners working in Japan or intending to do so. See also: About Foreign Employment Service Centers
Are Your Working Conditions Fair: For Foreign Workers in Japan Includes information on telephone counselling services. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Prefectural Labour Bureaus, Labour Standards Inspection Offices.
外国人の雇用ー雇用する上でのルールー：厚生労働省による事業主を対象として提示されている公式ページ
新たな外国人材の受け入れについて(2019.2)：法務省入国管理局による、外国人材受け入れに関する経緯から法的設備、受け入れ期間までが総合的にまとめられた公式文書。特に在留資格についての詳細事項は政府発行のため信憑性が高い。また、「在留資格「特定技能」の創設について(2018.10)」も発表されている
外国人労働者の実態と問題点(2018.9)：月間全国労働組合総連合による特集記事。主に政府による外国人労働者受け入れに対し、批判的な姿勢から執筆されている
外国人受け入れ拡大へ 改正入管法4月1日施工(2019.3.31)：日経オンラインに掲載された受け入れ可能外国籍労働者の拡大についての記事。新たな改正出入国管理法について、簡単な解説付き
クローズアップ現代：外国人労働者問題について多くの放送がなされており、それぞれのサマリー記事をネットで読むことができる。「外国人と医療」「留学生が学べない実態」「中小企業での外国人採用実績」等多くのテーマを取り上げている (2019.10現在)
Fears of exploitation as Japan prepares to admit foreign workers Tokyo recruiting estimated 345,000 to address labour shortage, but critics warn not enough is being done to prevent abuse This article looks particularly at abuse by companies of foreign trainees on the internship training programme and lack of legal protection for them. Guardian, 7 Jan 2019.
Oversight of foreign trainee program a joke: internal affairs ministry The vast majority of improper practices taking place in the name of technological training for foreigners are overlooked when the companies are audited, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry revealed Friday. Japan Times, 23 Apr, 2013.
Interns abused as labor crisis grows: Foreign recruits discover dark side of Japan's 'training programs' The most recent government data show there are about 155,000 technical interns in Japan. Nearly 70 percent are from China, where some labor recruiters require payment of bonds worth thousands of dollars to work in Japan. Interns toil in apparel and food factories, on farms and in metal-working shops. In these workplaces, labor abuse is endemic: A 2012 investigation by labor inspectors found that 79 percent of the companies that employed interns were breaking labor laws. Japan Times, 12 Jun, 2014.
Japanese firms employing foreign trainees found violating labor laws in record numbers A survey mainly by labor standards inspection offices found that violations of labor standards, industrial safety and other laws were found at 3,695 such employers, or 70 percent of the total surveyed. Japan Times, 17 Aug 2016.
Training Programs or Sweatshops? From across Asia, about 190,000 migrant trainees toil in Japanese factories and farms. Allegations of labor abuses against these workers are widespread. 20 Jul 2010, New York Times. See also this article onthe same story, Japan Training Program Is Said to Exploit Workers, New York Times, 20 Jul 2010.
Legal Protection for Migrant Trainees in Japan: Using International Standards to Evaluate Shifts in Japanese Immigration Policy by Shikha Silliman Bhattacharjee, University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law, 2014.
改正入管法施行、「人手不足対策」優先の外国人受け入れが残す禍根（2019.4.16）：「特定技能」の対象として日本で働く技能実習生達の現実・途上国への技術提供という理念の実現性について述べる(diamond online)
外国人技能実習生権利ネットワーク/ Advocacy Network for Foreign Trainees This is an organisation that provides legal advice and other support for interns and trainees and campaigns for improvements in the program. Mostly in Japanese and Chinese but has Q&A for foreign trainees and technical interns in English.
Rights of Immigrants Network in Kansai An organisation that provides help to foreign workers including interns and trainees.
Zentoitsu Workers Union - Torii Ippei represents foreign trainees at this union
Labor Consultation Service for Foreign Workers The Tokyo Metropolitan Government offers labor consultation staffed with English and Chinese interpreters at the following Labor Consultation Centers.
Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan -SMJ / 移住者と連帯する全国ネットワーク An organisation that supports foreign workers in Japan. President Torii Ippei has supported many trainees in legal cases.
Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union/全国一般東京ゼネラルウニオン (Tozen, 東ゼン) Shoichi Ibusuki, a lawyer who works for this union has supported many trainees in legal cases about working conditions.
Foreign trainees network Fukui （外国人研修生ネットワーク福井）
移住連ー移住者と連携する全国ネットワークー
Lawyers Network for Foreign Trainees / 外国人研修生問題弁護士連絡会
The Migrant Worker Study Group / マイグラント研究会 A professional group consisting of lawyers, leading members in the labor union and researchers who are familiar with the problems of foreign workers. We study various problems of foreign workers and provide them with legal support.