Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."

In this program, we'll learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories.

Today's headline is:

Japan to Expand Eligibility for Skilled Worker Status.

We're seeing more foreign workers
in a broad range of settings.

OK, now, before we listen to the story in Japanese, let's go over some key terms.

"gijutsu."

skill or technical know-how.

"shikaku."

qualification.

"kooshin."

renewal.

OK, try to follow along.

The Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 status,
which was established four years ago,

is a qualification that can be acquired
by highly skilled foreign nationals.

Currently it covers two types of work:
construction and shipbuilding.

There are just 11 people that have
this qualification.

If they renew their qualification,
they can work in Japan indefinitely,

and can even bring their family
into the country.

On June 9,
the government decided at a meeting

to increase the types of work
covered by the No. 2 status to 11

in order to encourage more foreign nationals
to work in Japan.

Another nine industries will be added,

including food and beverage manufacturing
and agriculture.

This is good news for foreign workers
looking for a chance to bring family.

Yes.

So, the "Tokutee-ginoo ni-goo" is the Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 residence status.

By the way, a "visa" and a "status of residence" are different.

Visas allow you entry into Japan, but you need a status of residence to stay or work in the country.

So Japan currently has 19 status of residence categories that allow employment.

The Specified Skilled Worker category, which was created in 2019, is a recent addition.

Yes, now, different statuses cover different industries and types of work.

And, with proper accreditation, you can move from one to another.

So for example I first came to Japan as a student with a student visa and status of residence,

which I then changed to researcher, then Specialist in Humanities,

and now finally my current permanent residency.

All right, let's review the following sentence from the story.

The Specified Skilled Worker No.2 status is a qualification

that can be acquired by highly skilled foreign nationals.

Now read along with me.

"'Tokutee-ginoo ni-goo' wa
takai gijutsu o motta

gaikokujin ga toru koto ga
dekiru shikaku desu."

Today we'll learn about the expression
"koto ga dekiru."

The sentence is saying

workers who are highly skilled
can acquire the qualification.

"Koto ga dekiru" describes
what's possible under certain conditions.

But we also use "koto ga dekiru"
to describe skill or ability.

For example, "Kare wa chuugoku-go no
hon o yomu koto ga dekimasu."

This means
"He's able to read books in Chinese."

Now, how about this sentence?

"Kare wa gakkoo de chuugoku-go no
hon o yomu koto ga dekimasu."

OK, so this sentence expresses possibility.

You're saying he can read Chinese books while he is at school.

So the implication is maybe that his school has books in Chinese in their library.

Exactly.

Adding the condition "at school" makes it
a sentence expressing possibility.

Pay attention to context to distinguish
between the two uses.

In addition to "koto ga dekiru,"
we also have the potential form of verbs.

Yes. So for example, "yomu" - "read," becomes "yomeru" - "can read."

And, "taberu" - "eat," becomes "taberareru" - "can eat."

In most cases they mean
the same thing.

That being said, "koto ga dekiru"
is a bit formal.

You hear it used in the news.

Yes. Yeah I see, definitely.

"Yomu koto ga dekiru" definitely does sound more rigid than "yomeru."

With words like "taberareru" and "korareru,"

you might hear a slightly different form
used in daily conversation.

Listen to this.

"Tomato, taberemasu ka?"

"Nanji ni koreru?"

Ah, yes, this is something you hear all the time.

It's a pretty easy trap to fall into.

Good ear, Chiara.

"Tabereru" and "koreru" express ability.
But they're missing the "ra."

This phenomenon is called
"ra-nuki kotoba."

Grammatically speaking,
the "ra" is necessary.

So for many people,
"ra-nuki kotoba" don't sound right.

Yes, I think they sound more natural with the "ra" too.

That's fascinating - how language just keeps on changing.

Tokunaga-sensee, "arigatoo gozaimashita."

"Arigatoo gozaimashita."

Inside Japan.

Now let's take a closer look at what types of jobs are covered by the Specified Skilled Worker status.

Previously, the No. 2 status was only available for two industries: "kensetsu" and "zoosen."

But now, these nine have been added to the list.

To get the No. 1 status, you have to pass a "ginoo-hyooka-shiken" as well as one of the specified "nihongo-nooryoku-shiken."

For the No. 2 status, candidates must demonstrate a higher level of technical skill.

Some industries also require experience in a managerial or supervisory role.

The No. 2 status can be renewed an unlimited number of times,

and holders are allowed to bring family into the country.

So, it allows people to potentially settle in Japan long-term and integrate into society here.

And this is great news, because living far away from one's family can be very lonely.

Right.

Now let's hear from a worker who hopes to upgrade their status now that eligibility has expanded.

This restaurant is located in the city of Yokohama.

"Arigatoo gozaimasu."

Pyone Pyone Kyi is originally from Myanmar.

She took a factory job when she first arrived in Japan in 2020.

But eager to improve her Japanese and interact with others, she decided to switch to the food service industry.

She studied customer service, cooking, and food safety.

In 2022, she obtained the No. 1 status and was hired by her current employer.

She now works at this restaurant as a server.

She hopes to learn management skills and obtain the No. 2 status.

My goal is to become able to train others
and give them instructions.

I want to settle in Japan long-term.
So I'm going to do my best.

The operator behind this restaurant is currently dealing with a shortage of workers.

They say they have high hopes for the No. 2 status.

Over time, workers develop
technical skills and know-how.

We hope to provide an environment

where foreign nationals
can make a difference.

So the Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 status opens up a path to permanent residency,

so I'd imagine there's a lot of interest around this qualification.

Yes.

Exams for the new industries are scheduled to start in the fall.

Keep in mind that the specifics vary by sector.

So check out the Immigration Services Agency's website for details.

OK, that's all for today.

We'll see you next time.

See you soon.