Abstract
In Japan, the long-term care for the elderly is distinct and defined separately from nursing care. Professional paid employment in long-term caring requires specialized training and a national qualification as “Certified Care Worker. Unlike nurses who are part of the medical and health care system, Certified Care Workers are aligned with the social welfare system under Japanese law. Given this legal arrangement, it is difficult to recruit the quantity and the quality of long-term care workers. International migrant care workers in Japan are not permitted under current law to be recruited as “Certified Care Workers”. Consequently, Japan is developing additional strategies to recruit a new long-term care workforce. The national strategy entails: (1) Stratifying LTC competencies, knowledge and skills; (2) International agreements call for Economic Partnerships that permit technical internships in long-term care by migrant workers; (3) Long-term care will be added as a new entry work category and (4) Promoting the standardization of training for long-term care and nursing care.