Immigration is a sensitive issue everywhere and especially in Japan, where many citizens fear foreigners will bring crime and disorder. So why did Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a nationalist, right-of-center leader, decide last week to admit 500,000 blue-collar guest workers by 2025?
In a word, demographics. Japan’s persistently low fertility rate, 1.43 last year, caused the work force to shrink by 13% since 2000. Companies are screaming for workers, with an average of 1.59 jobs available for each applicant. The unemployment...