Revisiting Japan’s highly skilled foreign professional visa: Understanding the design of an immigration promotion policy

Abstract The global competition for talent has become a significant area of focus in Japan’s migration policy. While existing research has often concentrated on the outcomes and failures of the Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals visa, this research shifts attention to the policy creation process itself. By examining key actors, institutional dynamics, and the mechanisms underlying the development of the Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals visa, this study seeks to uncover the factors that shaped its design. This visa is thus analyzed as a case of immigration promotion policy designed to position Japan within the global race for talent. Drawing on qualitative discourse analysis of consultative body proceedings, public notices, and Diet debates, this article identifies the roles and contributions of different stakeholders in influencing policy outcomes. Ultimately, the research highlights how technocratic decision-making and early-stage administrative choices may have contributed to the limited effectiveness of the visa, offering critical insights into the challenges of crafting migration policies in Japan.