Japan suspends new visas for foreign restaurant workers as quota nears

TOKYO - The Japanese government is no longer issuing visas for foreign specified skilled workers in the restaurant sector as the quota of 50,000 has nearly been reached -- the first restriction of its kind since the current limit was set.

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan suspended issuing certificates of eligibility for Type I Specified Skilled Worker visa applications received from Monday. The agency said that, according to preliminary data, the number of foreigners with Type I status working in the food service industry reached roughly 46,000 by the end of February.