So remember that podcast where Batou was all over how being a foreigner in Japan can just screw you over? Well, here's something kinda ironic about that statement (in retrospect).

The AFP has reported that Japan is trying to figure out ways to get gaijin to stay in Japan longer. The birthrate has decreased drastically to a thirty-four-year low of 13.5 percent of the population. (As a comparison, the US of A has a .97 percent growth rate, Canada's is .09, while Japan's is -.02.) Japan's Liberal Democratic Party has been making suggestions as to how to possibly keep gaijin in the country longer in order to beef up the workforce, which include language lessons and new training programs. This would not mean that Japan would be open to mass immigration (as the Japanese are severely creeped out about losing their national identity), but it would help curb the loss of workers in the slowly shrinking population.

Ironic MAX? I think so. *sighs* Then again, I doubt the Japanese government want to be over-run by silly otaku-gaijin. That would be bad, because then the stigma over foreigners would only strengthen.

Sources
JapanProbe
AFP... I guess
The Wikipedia