Japan cabinet approves bill to accept foreign workers

Japan is looking to boost the number of workers in the construction industry as well as other sectors including nursing and agriculture. [Photo: AFP]

Japan's cabinet on Friday approved a draft bill to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country, in a controversial move to address chronic labour shortages.

The draft legislation, now likely to be submitted to parliament as soon as Friday, has come under attack from both the opposition and members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's own party, but business leaders say it is desperately needed.