Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Philippines has become the second biggest provider of foreign nationals in Japan with visa status granted to people with certain job skills, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan said Wednesday.
   

Japan counted 29,144 holders of such visas as of the end of June, up 29.1 pct from three months before.
   

Vietnam continued to supply the largest number of nationals with the visa status, while China fell to third place. Indonesia was ranked fourth and Myanmar fifth.
   

Of the 14 surveyed sectors, the food and beverage manufacturing industry employed the most, at 10,450 of the total.
   

In sectors believed to employ many Filipinos, the nursing industry logged 2,703 foreign nationals with the visa status, up 58.5 pct from three months before. The shipbuilding and ship machinery industry employed 760 such people, up 28.4 pct.
   

The visa status was introduced in April 2019. To acquire it, foreigners are required to complete three-year technical training or pass both technical and Japanese proficiency tests.
   

As of the end of July, the total number of workers with the visa status came to about 32,000, topping 30,000 for the first time. The government expects to accept up to 345,150 foreign nationals under the scheme by 2023.