An acute shortage of workers is affecting construction sites as the number of laborers has fallen while construction orders have been on the rise.
The number of construction workers has fallen to about less than three-quarters of the peak in 1997. Meanwhile, construction orders in terms of workload volumes have been rising because of the economic recovery and preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
Especially acute is the shortage of mold makers and scaffolding workers who, according to a construction industry official, "would need at least 10 years to become full-fledged artisans in their trade." About one-third of all construction companies believe that they cannot secure enough skilled construction workers for the time being.
Source: The Japan News
