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Japan Turns to Illegal Foreign Workers as Farmers Age
Number found working illegally nearly triples in three years
Farmers plant rice seedlings in a paddy rice field in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on Wednesday, April 29, 2015.
Photographer: Akio Kon/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Japan is struggling to keep its farms running as farmers age and young people shun the work. This has opened the door for more foreign workers -- including a growing number found to be working illegally.
The number of Japanese farmers has dropped by about half since 2000, to below 2 million this year, according to the agriculture ministry. About two-thirds of those who remain are 65 years old or older.