According to OTIT's "Sector Operational Policies, Notifications and Operational Guidelines" page, for the Ikusei Shuro system (effective April 1, 2027), operational guidelines for Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Resource Recycling were newly published on October 9, 2026, and the guidelines for Railways and the Wood Industry were partially revised. The two new guidelines set out the Japanese level required before starting work (a pass at JFT-Basic A1-equivalent or higher or JLPT N5 or higher, or 100+ hours of Japanese instruction), a 2-year restriction period for voluntary transfers, and membership in a sector council.
Overview of the Four Sectors
| Sector | Type | Competent ministries | Notification | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food and Beverage Manufacturing | Newly published | MOJ, MHLW, MAFF | MAFF Notification No. 649 (2026) | Published Oct 9, 2026 |
| Resource Recycling | Newly published | MOJ, MHLW, Ministry of the Environment | Environment Ministry Notification No. 37 (2026) | Published Oct 9, 2026 |
| Railways | Partial revision (2nd edition) | MLIT-administered | MLIT Notification No. 442 (2026) | Partially revised Oct 9, 2026 |
| Wood Industry | Partial revision (2nd edition) | MAFF-administered | MAFF Notification No. 622 (2026) | Partially revised Oct 9, 2026 |
Each guideline sets out points of attention regarding the standards in the notification issued by the competent ministry under the Enforcement Regulation of the Ikusei Shuro Act. The sector operational policies for Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Resource Recycling were set by Cabinet decision on January 23, 2026 (as stated in the guideline texts).
Food and Beverage Manufacturing (Newly Published)
Japanese and Skill Levels, and Transfers
- Japanese before starting work: a pass at JFT-Basic A1-equivalent or higher, or JLPT N5 or higher; or completion of 100+ hours of equivalent Japanese instruction in an accredited institution's "employment" course
- By one year after start: skill — a basic-level skills test or equivalent Ikusei Shuro evaluation test; Japanese — A1-equivalent (same as before starting)
- By the end of Ikusei Shuro: skill — Level 3 skills test or SSW evaluation test; Japanese — A2.2-equivalent or higher on the Japanese-Language Education Reference Framework
- Voluntary transfer: Japanese at A2.1-equivalent or higher. The transfer restriction period is 2 years
- Wage increases: an Ikusei Shuro implementing organization that sets a restriction period longer than one year must raise the contractual wages of workers from the first to the second year at or above the rate set by the Food Industry Ikusei Shuro Council (the sector council, made up of MAFF, industry groups and others)
- Link to SSW: workers whose main skill is "food and beverage manufacturing in general" must pass the practical test of the Ikusei Shuro evaluation test (entry level) during the period, as a prerequisite for the SSW (i) evaluation test
Additional Standards (MAFF Notification No. 649 of 2026)
- Written career-up plan: before concluding the employment contract, the employer must hand over and explain a career-up plan in writing (work content and expected years at each level, required experience and qualifications, improved treatment, etc.). For the seafood processing category, the career path including the range within which transfer is possible (in principle, within the same job category) must be explained and consent obtained
- Sector council membership: the employer must have joined the food industry sector council before applying for Ikusei Shuro plan accreditation. Failing to take measures agreed in the council, or to cooperate, means failing the standard. A certificate of council membership is a document to be checked
- The workplace's industry: the workplace must engage in one of 10 categories under the Japan Standard Industrial Classification, including food manufacturing (division 09), soft drink manufacturing, tea and coffee manufacturing, ice manufacturing, and meat retailers, general supermarkets and food supermarkets that manufacture food. It must have shipments of manufactured goods
- Employment form: direct employment only; dispatch is not allowed
- Pickled agricultural products: if this is the main skill, the facility must operate year-round, a qualified person at Pickle Manufacturing Manager Level 2 or higher must be on staff, and if seafood is added its use must be less than that of agricultural products (sector operational policy)
The guideline also maps technical-intern tests to Ikusei Shuro tests — for example, the specialist-level tests for canning, poultry processing, beef and pork processing, prepared dishes and pickled agricultural products, and Level 3 skills tests for ham, sausage and bacon making and for bread making, correspond to the food manufacturing category, while the seafood processed food specialist-level test and the Level 3 test for fish paste products correspond to seafood processing. Contacts: MAFF Food Manufacturing Division (03-6744-1869), Fisheries Agency (03-6744-2349), and the sector council at MAFF's New Business and International Group (03-6744-2397).
Resource Recycling (Newly Published)
- Job category: waste disposal (intermediate treatment), covering both general and industrial waste disposal
- Excellent-organization certification: the implementing organization must receive "excellent organization certification" from the sector council for resource recycling. The council checks, in writing or on site, before and periodically after accepting workers, whether occupational safety and health efforts (e.g., operating safety and health committees or safety councils, and conducting risk assessments) meet certain requirements; without certification, the standard is not met
- Business requirements: the organization must fall under one of 26 categories — from general waste disposal operators, recycling-use certified operators, wide-area treatment certified operators, detoxification treatment certified operators, industrial waste disposal operators and specially controlled industrial waste disposal operators under the Waste Management Act, to certified operators under the container and packaging, home appliance, small electronic device, plastic resource circulation and recycling business advancement laws — and in every case must perform waste disposal (intermediate treatment) work. It must keep qualifying through renewal of its business permits
- Japanese and transfers: the Japanese level required before starting work is the same as for food and beverage manufacturing (JFT-Basic A1-equivalent or higher or JLPT N5 or higher, or 100+ hours of instruction). For voluntary transfer: skill — the resource recycling Ikusei Shuro evaluation test (entry level); Japanese — A2.1-equivalent or higher. The transfer restriction period is 2 years; if a period longer than one year is set, wages must rise at or above the rate set and published by the sector council established by the Minister of the Environment
- Employment form and council: direct employment only. The employer must have joined the sector council (Resource Recycling Sector SSW and Ikusei Shuro Council) before applying for plan accreditation. Council inquiries go through the Resource Recycling Foreign Talent Acceptance Support Site (https://www.s-frc.jp/); where it is unclear whether a job falls under the sector, contact the council (tel. 044-578-1920)
- Notification: Environment Ministry Notification No. 37 of 2026
Railways and Wood Industry (Partial Revisions: Changes Confirmed in the Old-New Comparison Tables)
Railways (guideline under MLIT Notification No. 442 of 2026)
- Plan examination criteria: the wording "will be shown separately later" was changed to refer to the Ikusei Shuro plan examination criteria in the attached document (the attachment was newly established)
- Skill level (main skills: track maintenance, electrical equipment maintenance, rolling stock maintenance, rolling stock manufacturing, station/vehicle cleaning): the test that must be passed during the Ikusei Shuro period as a prerequisite for the SSW (i) evaluation test was changed from "the practical test of the Ikusei Shuro evaluation test (entry level)" to "the Ikusei Shuro evaluation test (entry level)"
- Japanese for transport staff: previously, unless the worker had passed JLPT N3 (104 points or more) or higher, the worker had to complete 150+ hours of equivalent instruction in an accredited institution's "employment" course. After the revision, the implementing organization must take necessary measures so that the worker can complete 150+ hours, with a note that "104 points or more" means being judged CEFR B1-equivalent or higher
- Training and career formation program: the earlier statement that it would be posted on MLIT's website now specifies the document number (002008378.pdf)
- Relation to technical intern training: the condition under which work other than the matching job category cannot be assigned was reworded from having done technical intern training for "2 years or more" to "more than 2 years," and table items were renamed
Wood Industry (guideline under MAFF Notification No. 622 of 2026)
- Plan examination criteria: as with Railways, changed from "will be shown separately later" to refer to the attached document, which was newly established
- Skill level (main skill "wood processing"): the prerequisite for the SSW (i) evaluation test changed from "the practical test of the Ikusei Shuro evaluation test (entry level)" to "the Ikusei Shuro evaluation test (entry level)"
- Sector council contact: the phone number of the Wood Industry Division, Forestry Agency, MAFF was changed from 03-6744-2290 to 03-6744-2292
- Relation to technical intern training: as with Railways, "2 years or more" was changed to "more than 2 years," and the table heading renamed
Because "2 years or more" became "more than 2 years," the boundary for those with exactly two years of technical intern training reads differently. How exactly two years is treated should be confirmed in the competent ministry's materials; this article only reports the change in wording and does not draw a conclusion.
Practical Points
- Employers in Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Resource Recycling must have joined the sector council before applying for plan accreditation; in Resource Recycling, excellent-organization certification is a further prerequisite
- To prove Japanese before starting work, a pass at JFT-Basic A1-equivalent or higher or JLPT N5 or higher can be used (for the closure of the December JLPT, see the notice on using the JFT-Basic)
- Where the transfer restriction is 2 years and a period longer than one year is set, the employer must raise contractual wages at or above the council's rate
- For Railways and the Wood Industry, the wording of the entry-level test requirement and of the relation to technical intern training has changed; prospective host companies already preparing from the guidelines should check the relevant parts for their job category in the old-new comparison tables
Sources
- OTIT, "Sector Operational Policies, Notifications and Operational Guidelines" (publication and partial revision dated October 9, 2026): https://www.otit.go.jp/employment_for_skill_development/category/
- MOJ, MHLW and MAFF, "Operational Guidelines for Ikusei Shuro in Specified Sectors — Standards for the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Sector" (published October 9, 2026)
- MOJ, MHLW and Ministry of the Environment, "Operational Guidelines for Ikusei Shuro in Specified Sectors — Standards for the Resource Recycling Sector" (published October 9, 2026)
- Partial revisions of the Railways and Wood Industry sector guidelines (old-new comparison tables, October 2026)