April 2026 Revisions: Expansion of Food Manufacturing vs. Suspension of Food Service SSW—Adding Meat Retail and the Story Behind the Cap
In April 2026, Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program saw two contrasting developments. The food manufacturing sector added “meat retail” to its list of eligible industries, allowing meat retailers with on-site processing to hire SSW workers. At the same time, the food service sector hit its cap of 50,000 SSW-1 workers—about 46,000 were already in Japan by the end of February 2026—prompting the Immigration Services Agency to halt new applications from April 13, 2026. This article explains the background, practical implications and outlook for both changes.