Addressing the foreign press, Justice Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki on Thursday reaffirmed his commitment to revamping the foreign trainee program, which critics say is rife with human rights violations.

Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents¡¯ Club of Japan, Tanigaki trumpeted a range of initiatives Japan is undertaking to turn itself into a less discriminatory country, including one to lure more ¡°highly skilled foreign professionals¡± to the world¡¯s third-largest economy and an overhaul of the so-called technical internship program.

Tanigaki said the Justice Ministry began reviewing proposals submitted by a private panel of outside experts last month, including suggestions to stiffen penalties for any employers found to be mistreating interns, such as by underpaying or abusing them.

Another proposal suggested allowing rule-abiding, conscientious employers to bring in larger volumes of trainees and having them stay longer.

¡°I¡¯d like to assure you that the Justice Ministry will work with other related ministries as closely as possible to overhaul the system swiftly,¡± Tanigaki said.

He also emphasized that a bill that cleared the Diet in June will allow foreigners certified as ¡°highly skilled professionals¡± to qualify for permanent residency after just three years.

¡°We¡¯d like to encourage more foreigners to study and work in Japan because we believe that the contributions of those people from abroad will greatly help invigorate Japan¡¯s economy,¡± he said.

But while Tanigaki pledged to roll out the red carpet for non-Japanese, the recent rise in hate speech directed at ethnic Korean residents has cast doubt on the nation¡¯s ability to make them feel welcome.

Tanigaki said that such incidents are ¡°very embarrassing,¡± and described the phenomenon as a sign that Japanese are becoming less confident in themselves.

The Osaka High Court handed down a verdict earlier this month in which it ordered a right-wing organization that repeatedly vilified Korean schoolchildren in Kyoto from 2009 to 2010 to pay ?12 million in damages, and denounced its hateful rallies as ¡°vulgar.¡±

Japan has no law that specifically bans racial discrimination or hate speech.

Tanigaki, who is a Kyoto native, said he would carefully consider the ruling in deciding whether Japan should attempt to outlaw racist speech.

As for the death penalty, he reiterated that the government doesn¡¯t intend to review the system anytime soon because of its solid public support. But he said he is aware the global trend is shifting toward abolishment.

Asked what crosses his mind each time he signs off on an execution, Tanigaki said: ¡°It¡¯s true what those people did is unforgivable and extremely cruel. But I¡¯ve noticed, as I leaf through their records, that those criminals often come from a very unhappy childhood.¡±