This year, 16 candidates for nurse who were accepted from Indonesia and Philippines passed the national examination. Last year, people who could pass the examination are only 3, so compared with last year, successful candidates increased this year. However, percentage of passing this examination is only 4%. Why is percentage of passing this examination very low? Most important reason is language. Learning Japanese is very difficult for many non-Japanese people. Moreover, medical terms which nurse uses frequently are more difficult. Candidates for nurse were accepted by Japanese government according to Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). EPA decided that the length of their stay is 3 years, so they have to pass the national examination within 3 years, and they also have to master Japanese within 3 years. I think it is very difficult, because 3 years are too short to master foreign language. So, I think that non-Japanese nurse reception system should be improved many things.
I think supporting system is more need for candidates. Japanese government should give more opportunities to learn Japanese in their mother country. For example, government support to study abroad, dispatch teachers who teach Japanese and so on. The point at issue is not only language but also difference of culture. If candidates pass the national examination, they have to fit into Japanese society to work inJapan. Of course, lifestyle, language, food are all different from their mother country, so they will be homesick. Therefore, government should take care of non-Japanese nurse until they can fit into Japanese society.
Now, Japan is short of nurse and doctors. This situation will become more serious due to aging society, and demand of non-Japanese nurse will be higher. So, their bad present situation should be improved immediately. I think accepting non-Japanese nurse is good idea because they can solve labor shortage in Japan. Therefore, I hope non-Japanese nurse play an active part in Japan.
References
Asahi.com http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0325/TKY201103250413.html
by Mari Honda
JAPANsociology 
I think if we accept non-Japanese nurse, the goverment should improve the system for them as you say.
I read in the newspapers about Filipino candidates for nurse in my hometown, Shiga.
In Shiga a hospital accept 2 Filipino candidates.
The hospital give them Japanese teacher to study Japanese.
I think this is good way for them to pass the examination.
This is good way to accept non-Japanese nurse.
However, letting foreigner recieve an education is not easy, because the goverment needs money,
they has to understand foreigner, and so on.
I think building adequate system for accepting is also important for the goverment.
I agree with your opinion.
Japanese government should improve non-Japanese nurse reception system.
Non-Japanese nurses have to go back to their country if they can’t pass the test.
Even though they can speak Japanese, medical systems in Japan, if they can’t understand “Kanji”, they can’t stay in Japan. I think Kanji is the most difficult impediment for foreigners.
If we place furigana above all kanji, we have no difference between Japanese nurse and non-Japanese nurse.
The author says we have less nurses in Japan now, so Japanese government needs to drive compromise.
I think governments should support candidates for nurse, too.
I watched the TV program that picked up a Vietnamese woman who aims at to be a nurse in Japan. In the program, the woman said that in spite of Japanese is so difficult, they are demanded the high standard of Japanese.
I read your blog, I knew candidates should master Japanese within 3 years. Such restrictions prevented foreign people in developing country from working in developed country.