The first nursing care workers from Myanmar to participate in Japan's foreign trainee program arrived at Hokkaido airport today amid expectations that the Southeast Asian country will provide much-needed workers, Mainichi reported.

The three workers, all women in their 20s, will spend three years gaining experience at Sapporo-based Sakura Community Service Co.

Japan is grappling with a severe labour shortage as its rapidly aging population yields fewer workers. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government plans to accept more foreign workers in 14 fields including nursing care from April in a bid to resolve the issue, the report said.