Tokutei

Tokutei is a Japanese adjective meaning "specific" or "designated." It is formed from the kanji characters 特 and 定 and is used in a wide range of compounds to indicate something singled out for a particular purpose by law, regulation, or policy. In everyday language, tokutei appears in expressions such as 特定 (tokutei) meaning "specific" or "designated," and in official terms where something is labeled as a category for a program or rule.

In modern policy, the term is especially visible in Tokutei Ginou, or Specified Skilled Worker. This immigration category, introduced by Japan in 2019, aims to address labor shortages in designated sectors by admitting foreign workers under two subcategories, commonly referred to as Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 generally involves work in specific industries with eligibility determined by skill and language assessments; Type 2 provides a longer-term residence option for workers with higher levels of expertise and may offer a pathway toward extended stay under government rules. The program operates under sector quotas and is subject to ongoing policy adjustments.

Beyond immigration, tokutei is used in other official contexts to mark designated data or classifications, such as 特定個人情報 (tokutei kojin jōhō), meaning "specific personal information." The word’s general function is to label items that have been singled out by statute, regulation, or administrative practice.