A statement is given, followed by three possible inferences. Consider the statement as true and decide which inferences follow. Statement: Japan will open its doors to about two lakh (200,000) IT professionals from India and will issue them green cards to settle in Japan and support the country's rapidly expanding IT infrastructure, said Shigeki Maeda, Executive Vice President at JETRO, a Japanese government body. Inferences: I. There is a dearth of IT professionals in Japan. II. IT professionals from India are far more talented and hardworking than professionals from other countries. III. Japan's IT industry is growing rapidly year after year.

Introduction / Context:
This is an inference-based logical reasoning question. You are given a factual statement about Japan inviting Indian IT professionals and asked which inferences logically follow. The key is to use only the information provided, without adding assumptions that go beyond the statement. A valid inference must be a natural and necessary consequence of the given facts, not just a guess that might be true.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Japan plans to open its doors to about two lakh IT professionals from India.
Japan will issue green cards to these professionals so they can settle in Japan.
The stated purpose is to support Japan's rapidly expanding IT infrastructure.
Shigeki Maeda, an executive vice president of a Japanese government body (JETRO), is the source of this information.

Concept / Approach:
We test each inference against the statement:

Does the statement clearly support the idea that there is a shortage of IT professionals in Japan?
Does it say anything comparing the talent and hard work of Indian professionals to those from other countries?
Does it support the claim that Japan's IT industry is growing very fast?

We must select only those inferences that are strongly justified by the text.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Inference I: “There is a dearth of IT professionals in Japan.” Japan is inviting a large number of IT professionals from abroad and giving them green cards to settle. This suggests that Japan's domestic supply of IT professionals is not sufficient to meet demand, which indicates a shortage or dearth. Therefore, Inference I reasonably follows. Inference II: “IT professionals from India are way more talented and hardworking than professionals from other countries.” The statement does say Japan is inviting IT professionals from India, but it does not compare them to professionals from other countries in terms of talent or hard work. Japan's choice could be due to many factors, such as existing ties, cost, availability or skill sets, but none are explicitly stated. Hence, Inference II does not necessarily follow and is too strong. Inference III: “Japan's IT industry is growing by leaps and bounds every year.” The statement clearly mentions “rapidly expanding IT infrastructure.” If the infrastructure is rapidly expanding, it is fair to infer that the IT industry is growing fast. Thus, Inference III follows from the given statement.

Verification / Alternative check:
Re-reading the statement confirms that the only explicit reasons given are expansion of IT infrastructure and the invitation of many Indian IT professionals. There is no comparative statement about professionals from other countries. Therefore, only Inferences I and III are solidly supported.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options that include Inference II are wrong because the text never compares Indian IT professionals with those from other countries.
The option “Only III follows” ignores the clear implication that inviting so many foreign workers reflects a shortage in the host country.
Saying none of the inferences follow contradicts the explicit mention of rapid expansion of IT infrastructure and the clear implication of a domestic shortfall.

Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is over-interpreting praise or preference as proof of superiority. Just because Japan invites Indian IT professionals does not mean they are proven superior to all others. Another pitfall is ignoring the obvious link between “rapidly expanding infrastructure” and a rapidly growing industry.

Final Answer:
Both Inference I and Inference III follow. Therefore, the correct option is Both I and III follow.