Ageing Japan to embrace 100,000 workers from labour-rich Indonesia

Japan is set to quadruple its intake of Indonesian migrant workers, welcoming an additional 100,000 individuals over the next five years. This strategic move is to alleviate Japan's escalating labour shortages attributed to its ageing population.

Japan initiated the Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) program in 2019, alongside the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP), attracting foreign workers to address the growing demand. According to a report by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japanrequires6.7 million foreign workers by 2040 to sustain its economic growth rate.

Indonesia, with 70 percentof its population aged between 17 and 64, seeks to leverage its "demographic dividend" by sending a substantial workforce abroad. This collaboration will not only address Japan's labour needs but also Indonesia's unemployment rate of 5.32 percent, representing 7.86 million working-age adults.

Dody Kusumonegoro, the first economic consul at the Indonesian consulate in Osaka, reportedly highlighted Indonesia's pivotal role as a major supplier of foreign migrant workers to Japan, predicting a substantial growth in this trend.

The influx of workers under the SSW scheme hit a milestone last year, with 12,438 new workers arriving in Japan, marking the largest annual intake on record.

Young Indonesian job seekers see Japan as an attractive destination for employment opportunities. However, the journey for these workers is not without challenges. While some, like Catur Purnomo from Banjarnegara in Central Java, find success in Japan, others face mistreatment by employment agencies, including wage siphoning and illegal practices.

Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower has licensed 362 agencies to send workers overseas, but 248 have had their licenses suspended for breaches of trust and malpractice since 2015.

Some workers expressed challenges in adapting to life in Japan and called for the need for improved language training and better living conditions.

(With inputs from agencies)