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The Mainichi
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Myanmar woman sues Tokyo-based ramen shop operator over unpaid wages
TOKYO -- A woman from Myanmar who had worked for a ramen restaurant in Japan has sued its Tokyo-based operating company demanding some 1.7 million yen (about $12,000) in unpaid wages and other compensation after the operator allegedly deducted expenses related to company housing from her pay, resulting in zero yen in her first paycheck. According to the complaint and other sources, the 28-year-old woman came to Japan in late January 2025 after she was accepted as a specified skilled employee to work at a Tokyo shop of the Mitsuyado Seimen ramen franchise. Under the contract, she was to live in company housing, with about 250,000 yen ($1,740) as her monthly basic salary and fixed overtime pay combined, from which insurance and housing costs would be deducted, leaving her with take home pay of approximately 180,000 yen ($1,250). After about a month, the company demanded she resign and pay back initial housing costs that the company had covered. When she refused, the firm unilaterally deducted the expenses from her March salary (her first paycheck), leaving her with income of zero yen. Subsequent deductions continued, with her April pay reduced to about 40,000 yen ($280) and May's to about 120,000 yen ($840). Despite her requests for improvements, the company's stance remained unchanged, leading to her resignation on June 15. With the assistance of lawyers supporting foreign nationals, she filed the lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court on June 16. The operating company apparently has told her lawyers that the resignation demand was due to her "lack of understanding of the training content." Her legal team argues that wage deductions without the worker's consent violate the Labor Standards Act. The government-sponsored Specified Skilled Worker program was established in 2019 to accept foreign workers in industries facing severe labor shortages. While the food service industry is included in the program and allows job changes within the restaurant sector if certain conditions are met, side jobs are prohibited. From March to May, when her wages were deducted, the woman apparently relied on aid from support groups and friends. Attorney Satoko Tomita criticized the company, stating, "This is an inhumane practice exploiting the vulnerable position of specified skilled foreign workers who cannot easily change employers." There are 22 Mitsuyado Seimen restaurants in Japan and abroad. The Mainichi Shimbun asked the operating company for a comment but did not receive a response by the deadline.
The Diplomat
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Diplomat
Why Is Japan's Tiny Kurdish Community at the Center of a Political Storm?
On June 6, a group of parliamentarians within Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presented Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru with a new immigration policy proposal. Under the title 'Aiming for Zero Illegal Foreign Residents,' the document outlined several measures to combat foreigners engaging in illegal work and fraudulent residency, in addition to misuse of public services. The LDP would later adopt the slogan as part of its campaign for the upcoming upper house election. This hawkish tone contrasts with the LDP-led government's recent history of admitting foreign residents in record numbers. This is a result of numerous proactive immigration reforms, which included the expansion of foreign labor through the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program in 2019 – passed to combat chronic labor shortages. Part of the explanation for this shift in tone is the recent national attention garnered by the so-called 'Kurdish Problem,' referring to perceived issues related to Japan's Kurdish community, who primarily reside in the cities of Warabi and Kawaguchi in southern Saitama Prefecture. Kurds have been living in Saitama since at least the early 1990s, mostly without attracting much national attention. However, recent tensions began to rise following an incident that occurred in July 2023 in Kawaguchi. After a personal dispute among members of the Kurdish community led to an attempted murder, about 100 Kurds related to the concerned parties crowded a local hospital, which eventually had to temporarily disrupt emergency services. Since then, right-wing groups and provocateurs have frequently targeted the Kurdish community, citing crime and assimilation concerns. In the online space, Japanese national broadcaster NHK recently found a staggering 25 million incendiary Japanese-language social media posts targeting Kurds in the two-year period leading up to April 2025. Unsurprisingly, this has translated into the real world as well, with far-right groups regularly appearing in southern Saitama in organized demonstrations against the Kurds that proliferate hate speech. What has changed recently is the issue's salience beyond the fringes of the far right. LDP heavyweight Kono Taro, who has served in several prominent cabinet positions, recently highlighted Saitama's Kurdish community on his personal blog, calling for rigorous measures to combat 'bogus refugees.' At the end of May, current LDP policy chief Itsunori Onodera visited Kawaguchi, where he underscored that 'public order is at the core of coexistence.' He chairs the parliamentary group that would later draft the immigration policy proposal mentioned above. Clearly, issues surrounding the Kurds have become prominent enough to impact policy at the national level. But why? By all accounts, there are approximately 2,000-3,000 Kurds in Japan, mostly hailing from southeastern Turkey and holding Turkish citizenship. As of the end of 2024, Japan had more than 3.6 million foreign residents, meaning that Kurds account for less than 0.1 percent of the total population of immigrants. The continuous spotlight placed on the Kurdish community is completely disproportionate to its actual size. Looking at local crime statistics, Turkish passport holders – who are not all necessarily Kurds, although they form the majority – committed 44 crimes in Kawaguchi in 2023. While this means that they have a higher crime rate than some other nationalities, the chief of the Saitama Prefectural Police himself underscored that 'regarding individuals of Turkish nationality… we do not assess the crime situation in Kawaguchi City as particularly severe.' While local residents have also pointed out other sources of tension, such as illegal dumping of garbage or noise-related nuisances, these problems could and should stay at the community or municipal level and be addressed there. However, given the national attention the Kurds have received, realistic solutions at the national level should be explored as well. One of the primary causes of the socioeconomic precarity that the Kurds face, which undoubtedly contributes to their marginalization and can lead to problematic behavior, relates to their unstable status within Japan's immigration control regime. This is for two main reasons: some Kurds entered Japan via Turkiye's tourist visa exemption and overstayed to work, a common pattern among migrants in the 1990s and 2000s. Others entered through the same pathway but applied for asylum on the grounds of persecution faced back home. These two patterns can overlap, especially when undocumented Kurds apply for asylum after being detained, resulting in an overall deep entanglement with Japan's asylum and immigration detention system. According to widely circulated data that Kono obtained from the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) – which is not publicly accessible at time of writing – about 75 percent of Turkish nationals living in Kawaguchi are stuck in an unstable visa situation. This translates to 1,652 out of 2,206 residents, the vast majority of which are on provisional stay visas (906) or under provisional release (717). The former status is granted to asylum seekers whose cases are being reviewed, while the latter is a temporary release from immigration detention due to a prior violation. Especially Kurds on provisional release, who are oftentimes also asylum seekers or have had their application rejected, are stuck in limbo, unable to work legally or access social benefits and thus forced into precarity. A recent policy change also allows for easier deportations after multiple failed asylum attempts. Japan's asylum system is notoriously restrictive, and arguably even more so in the case of the Kurds. Some Kurds in Japan have clearly faced genuine persecution in Turkiye, especially in the 1990s and when the peace process temporarily failed in the mid-2010s. Yet only one Kurd has ever been granted refugee status in Japan – and that took multiple appeals, despite visible signs of torture. The amicable diplomatic relationship between Japan and Turkiye probably also contributes to the status quo. In an unprecedented move, immigration officials famously visited southeastern Turkiye – at times together with Turkish military officials – to assess the validity of Kurdish asylum claims in 2004. The claims in question were subsequently rejected. At the same time, there is also a subset of Kurds – including those in the asylum process – that migrated more traditionally, via kinship networks and with primarily economic motivations or due to family connections. There are currently dozens of Kurdish demolition companies in Kawaguchi, and the area's proximity to Tokyo provides ample economic opportunities. Furthermore, following a proclamation by the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, the group has disarmed, a major step toward ending the military stage of the conflict in Turkiye. All of this makes formal resolution of Kurds' immigration status in Japan through the asylum process even more unrealistic than it already was. A realistic solution is thus to move the issue away from the asylum process altogether. Many Kurds have been living in Japan for decades, speak the language, and have raised families in the country. Expelling them now would be both unrealistic and impractical. Japan lacks an amnesty process, and given the current political climate, it is unlikely to introduce one. A more practical solution would be a one-time program to integrate long-term Kurdish residents – excluding those who have committed violent crimes – into Japan's recently expanded labor migration system, such as the aforementioned SSW program. Many Kurds already possess language skills and cultural familiarity and should be given the opportunity to lead a stable life while contributing to Japan's economy, which desperately needs workers. For recent and new arrivals with flimsy asylum claims, the LDP's proposal to increase immigration capacity should lead to swifter resolutions. This will lead to some deportations. However, the government should simultaneously build up labor migration pathways in Turkiye, including in the southeast, as it has done with countries in South and Southeast Asia. The best way to avoid irregular migration is to provide a viable legal alternative. It would thus behoove Japan's policymakers to pursue realistic policy solutions in lieu of being swayed by sensationalist headlines.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Telangana nursing colleges may soon offer Japanese to meet overseas caregiver demand
HYDERABAD: In a bid to tap into the growing demand for skilled caregivers in Japan, chief minister A Revanth Reddy has recently proposed introducing Japanese as an optional subject in govt nursing colleges across Telangana. The move aims to equip students with language skills to work in Japan, where the need for nursing professionals is rapidly rising due to an ageing population and low birth rate. A recent study published in ScienceDirect estimates that by 2025, Japan will require 19.6 to 20.6 lakh nursing professionals, facing a shortfall of 3 to 13 lakh. The gap is mainly due to older caregivers retiring and fewer young people entering the profession. At a recent review meeting, the CM highlighted that Japan is already recruiting nurses from states like Rajasthan and Meghalaya and expressed confidence that Telangana can become a key contributor. "This is a great opportunity for our nurses," said PV Nanda Kumar Reddy, vice-chancellor of Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, Warangal. "Japan offers better pay and quality of life. Compared to Gulf countries, where work conditions are often tough, Japan is far more favourable. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo " You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Nanda Kumar Reddy emphasised the need to recruit qualified Japanese language trainers to roll out the programme. A senior official from the directorate of medical education (DME), Sultan Bazar, confirmed the plan is in the early stages and a formal proposal will be submitted soon. Since 2021, Japan has been hiring Indian nurses under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) programme through a bilateral MoU. Telangana Overseas Manpower Company (TOMCOM) has trained and placed 31 nurses in Japanese hospitals so far, with two more batches undergoing training at National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Gachibowli. "The training spans six to seven months and includes language, culture, and workplace preparation. Before departure, they must pass language proficiency and nursing competency test at the embassy," said Shabna Sheikh, manager at TOMCOM. Japan offers a five-year visa, extendable further. Students from auxiliary nurse midwife, paramedical and intermediate backgrounds are also eligible. "This initiative will also help nurses connect better with Japanese patients. Those placed earn well and many have cleared debts and even built homes," said Laxman Rudavath, joint secretary, Telangana Nurses Association. "It's about delivering care with empathy and cultural understanding."
Japan Forward
02-06-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
Bangladesh in Motion: Building New Bridges for a Shared Future
Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, made an official visit to Japan from May 28 to 31. His visit was the first since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, after weeks of political unrest. In Tokyo, Yunus sought to build on his country's longstanding partnership with Japan through renewed state support and deeper economic and societal ties. PM Ishiba escorts CA Yunus past the honor guard during the welcome ceremony. (©Prime Minister's Office) During the four-day trip, the chief adviser held talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, senior officials, and business leaders. He secured a $1.06 billion budget assistance pledge, setting the stage for deeper bilateral cooperation. The financial package is earmarked for Bangladesh's economic reforms, climate resilience, railway modernization, and education. Beyond government-to-government dialogue, Yunus addressed one of Japan's most pressing challenges: labor shortages. With a rapidly aging population and a declining workforce, Bangladesh is emerging as a critical partner in supplying young, skilled labor to boost Japan's economy in the decades ahead. To support this effort, a human resources seminar was held on May 29 in Tokyo, drawing some 300 attendees. Organized by the Bangladeshi embassy, the event united state officials and recruitment agencies to promote the mobilization of Bangladeshi youth in Japan's labor market. Officials from Japan and Bangladesh sign a memorandum of understanding on May 29 (©Kenji Yoshida) In his speech, Yunus emphasized the value of people-to-people connections and called for closer collaboration in training and deploying competent workers. The chief adviser also praised his friend Miki Watanabe, chairman of the Japanese restaurant group Watami, expressing gratitude for his sustained backing of Bangladesh's development. Watanabe echoed the sentiment, pledging to act as a bridge between the two countries. On the sidelines, a new memorandum of understanding was signed between a Watami-affiliated company and the Bangladeshi government to establish a Japan Training Center in Bangladesh. Watanabe (left) and Yunus (right). (©Sankei by Yoshifuru Ogino) Scheduled to open in October, the center will offer Japanese language instruction and vocational training aligned with Japan's Technical Intern Training Program and Specified Skilled Worker program. Its goal is to prepare 3,000 Bangladeshi workers annually for placement in Japan. Several government-level memoranda were also signed to enhance labor mobility between the two nations. The focus on human resources complemented a series of other high-profile events. On Friday, Yunus spoke at a Japan External Trade Organization event where six memoranda of understanding were signed, spanning sectors such as energy, finance, and information technology. Earlier, the chief adviser participated in the 30th Nikkei Forum, where he held talks with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In their conversation, Yunus urged Mahathir to support Bangladesh's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a long-held diplomatic objective for Dhaka. The latest visit marked strategic gains for both sides. For Tokyo, the progress affirmed Japan's growing expectations for South Asia to meet its demographic and economic challenges. In Dhaka, the visit signaled that despite domestic upheaval, momentum for reform and a positive relationship with Japan persists. The series of agreements is also expected to help ease pressure on the country's overpopulated workforce. Author: Kenji Yoshida
The Mainichi
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Japan eyes 17 eligible sectors under new foreign labor training plan
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's government on Tuesday proposed 17 industries for inclusion in a new program to replace the foreign trainee scheme, such as agriculture, food services and construction, which are struggling with labor shortages amid a graying population. The government also recommended adding three more sectors to the separate Specified Skilled Worker visa framework as many shift from the technical trainee system, often criticized for labor rights violations including long hours and low wages. After discussions at an expert panel on the draft, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet is expected to approve a plan by December on which industries will be covered in both schemes and how many foreign workers will be accepted at most. The new "Employment for Skill Development" program is scheduled to launch in 2027, aiming to grapple with a shrinking workforce as the productive-age population has been sharply decreasing against a backdrop of a declining birthrate. The new system will encourage workers to transition to the more permanent Specified Skilled Worker visa after three years, in principle -- a landmark change in Japan's official stance on bringing in foreign employees. Holders of the Specified Skilled Worker visa, created in 2019, have been allowed to work in 16 sectors so far. The draft proposes increasing the number of eligible industries to 19, with warehouse management, waste disposal and linen supply to be newly added. The Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 visa enables holders to spend five years in Japan, while the No. 2 visa offers unlimited renewals, opening the path to permanent residency and permitting workers to bring their spouses and children to the country.
