Tokyo: Japanese authorities and businesses today announced plans to recruit at least 100,000 workers from Bangladesh in the next five years to meet the country’s growing workers’ shortage. Speaking at a seminar titled, ‘Bangladesh Seminar on Human Resources’, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus said the Interim Government of Bangladesh would do everything in its capacity to create the job opportunities for Bangladeshis in Japan.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Chief Adviser witnessed the signing of two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs)-first between Bangladesh’s Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) and Kaicom Dream Street (KDS), a Japan-Bangladesh joint venture, and second between Bangladesh’s BMET and Japan’s National Business Support Combined Cooperatives and JBBRA at the event organised in Toshi Kaikan conference hall in Tokyo.
Mitsuru Matsushita, Representative Director of Supervising Organisation Shizuoka Workplace Environment Improvement Cooperative, stated that many Japanese companies are facing enquiries about Bangladeshis, and he believed this trend would continue. Mikio Kesagayama, Chairman of NBCC, recalled that about 14 years ago, Prof Yunus came to Japan and was telling stories about helping women through microcredit.
Miki Watanabe, President of Watami Group, shared a future plan on the recruitment of Bangladeshis in the Japanese industries, noting that a school they established in Bangladesh trains 1,500 students every year, and they are now planning to increase the number to 3,000. Hiroaki Yagi, Chairman of Japan International Trainee and Skilled Worker Cooperation Organisation (JITCO) shared the potential and challenges for Bangladeshis in the Japanese labour market.
Niki Hirobumi, State Minister of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Japan, stated that Japan is facing a declining population and thus will need the support of the Bangladeshi workforce. In his welcome speech, Daud Ali, Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan, mentioned that by 2040, the Japanese labour shortage could reach 11 million, and Bangladesh could take this opportunity to send more skilled workers.
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi, and Principal Coordinator on SDG Affairs Lamiya Morshed were also present at the meeting.