Zubair Qureshi
Japan has immense potential for technical and vocational skilled workers of Pakistan in various fields ranging from fisheries to construction, agriculture to livestock, nursing to food service industry and the government is looking for 345,000 skilled workers in Japan in next five years from all over the world.
The government of Japan is keen to invite more and more Pakistani skilled and semi-skilled workers/professionals with a view to promoting and strengthening bilateral bond.
Deputy Chief of Mission/Minister of the Embassy of Japan Shindo Yusuke said this while briefing the Pakistani print and electronic media persons about the new initiative taken by the Japanese government in April 2019 through legislation. The measure has been taken to deal with/face the serious shortage of labour due to its aging society, he further said.
Counsellor and Head of Culture and Public Information Section Ryuji Iwasaki and Ms Zarghona of Economic Affairs section of the Embassy of Japan were also present on the occasion.
Shindo said population of Japan was increasing as well as aging while Pakistan has an ideal population, around 60 pc under 30 years of age. In this regard, the government of Japan is looking for the Pakistani skilled workers to come and contribute to the Japan’s economy and also enjoy competitive packages and perks there.
About the three categories in which workforce from Pakistani could play its role, he said they included technical intern training; specified skilled worker and professionals who required higher training.
Shindo Yusuke, however, expressed his concerns that so far despite opening of this programme for foreign skilled workers (including Pakistan) so far little response has been received by the Pakistani workers.
He admitted there were a few barriers like a minimum level of knowledge of Japanese language and registration with National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC)” and “National University of Technology (NUTECH) through which the applicants had to apply, yet these were not major hurdles and could be overcome easily.
