Indonesian Youth Trained to Care for Japan's Aging Population
Indonesian youth are being trained to care for Japan's aging population.
Jakarta: Indonesian youth like Rizka Putri Yulianti are being trained to become caregivers for Japan's rapidly aging population.
The 23-year-old has spent months at a nursing school in Jakarta, learning Japanese culture and customs, including how to read, write, and speak Japanese.
Young Indonesians are attracted to Japan due to the labor shortage and the opportunity for a better future.
With nearly a third of its population aged 65 and above, Japan is facing a labor crisis and has been struggling to find enough full-time employees.
This is where Indonesia comes in, with a younger population and a surplus of young workers, particularly in Jakarta.
The Indonesian government has launched a new visa scheme for "specified skilled workers" which allows foreign nationals to work in Japan in sectors such as food service, agriculture, and nursing care.
The Onodera User Run vocational institution in Jakarta is one of the institutions offering training to young Indonesians who want to work in Japan.
The institution has branches in Cambodia and Vietnam, offering language and caregiving training under the Japanese government's foreign employment program.
Onodera User Run's principal, Kamila Mansjur, believes that caregiving is a good fit for Indonesian workers, as they are known for their hospitality and manners, and the skills required for caregiving.
She hopes that the program will have a positive impact on both countries, as Japan can meet its need for foreign workers, and Indonesia can reduce its unemployment rate.
Andini Fadiyah Putri, a 21-year-old student at Onodera User Run, is eager to take advantage of this opportunity and start her career in Japan.
She hopes that this will be her chance to have a better future, as the Japanese market is widely looked up to in Indonesia.
The Japanese labor attache at the Jakarta embassy, Hiroki Sasaki, believes that more and more young Indonesians should be interested in Japan and working in Japan.
He believes that Japanese society needs more Indonesian young power and the opportunity to work in Japan will help to reduce unemployment at home.