National Jul 13, 2018
by Shusuke Murai
At least four contractors used foreign trainees for decontamination work related to the Fukushima disaster, the Justice Ministry determines after a 182-company internship probe.
National | FOCUS Jul 12, 2018
Japan population declines at fastest pace yet, with only Tokyo seeing significant growth
While the country's rapidly graying demographics again headlined the internal affairs ministry's latest census, the annual report also highlighted the fact that only the Tokyo area is seeing significant population growth, due primarily to an influx of younger people. At the same time, a larger ...
National Jun 6, 2018
Nissan probe finds misuse of foreign trainees at plants in Japan
An internal probe by Nissan Motor Co. has discovered misconduct at its plants over the employment of foreign trainees, including forcing them to perform jobs not sanctioned under a government program, a company official said Wednesday. The internal probe found that 45 interns from Indonesia ...
National / Politics May 29, 2018
Diet group drafts bill that aims to promote Japanese language learning at home and abroad
by Tomohiro Osaki
A bipartisan group of lawmakers unveils a draft version of what might become Japan’s first-ever law defining the government’s responsibility to systematically promote Japanese language education.
National May 10, 2018
Japan's first foreign nursing care trainees to arrive in June
Japan will receive its first two foreign trainees in the field of nursing care as early as next month after a supervising body approved training plans for them, the group accepting the two Chinese women said Wednesday. Their planned arrival comes after a law took ...
National / Social Issues Apr 9, 2018
Vietnamese trainee in Japan sent home after asking for paid leave
A Vietnamese man working in Japan under the foreign trainee program was forced to return home after asking to take time off to get married, according to the man and his support group. The 27-year-old Vietnamese, who declined to be named, had been working at ...
National Mar 7, 2018
Vietnamese trainee alleges he was misled into taking part in Fukushima decontamination work
by Magdalena Osumi
The government is investigating a case involving a Vietnamese man in the foreign trainee program who alleges he was duped into taking part in 3/11 decontamination work.
National / Social Issues Jan 21, 2018
An organization that supervises foreign trainees brought to Japan under the Technical Intern Training Program attempted to pressure a 25-year-old man from the Philippines to leave his labor union, the union said. The man arrived in Japan in April 2015 and began working at a ...
National / Social Issues Jan 15, 2018
Foreign trainee fatality data highlight safety and exploitation issues in Japan
The first data released by Japan on work-related fatalities involving foreign workers shows their risk of dying on the job is more than double the national average.
National | FINDING COMMON GROUND Jan 2, 2018
Abuses still abound in labor-strapped Japan's foreign 'trainee' worker system
by Magdalena Osumi
Shinzo Abe has declared that his administration will never adopt “an immigration policy” despite an aging workforce, but numerous unskilled foreign workers continue to enter Japan through the “technical training” visa status.
National Nov 1, 2017
With new rules, Japan looks to wipe out abuse in trainee system — but critics say more must be done
by Magdalena Osumi
Changes include creation of a watchdog organization and the requirement that firms secure accreditation for their training programs.
National Oct 13, 2017
Vietnamese flock to Japan foreign trainee program as total tops 26,000
The number of Vietnamese in Japan's Technical Intern Training Program for foreign nationals stood at 26,437 in January-June this year — the largest group — according to a recent Immigration Bureau survey. Trainees from China were the second most by nation, with 16,863. They were ...