Accepting Foreign Human Resources and Supporting Multicultural Coexistence

Ibaraki and Tochigi are facing labor shortages due to the declining birthrate and aging population and the outflow of the population to outside the prefecture. Both prefectures welcome foreign nationals who want to work and live there. With the trusting relationship built with the developing countries and know-how on human resource development cultivated through supporting developing countries, JICA assists human resource development through supporting the promotion of employment of foreign workers in Japan, which benefits economic growth of their countries sending foreign workers and enhances human rights. In addition, JICA supports multicultural coexistence in Japan. Specifically, JICA Tsukuba cooperates with the local governments, companies, and private sectors in Ibaraki and Tochigi and gives seminars to promote employment of foreign workers from developing countries, in addition to providing opportunities to exchange opinions to private sectors in the manufacturing and nursing care sectors, which are facing shortages of workforce.
Moreover, in cooperation with the local governments, JICA makes efforts on human resource development, which will link the local communities of foreigners with the government and Japanese residents. JICA also creates educational materials to promote learning for children of immigrant families in cooperation with the governments and local NPOs.