Amid intensifying global competition for human resources (HRs), what can be done to achieve “a Japan trusted and chosen by the workers of the world”? This is where JICA can play a unique role as an organization that has many offices in Japan and worldwide and has built trusting relationships with developing countries.
JICA will support foreign workers before they come to Japan, during their stay in Japan, and after their return home.
The number of foreign workers in Japan surged from 0.49 million in 2008 to 1.72 million by the end of October 2020. In the process, forced labor, discrimination, and harassment surrounding foreign workers have come to the fore.
As underscored by the United Nations' SDGs and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the international community is committed to protecting the rights of foreign workers and improving their working and living environments. Such commitment is of particular importance to Japan, a country facing a chronic shortage of workers due to a declining birth rate and an aging population.
In November 2020, JICA established the Japan Platform for Migrant Workers towards Responsible and Inclusive Society (JP-MIRAI) together with various public and private stakeholders, including private companies, industry associations, business organizations, civil society, labor unions, attorneys, and local governments. JICA and The Global Alliance for Sustainable Supply Chain (ASSC) jointly serve as the secretariat of JP-MIRAI. JP-MIRAI works to strengthen communication with foreign workers and improve various related issues. It also conducts informational activities, including information-sharing with domestic and international stakeholders. Through these efforts, JP-MIRAI aims to create an environment where foreign workers can work and live with peace of mind in Japan, and by extension, to achieve inclusive economic growth and create a sustainable society in the country.
In addition to its activities for JP-MIRAI, JICA offers its own support to foreign HRs during their stay in Japan. This is done by helping develop an environment conducive to accepting such HRs as well as by encouraging activities aimed at promoting multicultural coexistence in local communities. In delivering such support, JICA capitalizes on former JICA volunteers and works with local governments, nonprofit organizations (NPOs), etc. JICA's support for foreign HRs extends to the period before they come to Japan. This includes technical training with a view to enabling them to land a job in Japan, Japan studies and Japanese language education, and seminars on business manners, in addition to institutional capacity building for related agencies in the source countries of foreign HRs. As for its support after they return home, JICA cooperates to ensure that the technologies foreign HRs have acquired in Japan will take root in their communities back home. JICA thus aims to pave the way to allow them to put their experiences in Japan to good use for the development and advancement of their home countries.
Note: Here, the term “bilateral flow of HRs” refers to the flow in which HRs who have gained experience and skills in another country return home to put such experience and skills to good use for the development of their countries. Such HRs are referred to as “returning bilateral HRs.”
The inaugural forum of JP-MIRAI was attended by many stakeholders.
As of August 2021, JP-MIRAI had a membership of over 300 (companies, other organizations, and individuals).
Support for the Acceptance of Foreign Human Resources
JICA's Initiative for Global Health and Medicine
Climate Action
