Japan needs 1000 Indonesian workers
Manado, N Sulawesi, (ANTARA News) -
Japan is in need of 1,000 Indonesian workers, comprising 600 nurses and
400 people taking care of elderly people on contract basis for 3 and 4
years.
"This is the first time that the Japanese government made a formal
request for Indonesian workers," President Director of the Japan
External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Jakarta Kusaoke Sadanobu said at a
seminar on Indonesia-Japan bilateral trade opportunities, in Manado
last Wednesday.
Potential nurses and caregivers, Kusaoke said, before leaving for Japan
for employment, would first have to undergo a series of tests and
interviews.
"And upon arrival in Japan, they will have to follow special trainings
to be obtain a Japanese national certificate with the expenses borne by
the Japanese government," Kusaoke said.
Deputy for coordination of economic cooperation and international
funding at the Ministry of Economic Affairs Mahendra Siregar said
according to the manpower ministry, 300 people were already set to leave
for Japan to take up the two jobs.
"The Indonesian government will try until the end of 2009 to meet the
Japanese request for 1,000 Indonesian workers for employment in Japan,"
Mahendra said.
He added that the project was part of the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJ-EPA).
It was also revealed in the seminar that 1,000 Japanese companies are operating in Indonesia with 280,000 local employees.
In the meantime, head of the North Sulawesi Industry and Trade Agency
Gemmy Kawatu revealed that Japan is the seventh biggest country of
destination of North Sulawesi`s exports, with the balance of trade
between the province and Japan still in favor of the Indonesian province
in the last three years.
In 2005 exports to Japan reached 13.46 million US dollars, and imports
613.3 thousand US dollars, leaving 12.03 million US dollars in the
balance of trade in favour of Indonesia, and in 2006 the exports
increased to 27.03 million US dollars and imports 5.6 million dollars
leaving the balance of trade a surplus of 11.5 million dollars, and in
2007 the exports reached 19.27 million dollars, and imports 2.6 million
dollars still leaving a surplus of 15.6 million dollars for Indonesia.
