Bangladesh moves forward with package preparatory tasks for expanding manpower export to Japan, with some 100,000 workers in the first go.
Officials say a project has been sent to Economic Relations Division (ERD) by the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment in this regard.
The project, titled 'Providing training under Specified Skilled Worker (SSW), including Japanese Language, to 100,000 Bangladeshi Aspirant Migrants to Japan', seeks Japanese support in scaling up training facilities to meet labour demand in priority sectors.
The Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka recently told the FE that Japan would welcome skilled workers from Bangladesh.
At the core of the new push is the establishment of a dedicated "Japan Desk", supported by both governments and business entities in Bangladesh and Japan.
Its mandate includes(a)mapping Japan's labour market demands (b)identifying and promoting employment opportunities (c)providing language training, digital tests, and data collection for candidates (d) liaising with Japanese and Bangladeshi agencies (e) coordinating with the ministry's Quality Control Centres.
Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul has said the new initiatives will align labour export with poverty alleviation and job creation at home.
"Through the Japan Desk, we can open new doors of employment for our people. If Japanese officials are stationed here, the process will become even smoother," he stated.
The Ministry's Japan Cell, in a high- level meeting held recently, has taken several decisions to tap the potential for expansion of job market for Bangladeshis in Japan, officials have said.
Special Envoy for International Affairs Lutfe Siddique, who holds the rank of Adviser to the Chief Adviser of the interim government, chaired the meeting.
In an official communication to the Chief Adviser's Office, the ministry outlined initiatives designed to position Japan-one of world's largest economies--as a key overseas labour market for Bangladesh.
"Japan remains a highly prospective destination for our skilled manpower," says one official, citing a Japan Times report projecting a labour shortage of 11 million workers by 2040.
Bangladesh's ambassador to Japan underscored the importance of quality over quantity, pointing to Tokyo's emphasis on ensuring Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) standards.
He said mechanical Japanese language training and the involvement of technical trainers will be crucial to sustainable success.
To strengthen training and recruitment, Bangladesh has signed agreements with the National Business Support Cooperative Federation (NBCC), Japan-Bangla Bridge Recruiting Agency Ltd (JBBRA) and Kaicom Dream Street BD Co Ltd (KDS).
Under the plan, workers will be deployed in the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) category. NBCC and JBBRA will jointly expand recruitment in this category, while KDS is focusing on the nursing sector.
A model training campus under the Chattogram-based KDS Group is being prepared to train nurses in both Japanese language and technical skills.
Currently, Bangladeshi workers are being tested in six of the 16 SSW sectors, including agriculture, construction, caregiver, building- cleaning management, and automobile transportation.
Talks are underway to expand into all 16 sectors in the future.
From 2027, Japan is also set to phase out the Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP), replacing it with a new "Employment for Skill Development (ESD)" scheme. Detailed guidelines on ESD are expected from the Japanese embassy.
The Japan Foundation has confirmed the deployment of a language trainer to Bangladesh this October to train local instructors. Two Japanese language apps have also been made available through the Japan Cell's official Facebook page.
Bangladesh Manpower Employment and Training Bureau (BMET) is developing a Learning Management System (LMS) for online training centres, while initiatives are underway to improve ICT-based Japanese language training.
A dedicated website (bd2japan@probashi.gov.bd) and Facebook page for the Japan Cell are also operational, alongside a dedicated email channel for queries.
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