Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information The number of foreign residents in Japan may be at an all-time high but the nation is struggling to court blue-collar workers from overseas Of 10 workers from Indonesia guaranteed positions at Hiroshima shipbuilding and welding companies “The hourly wage we suggested was 1,200 yen ($8) and the Korean side was 1,700 yen,” said an unnamed man who works at a job placement organization for foreign workers he knew his organization stood no chance of convincing them to stay things like this never happened in the past,” he said now faced with filling the empty spots before the gigs start in August There’s no certainty the same thing won’t happen again “South Korea’s shipbuilding industry is aggressively corralling workers from other parts of Asia,” he said a stream of migrant workers astride bicycles pedal homeward through the Innoshima island industrial park's front gate after wrapping up work at 5 p.m Indonesians account for close to 100—the majority of the minority Shipbuilding and metal processing entities are part of the 13 companies that make up the park which also boasts Japan’s largest output of hull blocks a hull block and canning machine manufacturer said its roughly 60 foreign employees are essential to its business Indonesians are among its overseas hires and the company recently set up more places where Muslim employees could wash up before their prayers Its plan is to attract and retain workers from predominantly Muslim Indonesia by better accommodating their needs first came to Japan in 2008 and has worked for Innoshima Tekko for six years He currently leads a group of international workers tasked with welding but initially joined the company as a “technical intern trainee.” This program was set up by the Japanese government in 1995 to invite young workers from developing countries to build their job and technological skills It was meant to be an international contribution where workers could then apply their new skills in their home countries Swatno returned to Indonesia after his internship but later moved back to Japan in May 2023 under the “specified skilled worker” visa This relatively new category requires Japanese proficiency along with specialized knowledge or experience in fields such as nursing When asked if he had considered working in South Korea Swatno denied having done so in fluent Japanese “I am not very young and it would be difficult to learn the Korean language for somebody my age,” he said he noted there has been an increasing number of Indonesian workers heading to South Korea “I hear that migrant workers’ pay in South Korea is higher because they are asked to put in overtime,” he said The driving force behind South Korea’s recruiting blitz is heightened alarm over a population in freefall This has been a pressing social issue since the 2000s as the nation’s fertility rate is among the lowest in the world and has one of the fastest rates of decline In 2023 South Korea's birthrate fell to .72 making Japan’s record low of 1.2 enviable by comparison it is currently trying to hire legions of “unskilled” migrant workers to fill a void in shipbuilding and other industries This year’s worker quota for the government’s Employment Permit System This is almost on par with the number of technical trainees in Japan South Korea’s population is also roughly half of Japan’s 123 million and the quota has maintained an upward trend previously jumping from 70,000 in 2022 to 120,000 in 2023 Many industries in the country have long relied on overseas labor Demand in shipbuilding is a result of the domestic workforce viewing those jobs as too difficult are other trades where migrants do the heavy lifting this year introduced a pilot program seeking kitchen assistants Forestry positions will also open to migrants A 60-year-old man who has run a barbecue restaurant on the outskirts of Seoul for more than 20 years commends the program His restaurant has been short-staffed over the past several years and few have replied to his online job postings Attempting to streamlining operations by using a touch panel to take orders was not enough to help “If Koreans are not willing to work for my establishment I will have no choice but to hire foreigners to keep it open,” he said “I would be grateful if they came to South Korea.” migrant workers can work in South Korea up to four years and 10 months on a temporary work visa that they can only renew once if they fulfill requirements such as gaining work experience and professional skills they will become eligible to obtain a points-based skilled worker visa the visa paves the way for them to land long-term employment and permanent residency the South Korean government relaxed requirements for this visa and raised the category’s quota to 35,000 The move followed strong requests from employers plagued by a chronic shortage of manpower around 70 percent of high school students go on to college and typically seek positions at major companies after graduating This trend puts small and midsize businesses at a greater disadvantage Factories in rural regions are also grappling with how to recruit new employees HTM in Hwaseong city on the outskirts of Seoul is one example The metal processing company currently employs 13 Vietnamese and Indonesian individuals Excluding a period when he returned to Vietnam factory chief Pham Tien Hien joined HTM in 2009 He is currently on the skilled worker visa and hopes to settle down in South Korea “I am going to apply for a permanent residence permit next year,” said the 39-year-old said small and midsize businesses will not be able to stay afloat without relying on international labor under the Employment Permit System a pool of skilled labor is shrinking,” said Min “It is only expected to offer the right to permanent residency to skilled migrant workers.” Raising its quota for migrant workers as potential permanent residents means Seoul will pivot its focus to immigration a departure from its longtime policy of accepting foreign nationals as temporary labor The government sees this shift as inevitable “South Korea has already passed the stage where it could afford to choose between adopting or not adopting immigration,” said then-Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon in December 2023 we will not avert the course toward extinction.” The gung-ho approach to recruiting has resulted in its current edge over Japan Sources with staffing agencies in Myanmar and Nepal that process applicants hoping to work in Japan and South Korea say the latter is an increasingly popular choice among young people an analyst well-versed in the subject of Asian migrant workers at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co the average monthly salary is 217,000 yen for a technical intern trainee and 235,000 yen for a specified skilled worker the figure for even an "unskilled" worker is 285,000 yen The country's hourly minimum wage is 9,860 won (about 1,115 yen) At the current exchange rate this is more than Tokyo’s minimum wage—the highest of Japan’ s 47 prefectures The Korean language is also considered easier to learn Hangul is the singular writing system compared to Japan’s hiragana and while the current competition between Japan and South Korea for foreign labor is already fierce it is expected to intensify in the years ahead (This story was written by Makoto Oda and Kiyohide Inada 9 more fields approved for foreign skilled worker visas Pacific islanders head to Australia for jobs as climate fears grow Immigration authority beefing up oversight of foreign workers 4 new industries added to skilled foreign worker visa program Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp Looking out over the waters of the Seto Inland Sea it’s hard to imagine that these waters were once controlled by pirates once controlled these shipping lanes with an iron grip as strong as those of the land based samurai clans Innoshima Island (part of the island hopping Shimanami Kaido route) was the stronghold of one branch of the Murakami Suigun that controlled the swift flowing waters around the Shimanami islands and is very proud of its suigun heritage The island hosts no less than three festivals during the summer months to commemorate its pirate history; the “Island Festival” held on a long sandy swimming beach under the watchful eye of a concrete brontosaurus (I kid you not) comes at the end of summer and is an opportunity for locals and visitors to don their yukata summer kimono one last time They sample the culinary delights from the food stalls the charging of flaming pine trees and one of the region’s last fireworks displays of the summer fires are lit and everyone’s attention turns to the beach as historical reenactments begin The whole event is meant to the represent the triumphant return of the suigun warriors dressed in samurai armor and the joyous reception provided to them by the villagers who have kept the home fires burning while they were away at sea Things start with the reenactment of the return of the boats followed by samurai pirates marching up and down the beach and the parading of huge torches which sometimes clash creating showers of fiery sparks the punching of fists in the air of the assembled suigun warriors and an impressive 15-minute fireworks display over the sea Address: Innoshima Amenity Park/Shimanami beach Ohamacho Website: http://0845.boo.jp/suigun/ (Japanese website is only available) Phone: +81-845-26-6212 (Japanese language only) http://www.ononavi.com/access/detail.html http://www.hiroden.co.jp/en/e-vhtp.html https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/ *Information is correct as of January 2019 Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages May 30, 2021JPEG Whirlpools and other complex currents routinely roil Japan’s Seto Inland Sea Strong tidal currents send water churning through a maze of channels and narrow straits surrounding thousands of islands in the shallow sea The islands of the Geiyo archipelago are among them an optical phenomenon that occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of water at the same angle that a satellite sensor views it NASA Earth Observatory image by Joshua Stevens, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland View this area in EO Explorer These rough waters were once traversed by Japanese pirates; now they are spanned by bridges The sulfurous waters of the archipelago’s mangrove swamps host the world’s largest bacteria Swirls of phytoplankton and sediment brightened the island’s coastal waters in July 2023 Microscopic floating organisms proliferated to turn surface waters bright green and milky blue around the Falkland Islands You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image Bulk carrier Norse Innoshima docks at Port Otago’s Ravensbourne fertiliser pier yesterday Port Otago commercial manager Craig Usher said the 183m-long 25,240-gross ton vessel was on its maiden voyage to Dunedin The vessel was berthed at the Ravensdown works for discharge of fertiliser and was visiting for about 48 hours It was not often the port welcomed a new-build vessel but this was the second time this year a large vessel had arrived that was built in 2024 "Welcoming a new vessel to our wharves is always a pleasure "It also demonstrates that our customers see us as always open and a gateway to and from the world." Norse Innoshima is expected to depart for New Plymouth about 9am today The Setouchi Shimanami Kaido* is the first route over sea straits that can be traveled by bicycle in Japan It is a popular place for fun cycling while taking in stunning views of the islands in the Seto Inland Sea No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form Today's print edition Home Delivery townscapes and close community ties of the Bingo region facing the Seto Inland Sea some families and young people have moved from urban areas bringing their experiences and vitality to the area “Hello.” From the second floor of their cafe in the Tomo area of Fukuyama a young couple greeted a regular customer on a recent morning before the place opened at noon Hoping to create a place where people gather they have gradually become integrated into the community since they moved to the area about a year and eight months ago.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); moved to the area from Tokyo’s Suginami Ward in February 2022 three-story wooden building originally used as a brothel and opened an old house-style cafe named Arisorou the couple hopes the cafe will serve as a community space for residents to gather In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division 　滋賀県の三日月大造知事が広島県庁を訪れ、山根健嗣副知事と平和施策を巡って意見交換した。三日月知事は次世代に戦争や被爆の悲惨さを伝えるため被爆地との連携を強める.. 　今回の調査では、壁画制作が実現しなかった主な理由として、広島訪問から２年と経（た）たない間にヘリングが他界したことが挙げられるという結論に至った。５月１８日ま.. 　「核廃絶は使命。このままでは死ねない」。その決意を胸に、広島で被爆した金本弘さん（８０）＝名古屋市＝が４月３０日、米ニューヨークの国連本部に集った各国の外交官.. 　１９４６年５月１日。中国新聞社が雑誌「月刊中国」を創刊した。広島市上流川町（現中区）の本社で印刷。「雑誌と言へば中央と考へられてゐた旧観念を脱し、地方文化の昂.. 　いつからだろうか。喜びあふれる光景が大通りになじんできたのは。広島市中心部を東西に貫く平和大通りは今月、鶴見橋から新己斐橋までの約４キロが全通して６０年を迎え.. 　私は長崎で生まれ育ったが、反戦・反核に対する思いが絶えず心の中で燃えていたかといえばそうではない。平穏に、平凡に暮らしてきた。それでも、先人たちの話を聞きなが.. 　中村キース・ヘリング美術館で５月１８日まで開催中の「Ｋｅｉｔｈ　Ｈａｒｉｎｇ：　Ｉｎｔｏ　２０２５　誰がそれをのぞむのか」展は、ヘリングの幼少期を振り返ること.. 　１９６６年、１９歳で中学を卒業した川下ヒロエさん（７９）＝広島市東区＝はこの年、被爆者健康手帳を取得した。当時住んでいたのは北九州市。母兼子さん（２０１４年に.. 　国際社会は危機感を持ち、歯止めの議論に入るべきだ。スウェーデンのストックホルム国際平和研究所（ＳＩＰＲＩ）が、２０２４年の世界の軍事費支出を発表した。２兆７１.. 　動物文学で知られる椋鳩十（むくはとじゅう）に、おどろおどろしい題名の異色作がある。「地獄島とロシア水兵」だ。舞台は萩の沖合４５キロに浮かぶ見島。１２０年前の５.. 　全ての命を守るため―をテーマに掲げていた。ローマ教皇フランシスコによる６年前の来日である。被爆地広島、長崎のほか、地震・津波・原発事故という三重の災害に見舞わ.. 俳優の吉永小百合さんは、これまで胎内被爆者の芸者を演じた「夢千代日記」などに出演してきたほか、原爆詩朗読CD「第二楽章」を制作しています。中国新聞創刊１３０周年記念として、３編の朗読映像を公開します。(写真は三浦憲治氏撮影) 中国軍管区司令部で被爆した八木さんの革脚絆＝１９７３年、八木実さん寄贈（撮影・山田尚弘） This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time The Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru has left port today in what Sea Shepherd believes is the departure of the whaling fleet for the Antarctic Nisshin Maru loaded fuel and headed out from its dock in Innoshima The Nisshin Maru under way today near Innoshima southern Japan.Credit: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society No confirmation of its destination was available from Japanese authorities who do not comment on the fleet's movements However the departure closely follows an announcement by the Japan Coast Guard that its officers would accompany the fleet to protect the whalers forced out of the Southern Ocean by the activists last summer "We have decided to beef up security as never before," a Coast Guard official told Kyodo News including how many guardsmen would be aboard the vessels or what kind of equipment they might carry In previous years the fleet has left in November Greenpeace International whales campaigner John Frizell said the relatively late sailing could mean the whalers would not reach their hunting grounds far south of Australia until the new year Sea Shepherd's fleet is also making final preparations with the ships Steve Irwin and Brigitte Bardot in Fremantle and the Bob Barker in Hobart has repeated that there are "no plans" to send a government vessel to monitor the conflict which this year is likely to occur in Australia's search and rescue zone However Mr Burke refused to finally rule out the use of a ship such as Customs' Southern Ocean patrol vessel Follow Environment on Twitter who do not comment on the fleet's movements \\\"We have decided to beef up security as never before,\\\" a Coast Guard official told Kyodo News Sea Shepherd's fleet is also making final preparations has repeated that there are \\\"no plans\\\" to send a government vessel to monitor the conflict which this year is likely to occur in Australia's search and rescue zone However Mr Burke refused to finally rule out the use of a ship such as Customs' Southern Ocean patrol vessel