The Prime Minister hopes that Vietnamese workers in Japan will catch up with modern skills in key industries.

The Prime Minister talks with Vietnamese interns and workers working and studying in Japan before attending the Vietnam-Japan Labor Cooperation Forum - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

On the afternoon of December 16, in Tokyo, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the Vietnam-Japan Labor Cooperation Forum.

The Forum was organized by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan. Also attending the Forum were ministries, branches, agencies, localities, representatives of organizations, associations, Japanese and Vietnamese enterprises, and a large number of Vietnamese interns and workers. On the Japanese side, there were the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed the organization of the Forum - the first national forum on labor held abroad - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

According to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and opinions at the Forum, 2023 marks the highest number of Vietnamese workers ever in terms of both the number of people going to Japan annually (estimated at about 85,000) and the number working in Japan (about 350,000 people, accounting for the highest proportion of the total number of foreign workers working in Japan).

Having started labor cooperation since 1992, Vietnam is also the leading country in terms of both the number of workers sent annually and the total number working in Japan among the 15 countries sending interns/workers to this country.

The achieved labor cooperation results show the level of Vietnamese workers' love for the living and working environment and Japanese culture as well as the satisfaction and desire of Japanese employers to receive Vietnamese workers.

Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and Japanese Minister of Justice Koizumi Ryuji spoke at the Forum - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Vietnamese workers are making certain contributions to Japan's socio-economic development as well as integrating into Japanese society. Many consider Japan their second home.

Many workers, after working in Japan, studying and accumulating a lot of knowledge and skills in a good working environment, being fluent in foreign languages ​​and having a professional working style, have returned to Vietnam to start a business, creating jobs and income for others, or working as managers for Japanese companies investing and operating in Vietnam, contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.

According to Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, labor cooperation between the two countries has developed extensively in three areas including sending workers to Japan, vocational training and education, and social security. However, the potential for cooperation is still very large.

The Prime Minister hopes that in the coming time, cooperation in the field of labor between the two countries will develop even better - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Speaking at the Forum, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed the organization of the Forum - the first national labor forum held abroad. The event is even more meaningful as the two countries have just established a comprehensive strategic partnership on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

According to the Prime Minister, the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan has gone through 50 years of strong, comprehensive and substantive development in all fields with high political trust and close ties.

"Fifty years ago, no one thought that the Vietnam-Japan relationship could be like today. In which, close ties, sincerity, affection, and political trust are the most important assets. It is a connection from heart to heart, including labor connections," the Prime Minister stated, hoping that the achievements of the past 50 years will be multiplied many times in the next 50 years.

Japan is Vietnam's leading economic partner, the largest ODA provider, the second largest in terms of labor cooperation, the third largest in terms of investment and tourism, and the fourth largest in terms of trade. People-to-people exchanges and local cooperation are increasingly expanding, with nearly 100 pairs of localities having established cooperative relations.

The Vietnamese community in Japan has reached nearly 500,000 people (including about 350,000 workers), is the second largest foreign community in Japan and is contributing to the economic and social development of Japan, becoming bridges connecting strong relations between the two countries and two peoples.

In the field of labor cooperation, the two countries have many complementary points, as Japan is a country with a highly developed socio-economic foundation, a high proportion of elderly people and a low birth rate. Meanwhile, Vietnam is a developing country with a golden population structure, an abundant source of young human resources, eager to learn, explore new technologies and new ways of doing things.

The Prime Minister proposed that the Japanese Government, authorities and localities create favorable conditions and simplify procedures in visa issuance, aiming to exempt entry visas for Vietnamese citizens to promote tourism cooperation between the two countries - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The Prime Minister acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts and determination and congratulated the positive results achieved by ministries, branches, agencies, especially the labor sector; localities, organizations, associations, enterprises of the two countries and all Vietnamese workers in Japan, making practical and effective contributions to the development of each country as well as consolidating and strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The Prime Minister hopes that in the coming time, cooperation in the field of labor between the two countries will develop even better, not only in increasing the number of workers or the quality of human resources going to work in Japan but also achieving other substantial results in the aspects of socio-economic development, culture, science and technology, people-to-people exchange, etc.

According to the Prime Minister, Vietnam is a developing country, to adapt to the speed of technological development, science and technology requires high quality human resources, this is the decisive factor. Therefore, labor cooperation activities with Japan must have a practical direction and be suitable to the actual situation.

Accordingly, it is necessary to aim at recruiting and dispatching skilled and qualified workers with a desire to learn, a will to improve and perseverance to keep up with the development of the times in a number of industries in which Japan has strengths such as semiconductors, information technology, automation, biotechnology, agricultural technology, construction of underground wastewater treatment systems, urban environment... thereby forming a workforce trained through practical work in Japan to contribute to the development of that industry in Vietnam.

Therefore, along with the current amendments to Japan's legal policies on the field of training and receiving foreign workers, Japan needs to take the lead in training international human resources, including Vietnamese workers, to promote effective, sustainable and truly "win-win" human resources cooperation between all parties.

The Prime Minister requested that the Japanese authorities, the Vietnamese side, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, coordinate well with each other to create the best living and working conditions, create a favorable, safe, friendly, culturally harmonious environment, so that Vietnamese workers can study and work with peace of mind, comply with local laws, have the opportunity to improve their quality of life, live in a modern environment with Japanese cultural identity, and minimize violations of the law...

The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, together with relevant ministries and branches of Vietnam, will coordinate more closely with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, work actively with Japanese authorities such as the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan to clear bottlenecks, resolve problems such as income tax and residence tax exemptions for Vietnamese workers; further promote labor cooperation activities between the two sides, create more added value, improve the quality of human resources; at the same time, expand cooperation to economic, cultural and social fields...

Prime Minister gives gifts to Vietnamese workers working in Japan - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The Prime Minister hopes that the Japanese Government, authorities and localities will facilitate and simplify visa procedures, aiming to exempt entry visas for Vietnamese citizens to promote tourism cooperation between the two countries; soon implement study tourism, pay attention to and create favorable conditions for the community of 500,000 Vietnamese people living, studying and working in Japan, strongly promote the role of a bridge and deepen, enrich and expand the cooperative relationship between the two countries and peoples.

After the Forum, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam, in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and ministries, branches, localities, associations and enterprises of the two countries to focus on effectively implementing solutions to promote labor cooperation between Vietnam and Japan to further develop, commensurate with the newly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the world.

For Vietnamese interns and workers, the Prime Minister said that the time living, studying and working in Japan will be unforgettable memories in their lives.

"Our ancestors taught us, 'A day's journey teaches a lot of knowledge'. I hope and believe that you will take advantage of the opportunity to live and work in Japan, learn a lot of knowledge and skills from a developed country, learn the serious and professional working style and attitude and good qualities of the Japanese people so that when you return to Vietnam, you will contribute more positively to the sustainable development of the country. At the same time, comply with and strictly abide by Japanese laws, constantly practice ethics, have a joyful and healthy life, and contribute to promoting the image of the country and the Vietnamese people who love work and love peace," the Prime Minister shared.

The Prime Minister hopes that after the Forum, labor cooperation will have new progress, contributing to building safe, healthy, sustainable, and long-term labor cooperation relations, contributing to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, and improving the material and spiritual lives of workers and people of the two countries.

Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/thu-tuong-mong-lao-dong-viet-nam-tai-nhat-bat-kip-trinh-do-hien-dai-trong-nhung-nganh-mui-nhon-368093.html