TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Health and the Government of Mie Prefecture in Japan signed a healthcare training cooperation MoU at the Mie Governor’s Office on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.

The agreement was signed by Indonesia’s Director General of Health Workers, Arianti Anaya, and the Governor of Mie, Ichimi Katsuyuki, and witnessed by the Indonesian Consul General in Osaka, John Tjahjanto Boestami.

Through this MoU, the Ministry of Health and Mie Prefecture will implement a cooperation program for training Indonesian nurses and care workers, providing them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet the professional workforce standards in Japan.

Nurses and care workers who have completed the training program and meet the qualification requirements will then be prepared to enter the Japanese labor market, specifically in Mie Prefecture.

“Currently, there are around 1,170 nursing schools in Indonesia, 38 of which are under the Ministry of Health. From these nursing schools, approximately 50,000 nurses graduate each year, who are expected to meet the demand in Japan," said Director General Arianti, as quoted from the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 31.

There is indeed a vast opportunity for professional Indonesian workers to work in Japan as the country currently faces a labor deficit. By 2040, Japan is expected to lack more than 10.7 million workers, particularly nurses and care workers.

In terms of skills and abilities, Indonesian nurses and care workers have been tested and proven to meet the job qualification standards in Japan, John Boestami said in his opening speech. However, Indonesian nurses and care workers are facing some challenges, including “mastery of the Japanese language, understanding of Japanese culture and lifedata-style, discipline, and other technical aspects."

“The signing of this cooperation MoU is a significant step forward and a very strategic breakthrough in addressing these various challenges," the Consul General went on.

This cooperation MoU is expected to further strengthen the bilateral relations between Indonesia and Japan, especially after the agreement to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership by President Joko Widodo or Jokowi and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in September 2023.

KEMLU.GO.ID

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