Indonesian nurses and care workers are expected to start arriving in Japan this summer under a new bilateral economic partnership agreement, and, under a similar EPA between Tokyo and Manila, such professionals from the Philippines may follow.
While their pending arrival has been welcomed in some quarters because the entrants are expected to help mitigate staff shortages in the medical and welfare industries, concerns have also been raised.
Under the bilateral agreement signed last August with Jakarta, Japan will accept up to 1,000 professionals in the first two years as "candidates" hoping to be certified by the government.