Tri Yulianti, 23-year-old Indonesian, has worked as a nurse in Jakarta for two years and hopes to start caring for Japan's elderly early next year.

She is one of the first group of some 200 Indonesian caregivers and nurses who arrived Thursday to find jobs in Japan under the two nations' economic partnership agreement that took effect July 1.

"I'm very excited to work in Japan," she said with a smile through an interpreter at Narita International Airport. "Japan has a good culture, technology and people. I also have a sister living in Japan, so I'd feel comfortable living here."