An agricultural cooperative in Nagano Prefecture has been accused of subjecting Chinese laborers hired under a state-backed internship program to "brutal" treatment and hosting them in "horrible" living conditions.
In a report released last month, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations said Chinese interns working for farmers in the village of Kawakami, a major lettuce-growing district, were maltreated to the point of inhumanity. The foreigners were kept in conditions "below minimal living standards," JFBA said.
Reporters were unable to confirm if the cooperative still employs the foreign laborers — or even if it still exists.