A garlic and apple farm in the northeast of the country has recognized that its survival largely depends on finding the next generation of workers to replace the aging local population.
That is why Aomori Japan Farm Co. is keen on training a group of Vietnamese students — currently working there as interns — so they can use their experience as a stepping stone to eventually work full time on the farm once they have completed their studies at Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry in Vietnam.
"I applied for the internship in Japan because I heard that agriculture is very developed (here)," said Phan Thi Nhu Y, a fourth-year student at the university. "I can experience all of the processes of making garlic, from planting to harvesting," she said.