Japan needs 1,000 Indonesian workers

Manado, N Sulawesi, (ANTARA News) - Japan is in need of 1,000 Indonesian workers, comprising 600 nurses and 400 people taking care of elderly people on contract basis for 3 and 4 years.

"This is the first time that the Japanese government made a formal request for Indonesian workers," President Director of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Jakarta Kusaoke Sadanobu said at a seminar on Indonesia-Japan bilateral trade opportunities, in Manado last Wednesday.

Potential nurses and caregivers, Kusaoke said, before leaving for Japan for employment, would first have to undergo a series of tests and interviews.

"And upon arrival in Japan, they will have to follow special trainings to be obtain a Japanese national certificate with the expenses borne by the Japanese government," Kusaoke said.

Deputy for coordination of economic cooperation and international funding at the Ministry of Economic Affairs Mahendra Siregar said according to the manpower ministry, 300 people were already set to leave for Japan to take up the two jobs.

"The Indonesian government will try until the end of 2009 to meet the Japanese request for 1,000 Indonesian workers for employment in Japan," Mahendra said.

He added that the project was part of the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJ-EPA).

It was also revealed in the seminar that 1,000 Japanese companies are operating in Indonesia with 280,000 local employees.

In the meantime, head of the North Sulawesi Industry and Trade Agency Gemmy Kawatu revealed that Japan is the seventh biggest country of destination of North Sulawesi`s exports, with the balance of trade between the province and Japan still in favor of the Indonesian province in the last three years.

In 2005 exports to Japan reached 13.46 million US dollars, and imports 613.3 thousand US dollars, leaving 12.03 million US dollars in the balance of trade in favour of Indonesia, and in 2006 the exports increased to 27.03 million US dollars and imports 5.6 million dollars leaving the balance of trade a surplus of 11.5 million dollars, and in 2007 the exports reached 19.27 million dollars, and imports 2.6 million dollars still leaving a surplus of 15.6 million dollars for Indonesia.