Former Japanese lawmaker sees ‘severe labor problem’ in 19 years

A former Japanese lawmaker sees the need for more foreign workers, particularly Filipinos in Japan in the next 19 years because his country’s ageing population would cause a "severe labor shortage."

Speaking at yesterday’s 10th anniversary celebration of the non-government organization Development Action for Women Network (DAWN), Kazuo Inoue said Japan should ease its hiring policies for foreign workers, specifically nurses, caregivers and teachers.

The looming labor shortage can be resolved by allowing foreign workers, particularly Filipinos, to come to Japan, he added.

Kazuo Inoue, who served in the Japanese Parliament from 2000 to 2005, said by 2025, three out of four Japanese would be between 60 to 65 years old.

Japan’s population is decreasing because many families only have one child, he added.

However, Inoue said this was not the position of his party, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

"This is my personal view," he said. "But the fact is that we do not have enough manpower in Japan. We have no option... Maybe we need the foreign workers’ help."

Inoue said Japan should also consider hiring nurses, caregivers and teachers from the Philippines to take care of the elderly and to take over other job vacancies.

"I would like to tell our lawmakers, we should provide more worker to Japan," he said. "We need skilled, educated people. Japanese society has not really opened up."

One out of 10 marriages in Japan are between a Japanese and a foreigner, he added.

Carmelita Nuqui, DAWN executive director, said that data from the Commission of Filipinos Overseas showed that about 5,000 Filipinos get married to a Japanese every year.

The figure only covered the legal marriages and excluded the failed promises of marriage, she added.

Inoue said there are already Filipino teachers in Japan. In fact, a teacher of his daughter, who is studying in an international school, is a Filipino, he added.

Inoue said those aspiring to become nurses in Japan should first learn to speak the Japanese language and pass the qualifying examinations.

For this year alone, Japan would need half a million foreign nurses to man the nursing homes and for child care, he added.

Nuqui said they prefer Filipinos to get nursing and teaching jobs in Japan rather than work as entertainers and sex workers.

"Kung teacher ok, pero caregivers we are worried," she said.

Nuqui said the fathers of many Japanese Filipino Children are already old and that she fears that young Filipina nurses would end up having a romantic relationship with their elderly wards.

There are about 400 Japanese-Filipino children under DAWN’s wing, she added.

Nobuki Fujimoto, a researcher of HURIGHTS Osaka, said that the sex industry in Japan averages about 10 trillion Yen or $85 billion.

"I believe that human trafficking is a very serious problem in Japan," he said.

"It is a major destination. Human trafficking to increase more in the future."

However, Inoue said the Japanese government is not exerting enough effort to resolve the problem.

In fact, there are only three non-government organizations existing in Japan attending to the victims of human trafficking, he added.

Inoue said the trafficking in women is backed up by some politicians.

"This is illegal but they turn a blind eye because of so many reasons," he said.

"The entertainment industry is very big. But so far, nobody has been killed or murdered so no serious action is taken. Even the Filipino girls (benefit), they receive money and send them to their family."

However, Fujimoto said Japanese law has imposed more severe penalties on violators.

Under Japanese law, the punishment imposed on those engaged in human trafficking has been increased from three months to five year, he added.

Fujimoto said if a child is involved the accused would face seven years’ imprisonment.

One to 10 years of imprisonment is meted to those who engage in human trafficking to earn money, he added.

Fujimoto said the victims would be allowed to stay in Japan during the investigation of the case, depending on the discretion of the Ministry of Justice.

They would have to cooperate with the Japanese police and narrate how they entered the country, he added.

Those who aided the victims or those who furnished them with the travel documents, would be sent to prison for three years or pay the fine of three million Yen, Fujimoto said.

As of 2003, Filipinos comprised 80 percent of the number of entertainers in Japan, while the remaining 20 percent is divided among Thailand, Cambodia, South Korea, Russia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Japan imposed tighter measures in the hiring of Filipino entertainers because some of them "would go beyond" the prescribed singing and dancing.

They would engage in "dohan" or act as hostesses and serve drinks to customers, and oftentimes become prostitutes. –Evelyn Macairan