"I need to add that for the improvement of human resources, Japan does provide many scholarships to us as well as technical skills training, and we hope that in the future, it will also expand Japanese language teaching, vocational education, and disaster response (skills training)," he said at the Wisma Duta (Indonesian embassy) in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday.
He made the remarks while meeting Indonesian nationals at a luncheon that was also attended by Mrs. Wury Ma'ruf Amin and Indonesian Ambassador to Japan, Heri Akhmadi, and Mrs. Nuning Wahyuniati.
"Next year, Indonesia and Japan will celebrate 65 years of Indonesia-Japan relations, and I hope that the friendly relations that have been ongoing for six decades will be even more intimate and provide welfare benefits for the people of both countries," he added.
During the meeting, a representative from the Indonesia Community in Japan (ICJ), an association of Indonesian workers in Japan, Andi Laver, called for work safety support.
"The proposal to the Indonesian and Japanese governments is more support for friends who work in the field; many are needed such as protection of occupational safety and health and what is the next ‘next,’" said Laver, who joined the meeting via the Zoom videoconferencing platform.
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Meanwhile, chair of the Japanese Nahdlatul Ulama Board, Gazali Achmadi, who is currently pursuing doctoral studies, asked for support for interns from Indonesia.
"On average, those participating in the NU branch here are dominated by apprentices with a three-year stay. It is how to ensure that they do not return to Indonesia unemployed, but (make sure there is a) vocational school,” Achmadi said.
Vice President Amin said that he will take up the proposals with the technical ministry.
"The presence of the Indonesian diaspora in Japan can contribute positively, (by acting as) ambassadors for Indonesia, providing the best work, complying with local laws, and keeping in touch and helping each other," he remarked.
He also urged the people to not hesitate in contacting the Indonesian embassy in Tokyo and the Indonesian Consulate General in Osaka if they face any difficulty.
"Before I end this, I (would like to remind) for ladies and gentlemen who are far from the country to always maintain Indonesia's greatest wealth, (those) being Pancasila and diversity," he said.
According to Ambassador Akhmadi, as of December 2021, the total number of Indonesian citizens in Japan reached 59,820, consisting of permanent residents, temporary residents, apprentices, students, wives/husbands of Japanese citizens, people holding visas for certain activities and others.
The Indonesian nationals were dominated by apprentices (25,007), followed by permanent resident residence permit owners (7,077), and special skilled workers (5,855).
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Translator: Desca L N, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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