Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government has placed 1,048 nurses on work in Japan since 2008, based on a cooperation program, stated a manpower official.

Deputy Head of the National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers Overseas (BNP2TKI) Agusdin Subiantoro stated here on Friday that the 1,048 Indonesians consisted of 440 nurses working at hospitals and 608 working at homes of elderly as caregivers.

The placement of the Indonesian nurses was based on an agreement signed between the BNP2TK on behalf of the Indonesian government and the Japan International Corporation for Welfare Services (JICWELS).

Signed in Jakarta in May 2008, the JICWELS is established by the Japanese government to carry out the G-to-G programs on the placement of Indonesian nurses in Japan.

The program followed up the previous agreement between Indonesia and the Japan Economic Partnership (IJEPA) signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on August 20, 2007.

Agusdin noted that Indonesian nurses had huge opportunities to work in Japan, which has high numbers of elderly people and longer life expectancies. Young Japanese are also busy with no time to care for their parents or senior citizens.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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