Japan to Hire 100,000 Bangladeshi Workers Over Next Five Years

Japanese authorities and businesses announced plans on Thursday to recruit at least 100,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next five years to address Japan’s growing labor shortage. Speaking at the “Bangladesh Seminar on Human Resources,” Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus pledged that the interim government would fully support efforts to create job opportunities for Bangladeshis in Japan.

“This is an exciting and inspiring day that will open doors for Bangladeshis not only to work but also to learn about Japan,” said Yunus.

During the event at Toshi Kaikan conference hall, Yunus witnessed the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding: one between Bangladesh’s Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) and Kaicom Dream Street (KDS), a Japan-Bangladesh joint venture, and another between BMET and Japan’s National Business Support Combined Cooperatives (NBCC) along with Japan Bangla Bridge Recruiting Agency (JBBRA).

Highlighting Bangladesh’s youthful population of 180 million, half under the age of 27, Yunus emphasized the government’s role in opening doors for its young workforce.

Mitsuru Matsushita of the Shizuoka Workplace Environment Improvement Cooperative noted that many Japanese companies are increasingly interested in Bangladeshi workers, praising their potential and stressing the importance of nurturing their talent.

NBCC Chairman Mikio Kesagayama recalled Yunus’s earlier visits to Japan and expressed the federation’s readiness to welcome over 100,000 Bangladeshi workers in the coming five years, aiming to foster mutual development for both nations.

Miki Watanabe, president of the Watami Group, shared plans to expand a training school in Bangladesh from 1,500 to 3,000 students annually, preparing them for Japan’s job market through technical education.

Hiroaki Yagi, chairman of the Japan International Trainee & Skilled Worker Cooperation Organisation (JITCO), discussed both the opportunities and challenges for Bangladeshis in Japan, noting a shortage of language teachers in Bangladesh as a key issue.

Niki Hirobumi, State Minister of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, highlighted Japan’s declining population and the critical need for Bangladeshi workers, calling the collaboration mutually beneficial.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Daud Ali projected Japan’s labor shortage could reach 11 million by 2040, urging Bangladesh to seize this opportunity to supply skilled workers.

Japanese companies with existing Bangladeshi employees praised their competence and professionalism, expressing eagerness to hire more, while calling on both governments to streamline recruitment processes.

The seminar was attended by Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Lutfey Siddiqi, Principal Coordinator on SDG Affairs Lamiya Morshed, and other dignitaries.

Professor Yunus arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday for a four-day visit to participate in the 30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia and to hold bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.