PRESS CONFERENCE
"Alleged Abuse in Japan's Technical Trainee Program"
Mr. X, Vietnamese trainee & Mitsugu Muto, Chairman of Labor union Fukuyama Union Tampopo

14:00-15:00 Tuesday, January 25, 2022
(The speech and Q & A will be in Vietnamese and Japanese with English interpretations and speakers are joining the event via zoom.)

Foreign Workers Accuse Japanese Employers of Abusing Them
Foreign workers in Japan, many of whom are 'technical interns', have been increasingly complaining of verbal, physical and even sexual abuse at the hands of their Japanese employers especially in recent years, despite several amendments over the years to the Technical Intern Training Program that originally began in 1993. A total of 69 foreign workers who were part of the program died between 2015 – 2017, of accidents, illness or suicide. 
https://www.jitco.or.jp/en/regulation/index.html
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/12/07/national/politics-diplomacy/69-foreign-technical-interns-died-japan-2015-2017/

Agencies abroad and in Japan that match these interns with Japanese companies are also accused of turning a blind eye to the misery of their clients despite charging them exorbitant fees. Some have been known to confiscate interns' passports until their debts are repaid. Faced with losing their accommodation at best and deportation at worst, most interns choose to suffer in silence.

Vietnamese nationals top the list of interns who come to work in Japan. One, a 41-year-old Vietnamese who arrived in Japan in fall 2019 to work at a construction industry in Okayama, claims his Japanese colleagues immediately started to physically abuse him. A video reportedly showing these assaults has also been released to social media and shocked the public. His employer denies any wrongdoing.

The intern first contacted the association that initially found him the job. When the violence didn’t stop, he consulted with the labor union. He has decided to go public about his treatment. He is joined by union officials who have since been helping him find shelter and fight for compensation.

How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions attendance will be limited. Doors open 15 minutes before the event. Please sign in, giving your name and contact details at the reception, and have your temperature taken before proceeding.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
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Professional Activities Committee