Japan pledges support, protection for Vietnamese interns

The pledge was made by the Japanese Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Katsunobu Kato during an August 111 reception held in Tokyo for Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam.

At the event, Minister Kato emphasised that Vietnamese interns must be treated in an equal manner to that of Japanese workers in line with the country’s labour laws, in addition to enjoying unemployment insurance just like their Japanese counterparts.

Minister Kato pointed out that aside from the language barrier, Vietnamese trainees also face numerous difficulties in dealing with issues relating to administrative procedures and medical services.

Most notably, the Ministry has taken steps towards supporting Vietnamese trainees who have been the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic through setting up a hotline.

In response, Ambassador Nam expressed his agreement with Minister Kato’s proposal to establish a hotline for the purpose of strengthening coordination links between the two sides. He expressed his wish to cooperate with the Ministry to promptly resolve any problems relating to Vietnamese interns.

Ambassador Nam thanked the Government of Japan and related agencies for their assistance to Vietnamese expats in overcoming challenges caused by the COVID-19. This includes giving cash, treating cases of infection, and allowing interns to continue working while waiting for their respective repatriation flights.

The Vietnamese embassy in Japan is currently maintaining four hotlines, which operate around the clock so they can receive comments and provide support for Vietnamese citizens affected by the epidemic, he said.

According to statistics released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, October last year saw 401,326 Vietnamese citizens work under labour contracts in Japan, accounting for nearly 24.2% of the total number of foreign workers in the country. Roughly half the figure are skilled trainees.