Indonesia pursues nursing partnership with Japan

Jakarta, Aug 4 (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Manpower is actively fostering cooperation with Japan in the nursing sector, with a particular focus on facilitating the placement of Indonesian migrant workers.

Secretary-General Anwar Sanusi expressed optimism about the potential for substantial cooperation following a meeting with Japanese nursing industry representatives on Friday. Acknowledging the acute shortage of nurses in Japan, he emphasized the importance of this partnership.

"I understand that the demand for nurses, as mentioned, is very high," he remarked during the meeting held at the Manpower Ministry's office in Jakarta.

Given Japan's aging population, strengthening ties in this area is crucial.

Sanusi also revealed that Indonesia and Japan are currently negotiating an extension to the Memorandum of Cooperation on Specified Skilled Workers (MoC SSW), a proposal initially discussed in Tokyo last April with Fukuhara Nobuko, Director-General of the Residency Management and Support Department of the Immigration Services Agency of the Japanese Ministry of Justice.

At Friday's meeting, Koji Kurusu, CEO of the Azalee Group, a nursing care service provider, expressed keen interest in collaborating with the Indonesian government to address Japan’s nursing workforce crisis.

He proposed increasing the number of Indonesian nurses in Japan and suggested areas for cooperation, including training programs, job creation, and technology exchange.

Kurusu also offered to share Japan’s experiences in managing its aging population.