Dhaka pledges support to help Japan address labour shortage

Bangladesh has pledged to take all necessary measures to help Japan tackle its projected labour shortage of 11 million workers by 2040, said Dr. Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, Senior Secretary of Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

He said both countries stand to benefit from strengthened collaboration between Bangladeshi and Japanese recruiting organizations, which would help meet Japan’s growing labour demand while ensuring decent employment opportunities for skilled Bangladeshi workers.

Dr. Bhuiyan made the remarks at a seminar titled “Bangladesh: A Highly Potential Source Country of Skilled Human Resources for Japan”, held at Nagoya in Japan.

The event was organized by Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo and supported by the Japan International Trainee and Skilled Worker Cooperation Organization (JITCO). A business matching session followed the seminar.

Around 250 manpower-sending and recruiting agencies from both Bangladesh and Japan took part in the event.

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Japan, Md. Daud Ali, assured full cooperation from the Embassy to facilitate the smooth deployment of Bangladeshi workers to Japan.

Citing comparative workforce figures, Dr. Bhuiyan said Japan is expected to need about 11 million foreign workers by 2040, while Bangladesh will continue to have a surplus of nearly 25 million working-age individuals during that period.

He noted that 33 Technical Training Centres (TTCs) in Bangladesh have been designated to train workers for the Japanese market, with the possibility of expanding the network if required.

A dedicated “Japan Cell” has also been set up within the ministry to coordinate activities and communication related to Japan’s labour sector.

Ambassador Shigeo Matsutomi, Senior Vice President of JITCO, presented insights on global labour mobility and Japan’s employment outlook.

The event concluded with the signing of four agreements between Bangladeshi manpower-sending agencies and Japanese recruiting companies to enhance bilateral labour cooperation.