Against the backdrop of a serious labor shortage in Japan, especially in rural areas, more than 20,000 companies annually begin hiring new foreign workers. The risk of occupational accidents, human rights violations, disappearances, and conflicts with local residents is increasing due to a lack of understanding of the background circumstances of foreign workers (language and cultural barriers, debts due to pre-arrival commissions, etc.) and inadequate acceptance systems in these companies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build a relationship where employers, foreign workers, and local residents can deepen their understanding and cooperate for a better local community.
At the launch event held on September 2, 83 people who are interested in this issue gathered and actively exchanged opinions about the use and dissemination of educational materials that JP-MIRAI is producing with a grant from the Toyota Foundation, which provide background information on foreign workers, prevention of industrial accidents and human rights violations, and tips for working and living together in an “easy-to-understand” way. The result was a lively exchange of opinions. As a result, the following innovative ideas were gathered, in addition to the already envisioned “within the supply chain of companies,” “within member companies of industry associations,” and “from local governments to local companies.
- Use in “Business and Human Rights” employee training for companies of all sizes (e-learning)
- Use as a subject for group discussion in group training for companies and organizations
- Referrals to client companies by Social Insurance Labor Consultants
- Use as educational materials when supervisory bodies and auditing firms visit business sites
- Combined with academic research on retention and its socioeconomic impact by improving the workplace environment and its utilization in local businesses through the local government.
- Use as educational material for consumers and students to learn about “Business and Human Rights
Thus, we are considering changing the name to “Video Educational Material: Employment of Foreign Nationals and Human Rights (tentative)” etc. so that it can be widely used regardless of the size of the company and even outside the company. In order to meet the expectations of those who have expressed their willingness to make use of the educational materials, we will make use of the results of this event to create and disseminate high-quality, easy-to-use educational materials.
Archived videos will be available to those who have pre-registered to attend the event or to request a report on the materials, as well as in the LMS for paying members.
[Event Summary]
Date: September 2, 2025 (Tuesday) 13:30-16:00
Venue: Tokyo Women’s Plaza Hall
■Opening Remarks
JP-MIRAI Representative Director Kimitoshi Yabuki
JP-MIRAI, which has served as a platform for diverse stakeholders to work toward the establishment and proper acceptance of foreign workers into Japanese society, will celebrate its 5th anniversary in November of this year. This educational material is the result of discussions with a wide range of experts. He expressed his hope that today’s meeting will provide a variety of ideas for the creation and dissemination of even better teaching materials.
■Greetings from Guests of Honor
Mr. Masakiyo Wakabayashi, Chairman, National Federation of Social Insurance and Labor Consultants’ Associations
The memorandum of cooperation signed with JP-MIRAI last November is in line with the mission of laborers to “contribute to the creation of an appropriate working environment that preserves the dignity of the individual,” as clarified in the revised Corporate Labor Relations Law. We hope that this video material will be of great help to many employers in protecting the human rights of foreign workers and realizing a “Japan of choice”.
Part 1: Information on teaching materials and lecture
1. Video teaching materials for SMEs – Aiming to disseminate teaching materials that are used in the field and lead to action.
JP-MIRAI Program Officer Sato
Based on the opinions obtained from regular meetings of the core members (a team of experts) and workshops, we have carefully selected words and presentation methods that are “easy to use,” “easy to understand,” “easy to link to action,” and “comfortable” for the learners. The standard certificate course (5 hours) and the badge course for managers (1 hour) will be offered on the members’ learning website in a phased manner, combining the “Business and Human Rights Lecture” by Attorney Sugita with short animated videos focusing on case studies. We are considering promoting the course through channels such as supply chains, industry associations, local governments, labor unionists, SME associations, regional banks and credit unions, etc. He stated that he is very much looking forward to the results of the discussions that will follow.
Lecture “Business and Human Rights Initiatives in the Textile Industry: Focusing on the Issue of Foreign Workers
Japan Textile Federation
Mr. Kenichi Tomiyoshi, Vice President and Secretary General
The textile industry established a public-private council in 2018 in response to the high number of violations of the technical internship system. In 2021, the council formulated human rights guidelines. In 2021, the Council formulated the Human Rights Guidelines and used a checklist for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve their workplaces. Under the specified skills system, compliance with international human rights standards became mandatory only for the textile industry, and an audit system was introduced. However, the spread of the guidelines throughout the industry has been slow because domestic consumers’ awareness of “business and human rights” is low and companies’ human rights responses are not directly linked to their sales. He said that he has heard that under the new training and employment system, compliance with international standards will be required but audits will no longer be necessary, and he hopes that this video material will be used to raise corporate awareness of human rights and promote voluntary efforts.
Lecture “Initiatives in Nagasaki Prefecture
Nagasaki Prefecture Industry and Labor Department
Planning Supervisor Mr. Makoto Takami
We want to curb the outflow of foreign workers to urban areas, but many of the companies in the prefecture are small in size, and it is not easy to resist their wage advantage. It is important to make the most of the region’s unique charms. Some companies have improved the retention rate of foreign workers by regularly organizing cultural exchanges with local residents, such as Japanese and regional cultural experiences and international cooking classes. The prefectural government is also implementing seminars to promote cross-cultural understanding and a subsidy system to improve the reception environment for companies. He expressed his hope that the spread of the use of these video materials will further improve the retention rate of foreign workers in more companies.
Part 2: Panel Discussion “What is required of companies that employ foreign nationals and live in harmony with the local community
panelist
- Executive Officer /
Junko Waseda, Senior Officer, Sustainability Promotion Office, Seven & i Holdings Co. - Kenichi Tomiyoshi, Vice President and Secretary General, Japan Textile Federation
- Kazutaka Saito, Director General, Policy Bureau, National Council of Japan Association of Small Business Entrepreneurs
- Makoto Takami, Planning Supervisor, Future Human Resources Division, Industry and Labor Department, Nagasaki Prefecture
- Yoshihiko Ono, Director, National Federation of Social Insurance and Labor Consultants Associations
- Shohei Sugita, Representative Attorney at Law, Global HR Strategy
chairmanship
- JP-MIRAI Director Kenichi Shishido
Q1] What do you feel are the current issues regarding the proper acceptance and retention of foreign workers?
Mr. Sugita (GHRS): We receive about 100 consultations from companies every day, and the cause of stumbling blocks in hiring foreigners is the complexity and lack of transparency of the system. With the transition to the training and employment system, there is a need for educational materials that clearly explain basic information such as the route to Japan for foreign workers and the burden of pre-arrival fees, which employers are now required to understand .
Mr. Waseda (Seven & i): While involved in product development and food factory operations at 7-Eleven, I realized that “the Japanese way of doing things does not work” when working with employees from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Many Japanese employees are now struggling to communicate with and manage foreign workers in the field.
Mr. Tomiyoshi (Senzanren): Based on the overall feedback from companies we have heard in the operation of the JASTI audit system, etc., JASTI audits are not difficult for those with experience in certification and auditing, but for those with no experience, the hurdles are extremely high, and the necessary documents for audits have not been prepared for many months. The points that are caught regardless of the size of the company are common, and learning support for basic knowledge is necessary.
Mr. Saito (Chuodokyo): Currently, 16% of the companies run by our members employ foreigners, and an increasing number of them cannot survive without them. There is a case in which a company owner who started hiring foreigners expecting “cheap labor” and without assuming the possibility of trouble within the company or with neighbors, and who was experiencing trouble within the company or with neighbors, joined the association and improved the situation by learning and practicing “ management respecting human dignity. We would like to increase the number of managers who practice “ Management with Respect for People.
Mr. Takami (Nagasaki Prefecture): According to companies in Nagasaki Prefecture, the first reason for the outflow of human resources is that they change jobs in search of “higher wages,” but they recognize that this tendency increases in the case of foreigners because they have debts incurred before coming to Japan. Companies need to deal with this situation with limited funds while taking into consideration the balance with the treatment of Japanese employees, and they are worried that they do not know what they should do specifically to retain foreign employees.
Mr. Ono (National Association of Company Labor Relations Attorneys): There is still a sense among employing companies that “the salary should be the minimum wage” and other such sentiments from the initial introduction of the technical internship system. It is not difficult for companies to pass the human rights due diligence standards required of them if they have experience in employing foreigners, but it is important for companies to consider human rights not only during audits, but also in their daily operations, to meet compliance requirements, and to be able to prevent the occurrence of problems .
Q2] What are the requirements for educational materials that will resonate with the best companies as well as those with average scores and challenges?
Mr. Takami (Nagasaki): The key is to devise a way to give the impression that the program is “really easy to understand, even for first-timers. The average company wants to know what the actual companies that have actually used the program have to say about it, such as “it was useful,” “it was easy to understand,” and “it triggered discussions within the company,” as well as actual examples such as “we started this kind of initiative” and “our relationship with foreign workers has improved. It would also be helpful to have a structure that allows the audience to grasp the main points in a short period of time, and to use visual devices such as photos and diagrams, so that the presentation can be viewed even during gaps in the work schedule.
Mr. Saito (Chu Doyo Kyokai): Even in the promotion of “Management with Respect for Humanity,” when senior managers close to them say that their companies have improved through practice, even managers who have just joined the association are quick to take up the challenge.
Mr. Ono (National Association of Company Labor Professionals): The raison d’etre of professionals is “to be a translator”: to translate policies and laws that are difficult to understand and convey them to others. It is hoped that this educational material will provide support for this. In addition, some companies will be encouraged by raising awareness of JP-MIRAI and issuing their own certification. The conveyor role of delivering educational materials to small and medium-sized enterprises could be played by company labor unionists nationwide, members of the Chu Doyo Kyokai, and others.
Q3] What do you think should be done to utilize and disseminate the educational materials in the future?
Mr. Waseda (Seven & i): It is not possible to acquire knowledge by simply “checking knowledge by watching at double speed” as in in-house e-learning programs. This material is good in that it does not just say “this is what you should do,” but also asks “what are the reasons why people from other countries come to work here” and “how do they feel about it? I would also like to suggest that we, the buyers in the retail industry, also make use of this material in order to learn about the challenges faced by factories. It can also be used as an educational material to convey to consumers that “people from various walks of life come to Japan to make products” and to promote understanding.
Mr. Tomiyoshi (Senzanren): As the number of small and medium-sized companies in the textile industry has continued to decline significantly, they have conversely become more united. If good practices are accumulated and shared, the awareness that “if that company of that size can do it, so can we” will spread. On the other hand, there are many cases where even major prime listed companies are “unsure what to do” with regard to the human rights measures required by the Corporate Governance Code, and end up reporting in the abstract. As the obligation to disclose non-financial information will be strengthened in the future, the need for video materials that can be used immediately by listed companies that want to demonstrate their efforts in some way is likely to increase.
Mr. Sugita(GHRS): My basic stance in producing educational materials is to reduce the number of cases in which foreign workers are hired without knowing much about the technical training and specified skills systems, the fees and circumstances leading up to their arrival in Japan, the financial situation of foreign workers such as debts, why they want to change jobs, the proper working conditions that companies should observe, and human rights considerations and compliance such as observing the law. The company hopes to reduce the number of cases in which foreign workers are hired without knowing much about the economic situation of the foreign worker, such as the economic situation with fees and debts in Japan, the reasons why the worker wants to change jobs, the proper working conditions that the company should observe, and human rights considerations and compliance such as compliance with laws. We hope that managers, human resource personnel, and on-site managers who have watched the video will share their impressions of the video with others in their companies. From there, a cycle of “I’ll talk to the foreigner on my team next time” and “I’ll watch it too” will be born, and this will serve as an opportunity to deepen understanding of foreign workers in the workplace as a whole.
Q4] How do you obtain feedback from learners on new examples, honest opinions, and suggestions for improvement in order to produce better teaching materials?
Mr. Takami (Nagasaki): For example, it would be useful to add questions asking about improvements to the teaching materials to the comprehension test for each course, or to send questions about the teaching materials to members on a regular basis. It would also be effective to provide incentives for providing case studies that can be used for teaching materials. A mechanism could be considered to make each prefectural government aware of the advantages of the videos and have them disseminate them to local companies and collect feedback through related organizations.
Mr. Saito (Chuodo-kyo): I would like to introduce the method of group discussion that is always held after reports on practices in Doyukai. It is important and effective to learn from multiple perspectives, such as “I thought this way, but the other person thought this way. We would like to show companies how to use this video material in a workshop format where multiple people can discuss their impressions after viewing the video.
Mr. Ono (National Association of Certified Laborers): How about disseminating information on educational materials at events hosted by the National Association of Certified Laborers and using the association of certified laborers in each prefecture as an access point? For example, tie-ups between prefectural Shakai Roshi Associations and local governments would also be effective. The local labor union can play a role in making client companies aware of the value of their good practices and introduce them to other companies.
Comments from the audience
The use and dissemination of educational materials:
- Every day I feel that there is a serious lack of understanding of “business and human rights” among those involved in hiring foreign nationals. Even those companies that consider themselves to be successful in accepting foreign employees need to review whether they are doing the right thing or not, and whether there are any remaining problems. For companies that score below the average, steady activities are effective, such as having the supervisory organization learn first, and then having them watch the video together during regular audits to raise awareness (core member Mr. Ikebe / supervisory organization, support for employing companies).
- For proper employment of foreign workers, it is important to listen to the thoughts of not only management but also employees and involve them in the efforts. It is advisable to conduct public relations with a view to having the educational materials used for employee training and to widely deliver the philosophy of “business and human rights” to both parties (core member Mr. Manjome/university professor).
- I too think that the combination of watching this material and discussion in group training proposed by Mr. Saito of the Chuodo-kyo is effective. I would like to propose that the 646 BHR laborers currently in Japan become facilitators and use it as material for discussion in the future (core member Mr. Komoda/BHR laborer).
On the realization of a symbiotic society:
- I feel that Japan is a unique society where there is a large gap in international awareness between those who have experience abroad (experience of being a foreigner or stranger) and those who do not. In order to promote coexistence with foreigners, it is necessary to be aware of such characteristics of Japan before taking action (participant/industry association).
- In addition to improving communication between hiring companies and foreign workers, it is also important to view foreign workers as objects to be “nurtured” and their skills improved (core member Mr. Ujiie/UN-related organization).
summary
Moderator Shishido concluded the discussion by presenting the following two points
1. this material can be effectively used not only as a stand-alone study, but also as part of employee education (e-learning assignments, group discussion materials in face-to-face group training) and in combination with routine tasks such as regular audits.
2. In order to realize a symbiotic society, it is necessary for more stakeholders to have a proper understanding of the background circumstances of foreign workers and to work together to accept them not only as workers but also as residents. This material should be enhanced and developed to serve as a tool for this purpose.
■Closing Remarks
JP-MIRAI Director
Toshihiro Mouge
This video teaching material is an important project for JP-MIRAI to disseminate to Japanese society, and we would like to request its active utilization and dissemination. We would also like to propose that JP-MIRAI promote its use in university lectures and training programs at companies that employ foreign nationals. In light of the current situation where discussions on the acceptance of foreigners are becoming more and more active, we hope that this video will play an important role in building a symbiotic society where Japanese and foreigners can have a win-win relationship through constructive discussions from various perspectives.
Related Link] Video teaching materials for small and medium-sized enterprises – JP-MIRAI
