At the Choshi fishing port in Chiba Prefecture, Ho Thi Thuy Nhung, 38, begins her shift at 8 AM. On the assembly line, she quickly cuts off the heads and tails of fish and feeds them into the grill. Every step requires a high degree of concentration. “At first I was overwhelmed by the intricate work process, but I’ve fully caught up now”, she says.
At the canning factory where she works, 16 out of 80 workers are Vietnamese, Japan Times reported.
According to Tawara, general director of the factory, migrant workers are the backbone of Chiba’s spearhead industries and canning in particular, handling various tasks from fishing to unloading and processing.
But he is now worried whether employees like Nhung will continue to opt for working in Japan.
Tawara’s worry is valid as Japan’s population is aging while Southeast Asian countries, especially Vietnam, are making rapid economic progress and offering increasingly competitive wages.
Nhung moved to Japan for work last summer, leaving behind her husband and eight-year-old son. In Vietnam, despite working 14 hours a day, she only made US$500 a month which barely covered her family’s living expenses. Her husband had been facing some financial difficulties.
When she took a $3,800 loan to relocate to Japan for work, Nhung knew it was a big gamble.
“It was a hard decision to leave my child and go to a foreign country alone, but I wanted to try as hard as I can to ensure his future”, she says.
Now she earns around $830 a month (after taxes and other deductions), and sends US$ 510 home, keeping the rest for her expenses. The highlight of her day is video calling with her son after work.
To retain people like Nhung, Tawara has made major adjustments to his 96-year-old establishment. He bought a three-story townhouse and converted it into a fully equipped dormitory for his workers, providing all necessary amenities, including cooking appliances.
In the last three years he has prioritized hiring women aged over 30, appreciating their perseverance and professional commitment.
He has seen many interns in neighboring factories quit their job to work in a different field or country.
In response to this dire situation, Japanese authorities plan to replace the current technical internship program, which has been criticized as a labor exploitation scheme, with a new initiative in 2027 that will offer workers more benefits.
To Nhung, the best case scenario is that she can achieve financial stability and return to Vietnam in three years.
Meanwhile, her colleague Nguyen Thi Kim Thuan, 40, has decided to stay as a specified skilled worker in order to put her two children through college.
Tamara says: “Migrant laborers don’t come [to Japan] just for work, they have a life and a right to make their own decisions. If they want to stay, [us employers] have a duty to support and accompany them on this journey”.
