Do you think bringing foreign nurses to work in Japan is a good idea?

Friday 08th August, 05:24 AM JST

Latest 15 of 20 Total Comments Show All

Notginger at 08:48 AM JST - 8th August

Yes.
serindipity at 09:51 AM JST - 8th August

I've got to agree with NuckenFutz. Unfortunately, I fear their popularity will be due to their willingness to work unpaid overtime and without sufficient holidays. Possibly also because they will not report on the improper procedures of many hospitals like, reusing blood collection devices . I hope I am wrong!
nigelboy at 10:07 AM JST - 8th August

Not a good idea. The government should work on making nursing more attractive job for their own population.

Many hospitals were dissapointed with the program since there is a requirement that they had for fork out 600,000 yen per person for their Japanese language education/training
WMD at 01:39 PM JST - 8th August

Well I agree with nigel. If there's a shortage of nurses then instead of spending money on foreigners who can't speak the language, up the salaries of japanese nurses so that people are attracted to the profession. But what japan wants are cheap, easily exploited labor that they can use, abuse, suck dry and then discard. And japan is taking nurses out of the Phillipines where they are no doubt sorely needed.

I can just imagine the "fun" there's going to be when these non-japanese nurses have to interact with grumpy old oyajis and obachans.
DirtyOldJoe at 02:01 PM JST - 8th August

This will be another angle on slave labor for these nurses. Has JT interviewed the new workers and will JT continue to follow this story?
DXXJP at 02:42 PM JST - 8th August

Yeah it wont be long until we hear about them being turned out into the street or the corner snack.
Farmboy at 03:34 PM JST - 8th August

Yes the population is shrinking, but the number of old people is growing. Nurses are needed wherever they come from.
dontpanic at 04:17 PM JST - 8th August

If there aren't enough recruits locally, then it is a good idea. Especially if it helps open up the labour market a little more for everyone's benefit. If the nurses are not looked after, as skilled workers they can go elswhere.

My concern is the drain on resources in the nurses home countries. They can ill afford to be training nurses and then have them poached by richer countries. A more equitable arrangement on a national level would be if Japan (and the other nations that import medical staff) can pay something toward training the nurses replacements back home, then it will help mitigate the effects of a skills drain.
bamboohat at 07:48 PM JST - 8th August

Taiwan imports care workers, mainly from Thailand and the Phillipines. As a result, they are generally looked down upon as lower class citizens to do the work that nobody else wants to do. They feel this, and as a result, they do their jobs (caring for the old and infirm) accordingly. This is what seems to be awaiting Japan's fast growing elderly: Care provided by underpaid, underrespected second class citizens.

Better than nothing, I guess.
burikko at 09:41 PM JST - 8th August

Japan can't offer foreign nurses the futures which they dream. As a result this idea will increase Japan hater.
blvtzpk at 01:16 AM JST - 9th August

Not a good idea.

Oh well, there are always some who think the presence of any furriners in Japan is a bad thing, regardless of the situation.
Triumvere at 04:39 AM JST - 9th August

Why not? Japan needs nurses, and they need jobs. Win-win.
tokyotom at 10:03 AM JST - 13th August

how this possibly not be a good idea? should the gov't encourage people not to get sick? should the govt encouage homeless people in the park to become nurses? there is a problem, and this solves it done deal
kimigano at 02:11 AM JST - 14th August

Unemployment is on the rise and foreign workers are allowed in?

Backlash on the way.
retirednavygaijin at 01:50 PM JST - 23rd August

only if they are cute and Asian