Japan Press Weekly

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2008 March 26 - April 1 [LABOR]

JCP in Diet urges government not to deport foreign trainees

A Japanese Communist Party representative demanded that the government take measures to protect foreign trainees and interns in Japan, who are being abused by Japanese firms.

JCP representative Nihi Sohei presented this demand on March 27 at the House of Councilors Judicial Affairs Committee meeting.

Nihi cited the case of a sewing company located in Fukushima Prefecture as an example. The company brought in 16 Vietnamese trainees as cheap labor. After going bankrupt, it sent them back to Vietnam without paying them wages and without returning their savings. Police in January reported the company’s case to a public prosecutors’ office.

Nihi said that if a company accepting foreign trainees committed a crime or went bankrupt, the government should extend the visa for trainees instead of sending them back to their countries.

Justice Minister Hatoyama Kunio said, “It’s absolutely impermissible to deport them in such a case.”

The Immigration Bureau head also said, “We will look for ways for them to not have to leave Japan against their will.”

As regards unpaid wages due to bankruptcy, the Labor Standards Bureau head said, “Whether they have already returned or not, the government will pay 80 percent of their unpaid wages. If their wages are below the minimum wage level, the government will make up for the difference to ensure a level of payment that reaches the minimum wage level of payment.”

The government will also consider refunding their savings, which they were forced to deposit by payroll deduction each month.
- Akahata, March 28, 2008