In a significant step towards addressing labor shortages, both public and private sectors in Japan are increasingly focusing on recruiting talent from India. This drive targets not only students and IT professionals but also skilled workers for industries like manufacturing, which face critical staffing challenges.
Kiyohiro Hokin, President of Hokkaido University, emphasized the strong interest of Japanese universities in attracting top-tier Indian talent. Speaking at a forum held in New Delhi in mid-October, Hokin stated, “Many Japanese universities are keen to attract the best and brightest students and researchers.” The event, hosted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, saw participation from over 70 universities and research institutions from Japan and India. It was the third such forum and the first to be held in India, underscoring the growing collaboration between the two nations.
The agency highlighted the diversity of educational excellence in India, noting that prominent institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are just one part of a larger landscape. “India has outstanding institutions in both the private sector and regional areas,” an official commented, stressing the need to broaden the recruitment scope.
Efforts are also underway to bridge the gap between foreign graduates and regional job markets in Japan. Professor Yukio Miyashita of Nagaoka University of Technology revealed that many companies in Niigata Prefecture are eager to hire Indian graduates. While foreign students often seek opportunities in major cities like Tokyo, Miyashita expressed the desire to attract talent to regional areas, highlighting unique incentives such as covering flight and accommodation costs for interns.
Japan has already seen a notable rise in technical trainees and specified skilled workers from India in recent years. Arms, a pioneering Japanese organization for dispatching Indian technical trainees, has facilitated the placement of approximately 340 trainees since 2019, with most joining the manufacturing sector. “Indian workers are highly educated and can quickly adapt to the Japanese work environment,” said Nagatoshi Shibata, vice president of Arms’ Indian operations. Remarkably, 90% of the firms employing Indian workers through Arms have become repeat clients.
Major Japanese corporations are also stepping up their efforts. All Nippon Airways (ANA) has been actively promoting Indian employment in Japan. Tsuneya Katagiri, head of ANA’s Indian operations, highlighted the mutual benefits of these efforts, including increased travel demand between the two nations. Katagiri also pointed to the demographic challenges Japan faces, such as a low birthrate and aging population, and stressed the potential of Indian talent to revitalize regional economies.
At a higher diplomatic level, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Fukushiro Nukaga, recently discussed plans for a significant exchange of human resources. Over 50,000 individuals, primarily IT engineers, are expected to participate in this exchange over the next five years. This aligns with the growing number of Indians residing in Japan, which reached approximately 49,000 last year.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. A human resources industry official pointed out that Japan still struggles to compete with other countries as a preferred employment destination due to comparatively lower salaries. However, with sustained initiatives, Japan hopes to position itself as an attractive option for Indian talent, fostering deeper bilateral ties and addressing critical labor shortages.
This collaboration between Japan and India marks a vital step forward in creating opportunities and strengthening economic ties between the two nations.
