Fresh initiatives taken on manpower export to Japan
The decisions were adopted at the third meeting of the “Japan Cell” on 3 September
The expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry has taken a series of new decisions aimed at expanding Bangladesh's manpower exports to Japan, a country expected to face a major labour shortage in the coming decades.
According to an official letter sent from the ministry to the Chief Adviser's Office today (16 September), the decisions were adopted at the third meeting of the "Japan Cell" on 3 September. The meeting was chaired by Lutfe Siddique, the Chief Adviser's Special Envoy for International Affairs.
The letter noted that the activities of the Japan Cell will be promoted through social media posts on the official Facebook page of the Chief Adviser's Office, quoting Expatriates' Welfare Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul and Bangladesh's Ambassador to Japan.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Japan Desk initiatives
The Japan Desk has been tasked with several responsibilities, including surveying demand in the Japanese labour market; identifying employment opportunities; arranging Japanese language training and digital testing; strengthening coordination with Japanese and Bangladeshi institutions; and supporting quality certification centres.
Dr Asif Nazrul, adviser to the ministry, said the primary aim of manpower export was to create new jobs and reduce poverty. "Through the Japan Desk we believe we can achieve this. The presence of Japanese officers within the desk will make the process of securing jobs much easier," he said.
Bangladesh's ambassador to Japan highlighted Tokyo's focus on quality over quantity, noting that stricter monitoring of Japanese Language Proficiency Tests (JLPT) would require more technical and language training for Bangladeshi candidates.
Expanding opportunities
KDS plans to create a model campus in Chattogram to train nurses and healthcare workers, while NBCC and JBBRA will jointly recruit under the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) category. To boost outreach, the Japan Cell has launched its own website and Facebook page, along with a dedicated email address. It has also uploaded Japanese language apps approved by Japan Foundation.
Additional JLPT exam centres have been set up at institutions including BUP, NSU, IUB, and several technical training centres. Online Japanese language training was launched in August this year, and teachers' remuneration has been revised to encourage higher quality instruction.
A major project titled "Providing training under SSW including Japanese Language to 1,00,000 Bangladeshi aspirant migrants to Japan" has been submitted to the Economic Relations Division for approval.
At present, Bangladeshi workers are being tested for employment in six SSW sectors — agriculture, construction, care work, building cleaning, and automobile transport among them. From 2027, Japan is also expected to replace its Technical Intern Training Program with an Employment for Skill Development (ESD) system, opening up further opportunities.
New commitments ahead
Japanese institutions have also pledged deeper cooperation. A major "Match-Making Event" between Japanese employers and Bangladeshi recruiting agencies is scheduled for November 2025 in Tokyo and Nagoya. The ministry is also developing a Learning Management System (LMS) for online Japanese language centres.
With labour shortages looming large in Japan, officials in Dhaka see this as a historic chance for Bangladesh to position itself as a major supplier of skilled workers — provided training, language proficiency, and regulatory support are in place.
Japan: a promising labour market
The ministry described Japan as a highly promising market for Bangladeshi workers, citing a Japan Times report from 30 March 2024 that projected the country's working-age population could shrink by as many as 11 million by 2040. To address this, Japan is opening up several visa categories for foreign workers.
With encouragement from Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh has embarked on comprehensive plans to secure employment opportunities in Japan. Agreements have already been signed between Japan's National Business Support Cooperative Federation (NBCC), Japan Bangla Bridge Recruiting Agency Ltd (JBBRA), and Kaicom Dream Street BD Co Ltd (KDS) to provide training and facilitate worker recruitment.
Under these arrangements, workers will be sent to Japan in the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) category, with particular focus on targeted sectors. The Japan Desk, launched within the ministry, is coordinating these activities with support from Bangladeshi and Japanese embassies and business organisations.
