Foreign Interns Exploited

I used to befriend quite a few young Chinese workers who were in Japan as trainees/interns learning the ropes of Japanese companies.

A half dozen or more (both sexes) would be forced to live in a 2 bedroom home and share all facilities. Their pay was miserable. They asked me to pick them up and drive them around to discount stores and such.

Japanese companies are not permitted to recruit workers from overseas to do menial jobs in Japan. They can, however, recruit workers to learn Japanese for one year and then work for up to two years following that.

What happens, however, are the young people, many from China are exploited…paid 60,000 yen ($550)/month in the first year. Not much more after that because ‘management fees’ are deducted.

Some workers get by on as little as 300 yen and hour = $2.50.

Workers ‘escape’ to other jobs and work illegally.

The types of work involved are:

1. sewing

2. metal-processing ( the norm in Niigata, where I lived.)

Companies say that the workers knew the conditions BEFORE they came.

Nobody can KNOW all the conditions, cost of living, living arrangements, how far the shopping center is and how much things cost BEFORE they arrive. They can only have an idea.

It is clear that Japanese companies are exploiting these young people, not to mention creating some serious ill will for the workers to take home with them.

What do you think?