Japanese Language Imperative To Absorb Workforce In Japan: DG BEOE

Director General (DG) of Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Pakistanis (BEOE) Kashif Ahmed Noor Monday highlighted importance of learning Japanese language in getting maximum employment opportunities for Pakistan's workforce in Japan where over half a million jobs were being created for foreigners in wake of new economic reforms.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2018 ) :Director General (DG) of Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Pakistanis (BEOE) Kashif Ahmed Noor Monday highlighted importance of learning Japanese language in getting maximum employment opportunities for Pakistan's workforce in Japan where over half a million jobs were being created for foreigners in wake of new economic reforms.

Terming the opportunity instrumental in tapping the drastic decline of over 0.7 million in overseas employment, witnessed in the last couple of years, Kashif said "Japan will be generating around 0.5 million jobs in different sectors including construction, agriculture, nursing care, lodging, ship-building and manufacturing in next seven years." The DG pointed out that there was a need to adopt some effective strategies for reviving Japanese language learning culture in the public-private universities, colleges and schools. The BEOE, he said, had suggested to discuss the matter with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) for exploiting the Japanese employment opportunities. The Bureau, he said, also proposed to take up the matter with Economic Affairs Division for inclusion of manpower export in next Pak-Japan high level Economic Policy Dialogue, besides requesting the MoFA to sign Memorandum of Understandings with Japan for export of manpower.

An official of Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) said the matter was also echoed in meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistan, during which a member opined to make the OEC responsible for familiarizing the manpower with basics of the Japanese language.

During the meeting, OEC Managing Director Dr Amer Sheikh, who is also head of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), said the OPF's training wings would make arrangements for imparting other countries' languages, which was appreciated by the committee.

Responding to a query he said, the OEC is only supposed to facilitate in case of Government to Government Contacts.

Former OEC MD Saeed Sheikh appreciated the corporation's role for successfully sending the bulge of skilled workforce to south Korea.

As the OEC has been working in the collaboration with NUML in educating the aspirants about Korean language, the same could be done in Japanese employment case.

However, he urged the authorities concerned to provide all necessary support to the relevant departments so that this opportunity could be exploited to its full potential.

The official also feared that other south Asian states were likely to took a great chunk of these great number of employments due to the country's lax foreign missions and weak infrastructure of Technical and vocational institutions at home.

He stressed to advance the strategy in training institutions to meet international standards and employer demands, adding that there is also a need to acquaint the workforce with modern technologies being used in Japan.

The Japanese are moving towards big cities and Pakistani agricultural labour had much demand due to popularity of letters' hard work in harsh and cold weather.

When contacted, Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis Muhammad Asif expressed ignorance about employment opportunities being created in Japan for foreigners, so he was unable to share any strategy to avail the opportunity for Pakistani workforce.

He said the OEC with its 'apathetic system' only had a 'remote role' , and currently imparting the South Korean language only to its manpower.