Indonesia and Japan are tightening cooperation to secure people to work at Japanese hotels. Japan's tourism industry is suffering serious labor shortages as visitors return following the end of the pandemic.
The Indonesian and Japanese governments organized a 2-day-event in Jakarta that began Tuesday to promote Japan's service industry. About 30 hotels from across Japan participated.
The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates that over 3 million travelers visited Japan in May, topping the number for the same period in 2019.
An organization consisting of hotels and inns across Japan says many workers left their jobs during the pandemic. Now that the tourists are back, hotels are desperate to find enough workers.
At the event, Indonesian job seekers got to directly ask personnel from Japanese hotels about necessary qualifications.
One participant said many Indonesians find Japan attractive, first for salary and also because Japanese workplaces seem to be well-disciplined.
Indonesia's Labor Market Center head, Muhammad Yusuf, emphasized that Indonesia is going through a population boom, and has potential for Japan, which is facing an aging society.
He also said the government will back up young people who seek job opportunities in Japan.