Foreign Residents Supporting Other Foreign Residents ②Jobs That Support Foreign Residents

I'm involved from the very beginning—recruiting people overseas for the Specific Skilled Worker and Technical Intern Training programs. Once a training placement is secured, I handle the Japanese entry procedures and provide ongoing support from the time they arrive in Japan until they return home after starting work.

Since I’ve only been working here for 2 years, I’m currently in charge of about 80 trainees. Some of my colleagues are responsible for 100 to 200 people. While most trainees complete their training without any issues, I act as the point of contact whenever problems arise. There are even some trainees who call me every day, just like they would a friend.

Due to the nature of my job, I connect with many people from Nepal, and I’ve found that a great many of them are struggling with their residency status. Some people come all the way to Japan only to end up returning home because they didn’t have the correct information about their residency status. It’s truly unfortunate. Part of my job is to support these individuals so they can work here long-term by helping them study Japanese, obtain certifications, and find employment.

The Japanese language classes I teach at JICE are free and open to anyone looking for a job. In class, we study the vocabulary needed for work, how to write a resume, and other topics.
The students come from all walks of life. Some have just arrived in Japan, while others have been living here for 20 years. There are also students, such as women who came to Japan because of their husbands’ jobs, who are in a similar situation to the one I was in when I first arrived.

Everyone at my company is Nepalese.

Most are Japanese, though about 30% are foreigners—many of whom were raised in Japan.

It’s about half Japanese and half foreigners. Since many of the technical interns we support don’t speak Japanese, we have to communicate with them in a foreign language. It seems that many interns are too busy with work to find the time to study Japanese.
By the way, I also sometimes don’t understand the Japanese used at work. Just the other day, I didn’t know what the phrases “Ippikiōkami (lone wolf)” and “Rinkiōhen (adapt to circumstances)” meant.

That’s quite difficult!

When I’m working at the ward office, I handle counter services, but I also sometimes go out to clients’ locations at the request of friends or acquaintances. One time I was really frustrated was when I attended a bank appointment with someone. The person couldn’t speak Japanese, so I went along to interpret, but the bank refused to help, saying, “The person has to speak directly with us.”

That’s terrible. As a staff member at a registered support agency, I also have to rush to the scene when people are in trouble, so I’ve had similar experiences. Some banks require the person to fill out documents in kanji. I’ve helped fill out and submit documents together as many as 5 times, but there were times when it still wasn’t accepted.

It really is unbelievable, isn't it? I checked in advance, and since they said, “Please bring someone who understands Japanese,” I went out of my way to make time for it. I was really angry at that moment.

This happens occasionally at the hospital, too. For example, they tell you that the patient needs to fully understand the precautions for a diagnostic test and sign the consent form themselves.

Japanese is necessary and important.

If you study Japanese, you can advance in your career, just like I did. Being able to keep working is very important for living in Japan.

The residency status system is changing every year, after all. I think it’s important to acquire a level of Japanese that you can use at work as soon as possible.

While there are minor daily conflicts with household members, the more serious issues involve problems related to hospitals. For example, in Indonesian hospitals, the system is set up so that patients first speak with the General Medicine department, which then refers them to the appropriate specialty. However, in Japan, some people don’t even know which department to go to in the first place, and even those who look it up often find themselves being passed from one place to another, which causes them a lot of trouble.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people have been struggling with scams lately.
For example, even when I tell them about my organization’s Japanese language classes, they sometimes don’t believe me because they’re suspicious that it’s free. You have to show your Residence Card at Hello Work to apply, but they seem to find that suspicious.

That’s true, scams have definitely been on the rise lately. Like scams on social media where people say, “I’ll introduce you to a job,” and then ask for money.

That’s exactly right. People who don’t have much knowledge yet don’t know how to look for a job, so they’re skeptical of the right methods and are easily taken advantage of.

When someone speaks to you in your native language, you tend to trust them without thinking. And when you’re short on money, you tend to get anxious, too.

It seems like everyone wants to find a job the easy way. I try to tell them that they can feel secure with job referrals from Hello Work or job postings displayed outside stores. I want them to have the right information.

It makes me very happy when I hear that students who’ve completed the Japanese language classes I helped organize have improved their Japanese skills or found good jobs. When I hear stories about how the work I’ve been involved in has changed people’s lives, I feel like I’ve done something meaningful.

It makes me happy to hear that someone I’ve been supporting has passed the Specific Skilled Worker exam. It really is rewarding to meet people who are motivated to improve and take the next step in their careers. Even people who’ve changed jobs and are no longer under my supervision sometimes reach out to me. I think it’s great that this is a line of work where those connections never truly end.

I’m also truly happy when I receive news that someone I’ve supported through online classes or other means has passed an exam, obtained a residence status, or found a job. Even though this is a business, I’m just like the both of you—I find joy in being able to bring positive change to someone’s life.

I think the first step is to make sure you yourself have the correct information. On that basis, it’s important to empathize with the person seeking advice and act accordingly. As a support provider, I try my best to provide accurate information above all else.

Language skills are necessary, but understanding the other person’s feelings is even more important. I always make a point of imagining each person’s living situation and cultural differences, and try to respond with warmth.

Since I’m in a position between the trainees and the host companies, I believe it’s extremely important to remain neutral. For example, when one side makes an emotional complaint, I think very carefully about how to convey it to the other side. If you don’t understand cultural differences, it’s difficult to understand the other person’s feelings. To protect each other’s feelings and perspectives, I carefully choose my words to ensure the message is conveyed smoothly.