Opportunities for workers

Japan plans to hire Pakistani skilled workers in large numbers. Japan is one of the richest countries of the world. It has a large trade surplus. The Japanese ambassador to Pakistan has announced recently that Tokyo will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with Islamabad in this connection. This is good news for Pakistan where the unemployment rate is high. The envoy says that Pakistani workers will be allowed long-term work visas, and after five years of stay in Japan, they will be allowed to bring their families. He says Pakistani workers will have to learn the Japanese language, which is one of the easiest languages to learn; and by learning the Japanese language Pakistanis will be saved from culture shock.

Many Pakistanis are already working in Japan and sending precious foreign exchange to the home country. Pakistanis working in Japan sent home remittances of nearly two million US dollars in October 2018. Remittances from Japan reached the highest level in April 2018 when Pakistanis sent 5.898 million US dollars home. Pakistan also has a flourishing bilateral trade with Japan. Japan exports automobiles to Pakistan besides other things. The Japanese government has also been inviting Pakistanis to Japan to train our engineers and scientists in higher skills.

The two countries also have regular and reciprocal visits of cultural delegations. This has been strengthening cultural relations between the two countries. Pakistanis are quite familiar with Japanese writers and poets like Haruki Murakami and Kazuo Ishuguro.  Haiku, a Japanese genre of poetry, is popular in Pakistan. Many Pakistanis compose Haiku, a three-line poem. Pakistanis are quite familiar with the celebrated Japanese film director Kurusawa and his movies, especially Rashoman. We have long and close relations with Japan in the spheres of economy, trade, education and culture.

We hope Japan hiring skilled workers would go a long way in easing Pakistan’s problem of joblessness. It is rightly said that the best way to appreciate job is to imagine yourself without one.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2019.

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