Justice minister orders probe of Vietnamese intern abuse case

Its stated aim is to help workers from less developed economies gain skills in industries...

Learning a trade skill isn't much use these days if one doesn't receive an industry certification at the end of the period. In the case of these cross-border interns, the certification needs to be internationally recognized. Singapore, for example, has the Employer Certification Scheme for Migrants Workers.

Does anyone know what certifications these people in Japan receive, because I have never heard any mention of it.

If they aren't receiving any certifications, then this is a sham. They would not be "interns" nor doing "training." Simple as that.

Japan's government "did not hold recruiters and employers accountable for abusive labour practices and forced labour crimes", the Trafficking in Persons Report said.

If the government does not hold Japan Inc. accountable for the working to death, the wage theft and overtime abuse, the "black company" abuses towards its own citizens, how can foreigners expect better?

The only reason that this is getting any attention from the justice ministry is that it went viral. I just hope that the southeast asian TV programs air this so people know what they are up against when they come here

I see Vietnamese and Cambodians doing menial jobs everywhere these days. Japan truly is in a race to the bottom.

Now it's official. Now they'll officially put it to bed.

As well he should. It’s his ‘duty’ as Justice Minister. Let’s hope the “swiftly deal with” quote doesn’t just involve officially ‘sweeping away’ the issues.

""state-sponsored training program"".

Some call it modern days slavery, others call it exploitation, what ever the case this gentleman was brought to japan for work and possibly training never in his wildest dream he would have expected to handed over to THUGS and SAVAGES.

I believe in racism and language might be the main cause.

Forgone conclusion. This will be covered up to protect the Japanese.

Japan's justice minister on Tuesday ordered the immigration agency to investigate violent workplace abuse allegedly suffered by a Vietnamese intern

So basically he’s asking to the same agency that perpetrated this crime to investigate on itself?

In totalitarianism regimes they act like this.

Be prepared for the charade.

Right. So the Japanese Government is going to investigate the Japanese Government.

Don't hold your breath.

i wish good luck to vietnamese guy.

not all of japanese are racist or have some prejudices from past about own asian neigbours.

you are moral winner already.get better job and all the best.

What about the thousands of other abused workers, both Japanese and foreign?

This program is just a slave system and instead of to stop it and check the abuses by many agencies and employers, Japanese government increased the allowed number per year.

Those employers and officials think trainees are very lucky to be abused, hit, and finally die by a Japanese hand.

a construction company

Name please.

Japanese Government has known that a lot of this has been going on for many years in many industries where foreigners come and work in Japan but they turn a blind eye to it.

Slave wages instead of local wages, harassment, discrimination, having to work overtime with no pay, passports being taken away, threats of cancelling their jobs and Visas, etc.

If this video was not shown throughout the world, the Justice Minister, even though he knows what is going on, would have never done anything about it. However, if the public and the media do not stay on top of this, the Justice Minister will once again let it go. Instead of instructing, why doesn’t he get on top of this himself personally?

And yet there are foreigners complaining and waiting to come to Japan to work. They have no idea of what they are getting themselves into with this country.

In the case of a Sri Lankan woman who died in the detention center, Japan sleeps.

When any Vietnamese immigrant in Japan gets hurt, Japan wakes up and says real sh!t.

There is something weird about priority in Japanese bureaucracy.

I just watched the video on Youtube and it infuriates me to no end. I hope that these worthless excuse for human beings get punished and jailed for the abuse they caused this Vietnamese guy.

Clowns doing lip service. Don't hold your breath.

Nothing is going to come out of this and the program, and by extension , the country will still be lily white to the Japanese populace. You heard it here not first.

Right. So the Japanese Government is going to investigate the Japanese Government.

Don't hold your breath.

Please read the article before commenting.

There is a large difference between "state sponsored" and "state owned and run". This case is the former and not the latter.

"We believe it's rooted in a lack of human rights awareness..."

so...there are some Japanese who haven't heard about human rights ?? hah...hah what?? okay right

A video appearing to show the man being punched, kicked and battered with a stick by his co-workers at a construction company sparked outrage after it was released by the 41-year-old's labour union and went viral this month.

Way beyond labor abuse.

All perpetrators should be jailed a long time

"More than 350,000 trainees live in Japan under the state-sponsored scheme, which has been TRAFFICKING for decades."

fixed it.

Shameful.

Please read the article before commenting.

And I ask you please to think twice before posting something incorrect.

The Sri Lankan Lady died and abused by the immigration centre of Nagoya.

And now the minister ask the same institution to investigate.

If this normal for you it isn’t certainty for me.

Coming from a European country, lived and worked in multiple European countries for decades. Japan is the first Asian country I've lived and work in and by far have faced the most racism of my life. To the extent that there is no comparison to anything else anywhere... So this doesn't come as a surprise at all and I'm prepared for it to blow over and get covered up. They've covered up death so this should be way easier.

When Japan was trashed and burned beyond belief, more than once mind you, it was the international community that pulled together and came through in their call of need. And now, to read such atrocity is nothing short than a ungrateful nation. Even now, with their manpower hanging by a thread to oblivion - still conduct despicable acts.

The company name needs to be disclosed so that no one ever does business with them ever again. Also those thugs caught on camera should go to prison.

@jefflee

I've heard of South American trainees or interns returning home with a 'mechanic's certificate' from a leading automaker here, but when applying for jobs, they were told that it was worthless!