by Yuuki Tasiro

Nowadays, the Japanese government concluded FTA with the Philippines. This treaty made it possible for Philippine to work as nurses in Japan. I was so surprised to hear this news because I didn’t think that the Japanese government didn’t want to receive many migrants. But, the worker’s rate has been reducing by the declining number of children in japan and the number of elders is also increasing. Therefore, especially, the field of medical care needs a lot of worker because these elders need it. So I wanted to evaluate the decision and was interested in this treaty.

This treaty was concluded in 2000. Since this year, the reception of Philippine nurses and candidates started¹. And over 500 people came to Japan as foreign nurses from now². But I knew that there are a lot of problems in the treaty. Firstly, the condition of reception is quite strict. For example, they should pass national examination of nurse less than three years if they hope to go on working in Japan³. As a result, only 10 % people could pass it⁴. I think it is so difficult for foreign people to pass it. However, I also thought it is natural because this work is related with people’s life. Besides, the cost for reception is also matter. It is said that to receive one candidate cost over 5 million yen⁵. They have to study Japanese and work in hospital before the examination. Of course, their educational costs are paid from our tax. For example, 4 thousand and 2 hundred yen paid for this system in two years⁶. I guess that if the low number of successful candidates continue, the expense will be just wasted.

So, firstly I thought this system is so great, but now, I came up with few problems to a problem. I can understand that we have to prepare a lot of money to start the new project, however, if these expense will be only waste money, we can say the project is useless. So I think this system should be more efficiency.

References

¹²³ Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. http://www.mhlw.go.jp/bunya/koyou/other22/

⁴⁵Sankei newspaper. 2012.3.26 http://sankei.jp.msn.com/life/news/120326/trd12032619460015-n1.htm

⁶agora-web.jp 外国人看護師：なぜ実習が先で国家試験が後なのか <http://agora-web.jp/archives/1345735.html>