Vietnam Labour Day in Japan sparks hope for workforce cooperation between the two nations
WVR - The event honors exemplary labor figures; connects businesses and workers, promoting deeper workforce cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.
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On November 30, in Tokyo, the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, in collaboration with Vietnam's Ministry of Home Affairs, ceremoniously organized the Vietnam Labor Day in Japan 2025.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu delivers the opening speech. |
The event was attended by representatives from Japanese ministries and sectors, receiving companies, labor management organizations, unions, and a large number of exemplary Vietnamese workers living, studying, and working in Japan.
Vietnam's Minister of Home Affairs, Do Thanh Binh, sent a congratulatory letter for the "Vietnam Labor Day in Japan 2025", praising Vietnamese workers for their diligence, creativity, and high discipline, earning the trust of Japanese businesses and society.
Building on the strong bilateral relationship, the Minister expressed confidence that the two countries will continue to expand labor cooperation, creating more opportunities for Vietnamese workers to learn and train in an advanced working environment, contributing to the formation of a high-quality workforce for the nation in the new development phase.
In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu emphasized: “Vietnam Labor Day in Japan was initiated by the Prime Minister of Vietnam and has been consecutively held in Japan to acknowledge and honor the tremendous efforts of the Vietnamese labor community working here.
The Ambassador affirmed that most Vietnamese workers are diligent, strictly adhere to Japanese laws and regulations, and make positive contributions to Japan's socio-economic development and the Vietnam-Japan friendship.”
Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu noted that there are currently over 450,000 Vietnamese workers living and working in Japan under various residency statuses such as interns, specified skilled workers, engineers, and technicians.
Notably, according to statistics from Japan's Immigration Services Agency, Vietnamese workers account for over 70% of the total number of specified skilled worker category 2 in Japan, affirming their leading role in skills and expertise within the foreign labor community.
The Ambassador highlighted this year's Labor Day theme, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", reflecting the desire for Vietnamese workers to understand and strictly follow Japanese laws, customs, and traditions, thereby building a responsible and sustainably integrated labor community.
The Ambassador urged Vietnamese workers to continuously improve their Japanese language skills, skills, and discipline awareness; while also encouraging receiving companies and unions to enhance guidance and supervision to prevent legal violations.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu and 17 companies receiving Vietnamese workers pose for a commemorative photo with Letters of Commendation. |
In a congratulatory letter, Japan's Vice Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare, Nagasaka Yasumasa, emphasized that cooperation in training and receiving Vietnamese workforce is an “extremely promising and limitless” field.
As of the end of June, Japan had received approximately 200,000 technical intern trainees and 150,000 specified skilled workers from Vietnam, making Vietnam the largest sending country. Many workers, after returning home, have effectively applied the knowledge and skills accumulated in Japan.
Vice Minister Nagasaka noted that the Employment Training Law for Skill Development has been enacted, whereby the Employment Program for Skill Development will replace the current Technical Intern Training Program from April 1, 2027, aiming to ensure workers' rights and meet Japan's long-term workforce needs. The government is also collaborating with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to build a job search platform for foreigners, creating an additional transparent recruitment channel for Vietnamese workers.
Japan's Vice Minister of Justice, Mitani Hidehiro, also sent a congratulatory letter for Vietnam Labor Day in Japan, affirming that Vietnam is one of Japan's most important partners, especially after the two countries upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
By the end of June 2025, Japan had about 660,000 Vietnamese living, studying, and working there, including 200,000 technical intern trainees and 150,000 specified skilled workers, the largest among other countries.
According to Vice Minister Mitani, over the next five years from 2024, Japan plans to receive 820,000 foreign workers under the Specified Skilled Worker Program across 16 fields, while by mid-year, only about 340,000 had been reached. This indicates that the demand for foreign workers, including Vietnamese, will continue to rise.
Representing the receiving companies, Corps company director, Mr. Kato Ryo, shared that the company, established in 1974, currently has over 6,400 employees. The company began receiving Vietnamese interns in 2019 and has since welcomed 708 individuals.
The company currently employs over 400 foreign workers, all of whom are Vietnamese, working in the Villa Fonten hotel system under the Sumitomo Fudosan group. The company maintains numerous support activities for interns, organizes family visits, rewards those who complete the program well, and places outstanding workers in core positions.
Mr. Kato Ryo highly praised Vietnamese workers for their hard-working and dedicated attitude. He added that the company is striving to continue recruiting more workers from Vietnam.
Exemplary worker representative, Ms. Tran Thi Kim Xuyen from Sanshin Kogyo company, shared that after five years of working in Japan, she won the Japanese Speech Contest and passed the National Level 2 Vocational Skills Examination.
She appreciated the support from the company, union, teachers, and family during her integration process. In the future, she aims to continue improving her skills and supporting new workers.
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| Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu, representatives from Japan's Ministry of Justice, and representatives from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare pose for a commemorative photo with 26 outstanding Vietnamese workers and interns. |
Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Economic Forum (JVEF), Mr. Inokuchi Takeo, noted that since 2019, the forum has focused on skill training, enhancing Japanese language proficiency, and supporting long-term career orientation for Vietnamese workers. Since 2022, over 200 interns have received free Japanese language training, with about 60% achieving N4 level or higher.
Within the framework of the event, Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu presented Letters of Commendation to 26 outstanding workers and interns, 17 receiving companies, and 6 management unions.
