Japan considering more skills testing centres to recruit Bangladeshi workers

Japan is considering expanding the number of skills testing centres to facilitate the recruitment of more skilled workers from Bangladesh.

The discussion came up when Watanabe Yoichi, Japan's vice-minister for International Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, met Dr Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, senior secretary of Bangladesh's Expatriates' Welfare Ministry, in Tokyo today.

Watanabe expressed interest in introducing skill tests in additional sectors and noted that the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh is already gathering information to support the initiative, according to an official statement.

At present, Japan operates skills testing centres in caregiving, cleaning management, automobile transportation, agriculture, and construction. Bangladesh has requested the establishment of centres in food and beverage manufacturing, the food service industry, and forestry.

Collaboration between the two countries on skilled labour recruitment has grown significantly. There are now 33 Japanese language centres in Bangladesh. The number of Bangladeshis working or studying in Japan has increased from 18,000 to 41,000 in 2025.

During the visit of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to Japan in May, the two countries signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to recruit at least one lakh Bangladeshi workers over the next five years.

However, aspiring migrants must acquire Japanese language proficiency and specific trade skills to qualify.

In the meeting, Dr Bhuiyan briefed Watanabe on Bangladesh's progress in ensuring transparency, good governance, and ethical migration through legislative reforms and the digitisation of migration systems. He also invited the vice-minister to visit Bangladesh.

Separately, Kanamori Hitoshi, CEO of Japanese company IM Japan, assured Dr Bhuiyan that the firm would increase the intake of Technical Intern Trainees and skilled workers from Bangladesh starting in 2026.