Japan, often called the Land of the Rising Sun, is considered one of the most promising destinations for manpower export outside the Middle East. Over the next 15 years, the country is expected to require more than 10 million workers. Although there are opportunities for manpower export from Bangladesh to Japan across 16 sectors—including agriculture, construction, caregiving, automobile, and shipping—the country has not been able to send a significant number of workers. In contrast, large numbers of laborers from Nepal, Vietnam, and Myanmar are migrating to Japan every year—nearly ten times more than Bangladesh.
These findings were presented in a keynote paper during a seminar titled “Japan’s Labor Market: Opportunities and Challenges” held Wednesday (July 2) at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka. The paper was presented by Zia Hasan, Policy Adviser at the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analyzing the data, the paper noted that in 2020, a total of 942 workers from Nepal entered Japan’s labor market. During the same period, 831 workers went from Bangladesh. In other words, five years ago, the number of Bangladeshi and Nepali workers going to Japan was quite similar. However, in just five years, the number of Nepali workers migrating to Japan has increased to almost ten times that of Bangladesh. A total of 1,227 workers from Nepal went to Japan back in 2021, while the number from Bangladesh dropped to just 75.
The major shift in Nepali labor migration to Japan occurred in 2022, when a record 42,284 workers from Nepal secured jobs in the country. In contrast, only 5,185 workers went from Bangladesh that year. Most recently, in 2024, Nepal sent 56,707 workers to Japan, while from Bangladesh, only 3,574 workers were sent.
Zia Hasan said, “In both the public and private sectors—the quality of training is inadequate. Most trainers do not have strong Japanese language skills. Trainers are usually returnees from Japan who learned the language without any formal training. Due to high salary demands, private operators are struggling to hire skilled trainers. Moreover, there aren’t enough N4-level courses, and the number of qualified trainers for this level is also insufficient. These are the reasons Bangladesh has not been able to send the expected number of workers to Japan.”
According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), out of 96 recruitment agencies approved to send workers to Japan, only 30 are active annually. Over the past 20 years—from 2004 to April 2025—only 5,014 workers have been sent to Japan through these agencies. In addition, through a program called IM Japan, 702 workers have been sent between 2017 and 2024.
Learning the Japanese language remains a major barrier to labor migration to Japan. The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) starts at the beginner level known as N5. In December 2024, a total of 8,064 people appeared for the N5 exam, but only 3,883 passed. That same month, 3,091 people sat for the N4 level, but just 511 passed.
When asked how Nepal is able to send so many workers to Japan while Bangladesh is falling behind, Zia Hasan told Bonik Barta, “Nepal’s bureaucracy is much stronger. They can implement a project quickly. We have the garment sector, but Nepal doesn’t have such a large industry. So, they are more serious about migration. Their system is much more structured and organized. Nepalis also have Mongoloid facial features, which the Japanese tend to prefer. In addition, their central bank offers financial assistance for overseas migration.”
BMET Director General Saleh Ahmad Mozaffar said, “It takes six months for a trainee to learn the language. Not everyone can afford to cover their own expenses for that long. That’s why many drop out midway. The government needs to provide stipends or loan facilities to support them in going abroad.”
Speaking at the seminar on Japan’s labor market, Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, said, “There is demand for workers in Japan. But it’s hard to meet that demand with unskilled workers from our country. We have only one solution—we must prepare skilled workers as per the demand. We’ve created a Japan Cell. A dedicated website will be launched there. There will be no additional steps or complications in the Japan recruitment process. We’re also partnering with both public and private sectors to train workers. Japanese entrepreneurs have been asked to take responsibility for technical training centers (TTCs). With their support, experts can be brought from Japan to provide training.”
Lutfey Siddiqi, Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, said that fake certificates and forged bank statements are a major reason behind visa complications for Bangladeshi workers. He said, “Our workers think that going abroad by any means, using fake documents or without proper skills, is enough. This is creating widespread visa complications in many countries. One reason people are struggling to get visa appointments for Japan is the rise of fake certificates and bank statements. It’s time to introduce penalties for this.”