The Philippines secured a firm commitment from the Japanese government to facilitate the hiring of more Filipinos, particularly in crucial sectors such as elderly care.

This commitment was made during high-level discussions with National Diet of Japan Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga and Vice-Speaker Banri Kaieda at the Tokyo parliamentary building before noon Tuesday.

During the meeting, Vice-Speaker Kaieda acknowledged Japan’s demographic challenges and the valuable contributions of Filipino workers.

“Japan is facing a decrease in population, and in this regard, Japan truly appreciates the Filipinos working here, especially elderly care workers,” said Kaieda.

“We are looking forward to welcoming more Filipinos to work in Japan,” he added.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, leading the Philippines’ congressional delegation in Japan, emphasized the potential for enhanced cooperation between the two nations.

“The Philippines has a growing population, so we are more than happy for our people to come and work here after receiving the appropriate training.”

This will enable Filipino workers to integrate into society and benefit from the best practices and advanced technology that Japan has to offer.

“It creates an ideal environment for Japan to continue investing in the Philippines, not just in human resources but in Japanese-trained human resources, which will further promote economic cooperation between our countries.”

In the same meeting, Nukaga committed to continued cooperation to help uplift the Philippine economy, noting the presence of 1,400 Japanese companies operating in the Philippines.