July 15, 2026 at 17.15 hours local Japanese time – Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, together with Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, Mr. Samat Pattamasukon, Director-General of the Department of Skills Development, Mr. Phiphatchai Paiboon, Political Spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Surakiat Thienthong, and Ms. Bunyakorn Damrongrat, Advisers to the Labour Minister, Ms. Sadudee Kittisuwann, Director of the Bureau of International Cooperation Coordination, Mr. Wichchu Wetchachiva, Ambassador to Tokyo, Ms. Phornrawee Nakphiphat, Minister Counsellor (Labour) of the Thai Labour Office in Japan, and senior Ministry of Labour executives, paid a courtesy call and held official discussions with Mr. Ueno Kenichiro, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Tokyo, Japan, as part of the Ministry of Labour’s official visit to Japan.
During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on the development of labour cooperation between Thailand and Japan. The Minister of Labour extended his congratulations to Mr Ueno Kenichiro on his appointment, and reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to being a quality workforce partner for Japan, particularly following the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation on Labour Transfer under the ESD System, which the Thai government signed with the Japanese government on June 2, 2026, making Thailand the first country to sign such an agreement with Japan. This demonstrates Thailand’s commitment, through the Ministry of Labour, to cooperating with Japan in developing Thai workers to possess Japanese language skills, professional skills, and specialist skills to meet the future needs of the Japanese labour market, as well as cooperation in information exchange to prevent fraud and protect the rights and benefits of Thai workers in Japan, particularly through the sharing of information between relevant organisations on both sides.
The Minister of Labour emphasised the Thai government’s policy of enhancing labour capability through the “Study with Funding, Graduate with a Job” programme, as well as upskilling and reskilling to accommodate industrial change. He also confirmed Thailand’s readiness to promote quality skilled and specialist workers into the Japanese labour market in a manner consistent with the needs of Japanese business.
Both parties also discussed approaches to promoting the orderly and safe integration of foreign workers into Japanese society, preventing illegal work, protecting the rights and welfare of Thai workers, and exchanging information and cooperating to prevent labour trafficking and human trafficking, so that Thai workers receive appropriate protection and can work in Japan with security.
On this occasion, the Thai Minister of Labour invited the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare to attend the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings, to be hosted by Thailand between August 23–28, 2026, to jointly drive regional labour cooperation and strengthen human capital development towards international recognition. The Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare is currently considering the invitation and will inform the Thai Ministry of Labour of the outcome in due course.
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Division of Public Relations
