On September 29, 2022, the Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Ambassador of Thailand to Tokyo, Mr. Singthong Lapseedphan, Assistant to the Labour Minister Mr. Surachai Chaitrakulthong, the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Boonchob Suttamanaswong, Minister Counselor (on Labour), Ms. Sadudee Kittisuwan, and delegation, met with the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, Mr. Kato Katsunobu, to congratulate him on the occasion of taking a new position. They also thanked the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare, for supporting the Ministry of Labour in various areas. Both parties welcomed support for jointly related missions. The occasion took place at the lounge at the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
Mr. Suchart said that the Ministry of Labour thanked the Japanese government for taking good care of Thai workers, especially during the COVID-19 situation. The Ministry of Labour has a labour office in Japan located in Tokyo. It expands the labour market and protects Thai workers in Japan, including coordination with the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare. Today was an opportunity to pay a courtesy call and to discuss official matters on Labour. He said that the Ministry of Labour thanked the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare for implementing the labour agreement, including the Memorandum of Understanding on the Technical Training Program in Japan and a Memorandum of Understanding on basic information for systematization and residency of specifically skilled workers. He thanked them for their cooperation in human resource development, to jointly develop Thai labour skills and expand the Thai labour market in Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare welcomed the Thai Ministry of Labour to encourage Thai people to travel to do internships and work in specific jobs requiring specific skills, especially in elderly care. The Department of Skill Development is ready to organize training courses in fields that Japan needs.
Currently, the government has an important policy to encourage Thai workers to have more opportunities to work abroad. As for Japan, in 2021, 3,867 Thai workers reported their intention to work in Japan, ranked the fourth highest after Israel, South Korea, and Taiwan. The data shows that Japan is an important market where Thai workers desire to work. The Ministry of Labor is ready to expand the Thai labor market in Japan and drive the development of Thai workers’ skills to have the qualifications in both occupational skills and language, as specified by Japan.
Mr. Suchart continued that the Ministry of Labour received good cooperation from the Labour Standards Bureau, an agency under the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The agency protects Thai workers in Japan in the matter of consulting, assisting, and visiting technical interns and Thai workers. In addition, the Ministry of Labour has received cooperation in sharing information to prepare social security agreements, which are in the discussion process. Once complete, this will benefit insured persons as well.
The Japanese Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Mr. Kato Katsunobu, said that on behalf of the Japanese government, he thanked the Thai Labour Minister and delegation for visiting today to pay tribute to strengthen labour cooperation between the two parties. He said that Thai workers play an important role in driving Japan’s economy and society, as many Thai people practice technical work and many Thai workers travel to work in Japan. As for the issues of discussion today, they would continue to work closely together.
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Division of Public Relations
29 September 2022
