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Japan's Measures against "Forced Labor" Remain Insufficient - U.S. State Department Report, Skilled Internship Replacement Evaluated
- Writing language: Korean
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Base country: Japan
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Summarized by durumis AI
- The U.S. State Department's 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report criticized Japan's foreign skilled internship program for lacking sufficient measures to prevent forced labor, maintaining the country's ranking at the second tier in the four-tier evaluation.
- Specifically, the report raised concerns about the confiscation of interns' passports, excessive fees and deposits, unfair contracts, and the potential for forced labor due to insufficient government oversight and regulation.
- The U.S. State Department concluded that Japan failed to meet the minimum standards for combating human trafficking, as the government does not actively identify victims or hold perpetrators accountable.
The U.S. Department of State released its 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report on June 24th, highlighting concerns about Japan's efforts to prevent forced labor within its foreign skilled internship program. Despite some progress, including the creation of a new "cultivation employment" program aimed at replacing the internship program and revisions to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act submitted to the Diet in March, Japan maintained its Tier 2 ranking in the four-tier assessment. The report emphasized that Japan's efforts to identify victims of human trafficking and hold perpetrators accountable were insufficient, concluding that "Japan did not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking."
The report criticized the Japanese government for its inadequate efforts to address the forced labor problem arising from the foreign skilled internship program. The report specifically addressed issues such as the confiscation of interns' passports, excessive fees and security deposits, and contracts containing penal clauses. Furthermore, the report expressed concern that the lack of oversight and regulation of businesses operating under the internship program increased the risk of forced labor.
In its 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report, the U.S. Department of State classified Japan as a country that both sends and receives victims of human trafficking for forced labor and sexual exploitation, identifying the internship program as a specific source of forced labor. The report urged Japan to strengthen its efforts to combat human trafficking.
In response to these criticisms, the Japanese government has pledged to improve the internship program and enhance its anti-trafficking efforts. However, the international community remains skeptical about the effectiveness of these measures. Japan must address these concerns and make a concerted effort to reform the internship program and eradicate forced labor.
