Japan-bound Filipino nurses finish JPEPA language training
More than 200 Filipino nurses and certified care workers bound for Japan under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) have completed their pre-departure Japanese language training, marking another batch of healthcare workers preparing to join Japan’s aging-care workforce.
During ceremonies held on May 21, Minister for Economic Affairs Naobumi Yokota attended the completion rites for the 18th batch of Filipino candidates who underwent Preparatory Japanese Language Training (PJLT) in the Philippines.
A total of 212 candidates — composed of 17 nurses and 195 care workers — completed six months of Japanese language training through online classes conducted by the Japan Foundation Manila and the Nihongo Center Foundation Inc..
The candidates are set to depart for Japan, where they will undergo another six months of intensive language training before being deployed to hospitals and caregiving facilities across the country.
Japan has increasingly relied on foreign healthcare and caregiving workers, including Filipinos, to help address labor shortages driven by its aging population.
In his remarks, Yokota said the candidates’ Japanese language skills would become “a great asset” in building successful careers in Japan. He also encouraged them to continue improving their language proficiency to broaden future opportunities.
Also present during the ceremony were Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, Japan Foundation Manila Director Yo Fukuzawa, Nihongo Center Foundation Inc. representative Philip B. Sanvictores, and Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services official Yoshikazu Kataoka.
The JPEPA program allows qualified Filipino nurses and care workers to work in Japan while pursuing professional certification and long-term career opportunities in the country.
Applicants interested in future batches may check the Department of Migrant Workers’ Pre-Employment and Government Placement Bureau through the DMW PEGPB page.
The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Philippines. More information about other events commemorating the 70th anniversary is available on the following webpage: https://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/JPPH70.html
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