Japan’s labor market faces numerous challenges, one of which is a shortage of workers. The traditional Japanese lifestyle pattern—that men worked outside the home and women managed the household—has gradually eroded. As dual-income households became the norm, women contributed significantly to securing the necessary workforce. However, as labor shortages persisted, the practice of elderly individuals continuing to work after retirement became established. With the shortage becoming even more acute, foreign workers are now emerging as a potential “savior.” Naturally, an increase in foreign workers brings with it an increase in associated challenges. Municipalities and companies with large foreign workforces have already begun establishing their own unique systems to address these issues. One common difficulty foreigners face is illness; explaining symptoms to a doctor can create a language barrier for both the patient and the physician. In some cases, compatriots who speak Japanese step in to provide interpretation services at a low cost. If effective communication can be achieved in medical settings, the region becomes a place that foreign workers find it easier to both work and live.
Scuderia (based in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture) is a staffing agency specializing in Nepalese personnel. The company consistently dispatches a workforce of approximately 600 people to various client companies. Notably, about 400 of these 600 workers are Nepalese nationals. They are currently dispatched to around 30 client companies, including food processing plants, warehouses, and various facilities. One factory, for instance, struggled with staffing shortages—often losing ten or more workers during the New Year and Obon holidays. Meanwhile, Nepalese international students were eager to work during their language school breaks to earn money for tuition and living expenses. Scuderia’s Nepalese staff facilitate this matching process. Furthermore, the company has implemented a unique system that its Nepalese employees—who are already accustomed to life in Japan—accompany the dispatched workers to factories to serve as interpreters. Matching the factories’ need for labor during holidays with the students’ desire for part-time work has created a mutually beneficial “win-win” relationship. Recently, the company has gained recognition for its proper workforce management, leading to an increase in referrals of international students from Japanese language schools.
At the food manufacturing plant that Scuderia dispatches personnel, a workforce of around 40 people—primarily part-time staff—is employed at any given time. The Nepalese international students dispatched here are assigned through a unique system the company calls “Sakigake.” Scuderia typically dispatches these students in small groups or “units” of four to seven people. Nepalese staff members from Scuderia handle transportation to and from the site as well as on-site interpretation. A plant manager at one facility expressed satisfaction, noting that the presence of interpreters—who can convey even the nuances of the work—has fostered better relationships between the international students and Japanese employees. Nepalese staff members also frequently join the production line to relay detailed work instructions, a practice that has been praised for reducing the operational burden on the client factory. These Nepalese employees play a vital role in recruiting students and ensuring smooth communication at the workplace. Within the context of Japanese manufacturing, the utilization of personnel who can serve as interpreters (in this case, Nepalese staff) has become a key strength for the company.
