I visited the pearl cultivation farm for the first time in several months. It was a business trip as part of the company’s I work for responsibilities. Our headquarters regularly visits the pearl farm to inspect the growth of Akoya oysters and see the actual conditions. We have meetings with the farm manager to discuss and obtain a rough estimate of this year’s pearl production. In recent years, there has been a phenomenon of massive Akoya oyster deaths across Japanese pearl farms, but it has been gradually improving since last year. In our pearl farm as well, the mortality rate of Akoya oysters has been low this year, and the cultivation is proceeding smoothly.
Additionally, there is a chronic shortage of workers in the pearl cultivation industry. In light of this, we have spent about a year to recruit Indonesian individuals as valuable labor for our pearl farm, and we have welcomed them starting from this June. One of the purposes of this business trip was to inspect whether these Indonesian workers are able to work smoothly in the pearl farm. As a result, they have shown more enthusiasm and a diligent work ethic compared to us Japanese employees. They have brought a bright and lively atmosphere to our pearl farm. We have been facing difficulties in recruiting young workers in their 20s and 30s to our pearl farm. However, all the Indonesian workers who joined us this time are in their 20s. Just a few young individuals joining our team has significantly brightened and revitalized the atmosphere at the pearl farm. It has been only about two weeks since the Indonesian workers started working at the pearl farm, but it is already helping alleviate the labor shortage and creating a vibrant workplace. We feel a very positive future ahead, and we are sincerely grateful to them.
Embracing Change: Japanese Pearl Farming Welcomes Indonesian Workers
In reality, over the past decade or more, many Japanese companies have treated foreign workers, particularly those from Vietnam, as virtual slaves. They have exploited their labor through unpaid wages, unfair working conditions, and acts of violence and intimidation. While it cannot be generalized, I feel that some Japanese individuals in their 50s or older, who experienced Japan’s period of high economic growth, tend to view people from Southeast Asia as inferior to themselves. People in their 40s or younger have come to realize that Japan no longer holds the same level of national power. As a result, there is a tendency among them to regard dynamic individuals from Southeast Asia with less discrimination. Of course, it is inappropriate and wrong to judge people as superior or inferior based on their national strength. However, because such individuals do exist, there is no denying that many Vietnamese people have suffered as a result. In fact, even within the company where I work, there were individuals who held the opinion that “foreigners can be hired at a lower wage, right?” I repeatedly emphasized that “it is a misconception. They should be treated in the same way as us Japanese individuals, and that is also mandated by the law.” Many Japanese individuals in their 50s or older seem to have an unconscious perception that “foreigners can be employed at low wages.” However, times are rapidly changing. Such an era is on the verge of ending, or rather, it is already coming to an end. On the contrary, in the future, we Japanese people may find ourselves going abroad for work. Against this backdrop, our pearl cultivation farm has hired Indonesian workers. The responsibility is significant, and regardless of nationality, we aim to work together as colleagues to produce high-quality pearls.
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