Japan faces a complex immigration dilemma as it intensifies enforcement against undocumented foreign workers while simultaneously grappling with severe labor shortages exacerbated by its rapidly aging population and record-low birth rates. The situation particularly affects Vietnamese nationals, who constitute nearly half of Japan’s 450,000 technical interns and represent the largest segment of the country’s 2.3-million foreign workforce.
The Technical Intern Training Program (TITP), originally designed to transfer skills to workers from developing nations, has drawn criticism for creating vulnerable labor conditions that sometimes lead to visa overstays. Many participants arrive burdened by substantial recruitment debts—often exceeding $7,500—compelling some to continue working illegally after their visas expire rather than return to limited opportunities in Vietnam.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged stricter visa management amid growing public resentment toward foreign workers, despite statistics showing non-Japanese commit only 5.5% of penal code offenses. Vietnamese nationals accounted for over 30% of foreign arrests in 2024 (excluding permanent residents), primarily for theft-related crimes—a figure partially explained by their dramatically increased presence, which has grown ninefold over the past decade.
Support organizations reveal that challenging working conditions, including substandard housing, low wages, and occasional sexual harassment, drive approximately 6,500 trainees annually to abandon their designated workplaces. Some enter underground employment networks through Facebook communities known as ‘Bodoi’ (vernacular for ‘soldiers’), while others risk involvement in illicit activities.
Japan plans to replace TITP with a new system in 2027 featuring enhanced job flexibility but stricter language requirements. However, experts note Japan’s attractiveness is diminishing due to the yen’s weakness reducing remittance value and increasing competition from South Korea’s labor market. Associate Professor Jotaro Kato of Meiji Gakuin University observes that the program now attracts Vietnamese applicants ‘with less motivation and educational qualifications than before.’
Despite challenges, community advocates emphasize that technical interns make significant contributions to Japanese society. Vietnamese nun Thich Tam Tri, who operates a shelter north of Tokyo, acknowledges that while some workers make poor choices, ‘one bad headline can easily prejudice Japanese people against them,’ referencing a recent murder case involving a Vietnamese trainee that has intensified negative perceptions.