THE ROLE OF INTERMEDIARY INSTITUTIONS IN JAPAN'S TECHNICAL INTERN TRAINING PROGRAM

Abstract

The import of temporary migrant labour is a method adopted by many developed countries to resolve the problem of labour shortage. Japan is one of the many countries that keeps increasing its reliance on temporary migrant workers. This group of workers has been contributing to the Japanese workforce since the 1990s under various schemes launched by the Japanese government. The Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) is the most controversial one since the discrepancy between the content of the TITP and its actual implementation, has caused the greatest contention. Many authorised organisations have failed to follow the guidelines in assisting trainees. As a result, the advocacy work of the third sector has become vital. Through the application of a comprehensive theoretical framework, this study aims to fill the gap in evaluating the role of the civil society sector in the TITP trainee advocacy activities in both domestic and international contexts.