増ふえる外国がいこく人じん労働ろうどう者しゃの労災ろうさい あなたの職場しょくばは大丈夫だいじょうぶ？【Q＆Aも】

I fractured my finger when my hand got caught in a machine while working at the factory.

If I thought it was dangerous, I didnt put my hand in, testified a Vietnamese woman working at a food processing factory.

Amid a labor shortage, the number of foreign workers in Japan has exceeded 2.3 million, reaching a record high.

In line with this, the number of foreign workers who died or were injured on the job last year reached 6,244 nationwide, surpassing the previous year for the 13th consecutive year.

Why are work-related accidents among foreign workers increasing?

Is your workplace safe? Workplace accidents involving foreign workers: At a food processing factory, a Vietnamese woman working there accidentally got her hand caught in a machine while on the job this year and broke her finger.

Due to an accident, I was forced to take about three months off work, and the Labor Standards Inspection Office recognized it as a work-related injury.

Vietnamese woman: I was scared when I had the accident.

Ive often regretted coming to Japan.

I didnt think there was such a risk.

If I thought it was dangerous, I wouldnt have put my hand in. Due to aftereffects, I can no longer bend my joints properly and am continuing rehabilitation, but since the pain still remains, I cant work as I used to, and its mentally tough as well.

After returning to work, due to restrictions on overtime caused by the injury, their salary has decreased compared to before, so they feel anxious because they are unable to send enough money to their family back home.

The woman is calling for the creation of an environment where foreigners can work with peace of mind.

Vietnamese woman: Even if Im working, I cant know all the dangerous places.

I want you to tell me that there are signs warning of danger in dangerous places. “Foreign workers injured or killed on the job” Last year, the number of foreign workers who died or were injured while working exceeded 6,000 nationwide, and according to a summary by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, this number has increased for 13 consecutive years compared to the previous year.

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of foreign workers in Japan surpassed 2.3 million as of the end of October last year, reaching a record high.

In this context, last year, 39 foreign nationals died while working, and the total number of people who became ill or were injured reached 6,244.

The number of casualties increased by 572 compared to the previous year, marking the 13th consecutive year of increase.

The incidence rate of occupational accidents is 2 injured or killed per 1,000 workers in the entire workforce, including Japanese workers.

Compared to 3, foreigners exceeded that with 2.

It became 71.

By residency status, Technical Intern Training is 3

98, Specified Skilled Worker is 3

It was a high percentage of 91.

Additionally, when looking at the number of foreign workers who were killed or injured by industry, manufacturing had the most with 2,979 people, followed by construction with 1,165 people, and commerce with 476 people.

By country or region, Vietnam had the highest number with 1,594 people, followed by the Philippines with 878 and Indonesia with 757.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare believes that accidents are likely caused by inexperience, language barriers, and a lack of communication.

Companies should thoroughly implement safety education using teaching materials, and make sure to clearly communicate on-site dangers using illustrations and other methods.

Expert: There are cases where foreigners dont understand what theyre being instructed to do. Why do labor accidents involving foreigners occur at a higher rate than the overall rate, including Japanese workers?

We interviewed Associate Professor Yoshihisa Saito of Kobe University Graduate School, who is well-versed in labor issues concerning foreigners.

Q

Why are workplace accidents involving foreign workers increasing?

We are bringing in people from abroad to do jobs that are shunned and cant secure domestic workers due to labor shortages.

Unlike Japanese workers, who share the same language and culture, extra care and know-how are needed when employing foreign workers.

It is also difficult to secure special personnel to instruct foreigners.

Q

What kind of consultations do you most often receive from foreigners?

There are many complaints about not receiving any guidance at all.

From the companys perspective, they might say they are providing guidance, but due to language issues or the way things are communicated, it might be the case that foreigners dont realize theyre being given guidance.

Sometimes, when Japanese staff try to explain things, it doesn’t get through, so we have a more experienced coworker who’s used to the site handle it. But even then, I’m not sure how much that coworker actually understands…

Even if someone can operate the machine, they might not know how to handle emergencies such as troubles or malfunctions, so it’s necessary to properly check whether they really understand.

Efforts to prevent work-related accidents among foreign workers: Care facilities are also starting to implement measures to prevent occupational accidents involving foreigners.

A social welfare corporation operating eight welfare facilities in Tochigi Prefecture employs about 500 staff members, of whom 53, or 11%, are foreign workers.

Of these, nine people from Indonesia, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka who hold Specified Skilled Worker or Nursing Care residence statuses work at a nursing care facility in Utsunomiya City.

The company started taking measures about five years ago.

The reason was that we received feedback from the field saying, The level of Japanese comprehension varies among foreign staff, and we are worried that things may not be conveyed properly through language alone.

For example, the Japanese phrase te o aratte kudasai please wash your hands is sometimes used to mean wash both hands, but there have been cases where some foreign workers interpreted it as wash one hand.

There have actually been foreigners who were confused when they received instructions in Japanese.

An Indonesian woman in her fifth year in Japan was told by her senior to perform a parallel transfer when she had just started working.

This lateral transfer refers to the action of moving a resident from their bed to a wheelchair placed next to it, and the woman who received the instruction tried to handle it by herself.

However, it is said that the senior meant to assist with two people so that neither the resident nor the staff would get injured, considering the residents condition.

A woman who was told the meaning behind the words said, What I understood and what my senior was actually instructing were different.

I thought that language is difficult, but I was glad to have been taught.

The key point is that these measures began with consideration for differences in language and culture.

The key point that this organization values is taking into account differences in language and culture.

The first thing we worked on was putting up pictograms.

We made it so that anyone can immediately recognize the dangers in places with steps, such as stairs, or areas where you might slip in the kitchen or bathroom, to help prevent falls.

And then, we will provide supplementary explanations in each native language, such as Nepali and Indonesian, to give specific warnings.

I have also reviewed the nursing care manual.

In addition to introducing the job in simple Japanese, I also attached photos for the detailed tasks to help deepen understanding.

Furthermore, we have also started holding training sessions four times a year, bringing together all foreign workers employed at facilities operated by the corporation.

We make sure that you correctly understand your work and have the necessary skills so that you do not cause or get involved in any accidents.

In the nursing care industry, many people hurt themselves due to strenuous movements, so in the May training session, we learned about postures and movements to prevent back pain.

We repeated the process several times to make sure everyone understood it properly.

Chairperson Tomoko Oyama of the Houaikai Social Welfare Corporation: “It goes without saying that foreigners are essential for the future of nursing care in Japan.”

Its not just about having a single foreign worker come here; I think a major point in preventing accidents is whether we can understand and adapt to the culture of the country where they grew up. How can we prevent work-related accidents involving foreigners? [Expert Q&A] What should we be careful about when hiring foreigners?

We spoke with Mr. Shigeru Takizawa, advisor to the Tokyo Labor Standards Association Federation, a public interest incorporated association.

Q

What is important in preventing occupational accidents?

A

There are many machines and devices that aren’t used in my home country.

First, I want you to carefully explain how to use it.

To prevent accidents, proper instruction is necessary, but there is a language barrier.

I want you to break things down and explain them in simple, easy-to-understand words, like a school teacher would when teaching children.

And even if the person teaching explains things properly, its necessary to check whether its actually being understood by the other person.

When teaching foreigners, they often respond with I understand or Its okay, but you shouldnt just leave it at that. Its necessary to check by asking, What would you do in this situation? or Alright, try it yourself.

Q

What should I be careful about when speaking Japanese to foreigners?

A

When Japanese people talk to each other, for example, when they have a stomachache, they might say things like giri-giri itai or zuki-zuki suru, but foreigners cant understand these expressions.

Japanese people often have conversations without using the subject, but if foreigners leave out the subject, it can sometimes be hard to understand what theyre saying.

It is necessary for staff involved in education to develop the habit of speaking with clear subjects and predicates.

Q

Future challenges

A

Many of the places where foreign workers such as technical interns work are very small companies.

Teaching is difficult, and sometimes there is a lack of know-how and knowledge.

I think it will become necessary to provide support such as teaching how to communicate in these situations or introducing relevant texts.

Also, foreigners have aspects of being residents living in Japan and need support.

Broadcast on Ohayou Nippon on June 1, 2025