It is said that in Japan, with an aging society, there will be a shortage of 340,000 care workers by 2025. For care centers, it is essential to welcome help from abroad.

In our program we follow two Indonesians, Sarah and Lukman, who have come to Japan under an EPA program signed between Japan and Indonesia. They have been working at a welfare center, Hachikikai, since December 2017, at the same time studying to become certified care workers.

Under the EPA program, if they pass the certification exam within four years, they can stay and work in Japan. At Hachikikai, the staff fully supports them and helps them study even during work hours. The reason is that they want the two to continue working at their center. The staff at Hachikikai are kind and treat them as family, however when an Indonesian woman working at a different care center tells them that her wage is much higher, Lukman is shocked and his feelings about staying at Hachikikai waver. As this illustrates, the two still have their own difficulties and worries.

Our program shows a very real picture of the struggles, hopes and dreams of these and other Indonesian people working hard in a land far from home.