Japan’s Vice Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare visit with ILO in Indonesia
The Vice Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, Miyazaki Mahasita undertook an official visit to Indonesia to learn about the work of the ILO Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, particularly work funded by the Government of Japan.
11 June 2024
JAKARTA, Indonesia (ILO News) - The Vice Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, Miyazaki Mahasita, who is leading the delegation of Japan to the ILO’s 112th International Labour Conference 2024, undertook a two-day official visit to Indonesia last May. The visit programme focused significantly on learning about the work of the ILO Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, particularly work funded by the Government of Japan.
It was an opportunity for the Vice Minister to see first-hand a Japan-supported employment services centre, a vocational training centre, to learn about the crucial work on social security provision for all, and to see the ILO Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
The first official visit of the Vice Minister was to the Indonesia’s Employment Centre, Pasker ID, which was established three years ago with support from the Government of Japan. The Pasker ID has adopted a Japanese one-stop-shop approach, Hello Work, that provides access to unemployment benefits, public employment services and vocational training at a single window service office and through an online platform.
Muchamad Yusuf, Chief of Pasker ID, greatly appreciated the learnings gained from Japan’s 71-year-experience in managing Hello Work. “We really learned from the experience of Japan. We hope that we can continue learning and building a more solid information system of Pasker ID as well as the implementation of the unemployment insurance scheme in Indonesia,” he said.
Meanwhile, the support of the ILO on the unemployment insurance scheme has been given through its Unemployment Protection in Indonesia: Quality Assistance for Workers Affected by Labour Adjustments (UNIQLO) Project, funded by Fast Retailing Co., Ltd as well as the ILO-Japan Promoting and Building Social Protection in Asia on the policy design and implementation of the unemployment insurance system.
The Vice Minister also visited the Centre for Vocational and Extension Service Training (CEVEST) which not only provides training programmes for students from across the nation, but also offers employment placement services at the centre. During the visit, the Vice Minister appraised the efforts taken by the Ministry of Manpower to provide vocational training that is linked with industry demand as well as public employment services – a model that has ambitions to be gradually replicated throughout the country.
The Vice Minister concluded his visit with a courtesy meeting with ILO Country Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Simrin Singh. The meeting highlighted the long-standing support given by the Government and people of Japan to the ILO and to the women and men of Indonesia. As a founding Member State of the ILO since 1919, Japan has been a valued partner of the ILO in promoting the Decent Work Agenda, including a long term, meaningful and impactful partnership with Indonesia.
The courtesy meeting showcased the continuing relevance and the impact of the various ILO projects funded by the Government of Japan in Indonesia. “The Government of Japan has strongly contributed to the ILO and Indonesia in various sectors that range from skills development, social protection, labour rights and responsible business conduct. We have a strong collaboration with so many relevant national stakeholders to ensure the relevance, smooth implementation and high impact of these projects,” noted Simrin Singh.
In addition to having a chance to interact with ILO Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste staff members Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager in Indonesia, the Vice Minister benefited from the presence of and interactions with visiting ILO officials Yasuo Ariga, Chief Technical Adviser and Overall Coordinator and Haruhiro Jono, Programme and Operations Specialists of ILO/Japan Partnership Programme from the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok.