Advisors from the nonprofit POSSE offer recommendations on loose charts in Japanese and English. One of those advisers, Iwahashi Makoto, says they receive a handful of inquiries each month. But last month, that number rose to 100.
Iwahashi says many requests came from foreign language school teachers in early March. These schools canceled their categories after the Japanese government called for the closure of number one and high schools starting March 2.
Many instructors were asked to wait at home and saw their incomes plummet. Even as the categories progressed, instructors complained about the lack of protective measures in their schools, adding to the lack of pressure on students to wear masks.
Later that month, tourism industry professionals, including hotel receptionists and cleaners, as well as part-time workers in restaurants and pubs, turned to POSSE for advice.
Many of those workers came to Japan from other parts of Asia. Some told councillors their working hours had been reduced and their incomes had fallen drastically. Others said they were under pressure to quit their jobs, and employers reported a drop in sales. . For some, their declining income means they can no longer live in Japan.
Japan’s hard work criteria law requires companies to cover at least 60 percent of their average salary if they require their staff to take days off. This provision covers all staff regardless of their nationality and applies to both normal and non-normal staff. But many others who contacted the NPO were not aware of this subsidy and did not get it.
Iwahashi advises others to collect your work records, adding documents showing the terms and conditions of your employment, work schedules, and correspondence related to your company’s work. POSSE is also helping to negotiate with employers.
The Labor Ministry says the country had about 1,659,000 foreigners last October. This is more than double the figure recorded five years earlier.
Iwahashi says, “The Japanese labor market can no longer function without foreign personnel. But the country doesn’t have a formula to cover them completely. He says many non-Japanese employees find themselves in a more complicated situation than their Japanese counterparts, as the language barrier limits their access to information.
The Japanese government has unveiled an emergency economic plan, adding cash assistance worth more than $2,700 for families whose incomes have dropped dramatically due to the outbreak. But administration officials said whether foreign nationals would be eligible for relief.
Interest-free emergency loans can also be obtained for others who have been forced to suspend their work. But it is very difficult to obtain loans unless you are a long-term resident.
The Ministry of Labour has set up its own counselling service for foreign workers, but this service is not limited to e-mail programmes.
Iwahashi says the requests obtained through POSSE are just the tip of the iceberg. The coronavirus outbreak is expected to have a long-term effect on the economy and lead to deeper cuts in the facilities and production sectors.
“Many non-Japanese employees earn a little more than the minimum wage,” Iwahashi says. “They may not be able to make ends meet if their income goes down a lot. The government wants to do more for them. “
Multilingual coronavirus hotlines in Japan