EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) Role in Preparing Health Worker to Japan

Abstract

Under the Japan-Indonesian Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), many Indonesian nurses have come to Japan for working since 2008. The number of elderly people in Japan is increasing, but number of productive age for human resources is declining. Therefor Japanese government is accepting foreign nurses and caregiver. In order to work as a nurse or a caregiver in Japan, it is necessary to have responsibility. For that reason, Japanese government made one critical condition that the nurses from foreign countries have to pass the national board examination for registered nurses or certified caregiver. Many nurses must go home because they did not pass the national board exam. Japan Asia Medical Nurse Association (JAMNA) has supported 25 nurses (2013-2017) to learn for the exam and provide accommodation funds to take the exam in Japan. It’s said that they couldn’t pass the exam because Japanese language is very difficult. Of course ability of speaking Japanese is important, but beyond that, the role of nurses and nursing concept are little bit different between Indonesia and Japan. The　role　of　nurses　and　caregiver　is　to　find　innovation　to　help　the　elderly 　do　their　daily　activities independently and to have a healthy lifestyle.