The Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have agreed on the 'Indonesia-Japan Blue Economy Human Resources Repatriation Project'. This cooperation will run for three years and is aimed at developing the fisheries industry in Indonesia and Japan. The project will involve cooperation with educational institutions under the KKP located in several places in Indonesia. The project will focus on enhancing the capacity of fisheries education institutions and training centres (polytechnics and fisheries high schools) to develop the skills of fisheries workers and strengthen their proficiency in the Japanese language. It will also provide employment information on Japanese fisheries in Indonesia and establish a system to increase employment for human resources who have returned from Japan in Indonesia. This will enable them to contribute to the development of the fisheries industry in Indonesia utilising their work experience in Japan.
The cooperation project between KKP and JICA is in line with the programmes of human resources development, fisheries industry, sustainable marine management, also conservation of marine resources and coastal ecosystems. This cooperation is expected to address the human resources issue in the Japanese fishing industry. By the end of 2024, data from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan indicates that 2,888 workers were recruited from Indonesia out of a total of 3,488 workers in Japan's fisheries sector. In the 2024-2029 period, the Japanese government aims to recruit 17,000 skilled workers specialising in fisheries.
