NEW DELHI/TOKYO: Indian youths can now look forward to a rewarding career in the Hotel and accommodation sector in Japan as the General Incorporated Association Centre for Accommodation Industry Proficiency Test of Japan is going to organize its first Specific Skill Evaluation Test (Level 1) in India. It is also going to organize a Job Fair for sourcing Indian youths for employing them in the hotel and accommodation industry in Japan in February in New Delhi.

Being held on two different dates in February next year, the Specific Skill Evaluation Test (Level 1) tests will be conducted in Gurugram on February 26-27, and in Bengaluru on February 28-29. India’s capital New Delhi will play host to the Japanese Job Fair on February 26 next year.

So far, Japan has sourced manpower from India under the Specified Skill Workers (SSW) Scheme in the agriculture and caregiving sector only. In 2025, Japan is also going to host the World Expo 2023 in Osaka City, and the country to witness a huge demand for skilled manpower for its hotel industry.

Previously, Japan has been conducting such tests in other countries Philippines, Indonesia, and Nepal for sourcing skilled youths for placing them in hotels in Japan. It is for the first time that the Japanese hotel industry is seriously looking towards India to source manpower for its hotel and accommodation industry. It is because of this we are holding the Specific Skill Evaluation Test (Level 1) and Jo Fair for the first time in India in February. The hotel industry in Japan has a requirement of about 10,000 trained youths in the next five years,” Naga Shige Hoshi, Director, General Incorporated Association Centre for Accommodation Industry Proficiency Test told Asian Community News (ACN) Network.

Representing about 55,000 hotels in Japan, the Centre for Accommodation Industry Proficiency Test was jointly established by the Japan Ryokan Association, the All Japan Ryokan Hotel Association (Zenryoren), the Japan Hotel Association, and the All Nippon Hotel Association in Japan in 2018. The organization is responsible for the assessment examinations required for obtaining the Specified Skills Residence Status in the accommodation industry. The Centre is also responsible for conducting the evaluation examinations necessary for Skill Training No. 2 based on the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) Act. 

Ironically, there are hundreds of thousands of foreign skilled workers employed in various sectors in Japan, and the number of foreign workers in the accommodation industry is negligible at 256 only. Therefore, there lies a huge scope for foreigners in this sector in Japan.

Recently the General Incorporated Association Centre for Accommodation Industry Proficiency Test in association with Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association and H&A India Pvt Ltd, which runs a sending organization (SO) Arms Incorporation organized an information session to explain in detail the examination methodology, venue, fees, scale, and matching session. In New Delhi.  

The All Japan Ryokan Hotel Association (Zenryoren) is the apex body of hoteliers in Japan with over 30,000 hotels as its members.

Atsushi Yamaguchi, Labor Chairman, Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association which represents about 1800 hotels in Japan said the Specific Skill Evaluation Test (Level 1) being held in India in February in two different cities would allow a maximum of 400 candidates.

“Those who achieve 65% marks would be considered a pass. These candidates should also know the Japanese language of JLPT-4 level to qualify to be placed in Japan. The examination would be of one hour duration. The examination fee is JPY 7000 plus tax. The successful candidates would be placed in various hotels in Japan for 5 years. Those who want to appear in Level 2 of the examination can do it two years after their employment. And the successful candidates could bring their families also to Japan,” he added.     

As regards the Japanese Job Fair which is being conducted in New Delhi on February 26, Atsushi Yamaguchi said that it will be a nice opportunity for the job hunters, seekers, and facilitators. The occasion would provide matching between the accommodation provider and sending agencies, between accommodation providers and job seekers, and between sending agencies and registration support organizations.  

The job fair would be held in hybrid mode as some of the job-providing companies would be visiting the venue while others may join online from Japan.

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