Ministry prepares thousand transmigrants for Japanese agriculture

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Transmigration Minister Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara is preparing a program to send one thousand transmigrants to Japan to work in the agricultural sector through a collaborative scheme with various stakeholders.

Suryanagara said the program, the result of active coordination between the Ministry of Transmigration and the Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), aims to sustainably improve the welfare of transmigrants.

"This is good news for the community. I am also coordinating closely with the Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, Abdul Kadir Karding," Suryanagara stated after the launch of the 2025 KPK Integrity Assessment Survey for the Development of the Ministry of Transmigration's Integrity Zone in Jakarta on Thursday.

He explained that the transmigrants will undergo intensive training, including in Japanese language proficiency, as part of their empowerment program before departing for a three-year work contract in Japan.

The Ministry of Transmigration has also established communication with the Japanese Embassy to ensure the readiness of transmigrant placements based on the needs and employment regulations of the destination countries.

The government aims to start the program this year, with budget allocations already in place. Training will be centralized at four training centers owned by the Ministry of Transmigration.

"The earliest visible target (for sending) is around 1,000 (transmigrants). We will assess the capacity of each center, as we have four training centers. If we can reach more than that, we will inform you and report on it," he stated.

The deployment will take place simultaneously, with a focus on the agricultural sector, which is regarded as promising and capable of generating an income of around Rp20 million (around US$1,226) per month.

Suryanagara explained that if the training investment for one thousand transmigrants is Rp150 billion, it is projected to generate up to Rp1.5 trillion in foreign exchange, creating a benefit ratio tenfold the initial value.

"We hope that they will not only earn a better income but also transfer knowledge and technology to bring back to the transmigration areas," he explained.

He emphasized that self-sufficiency is not only about food but also about developing superior human resources who can compete globally and benefit the transmigration areas of Indonesia.