Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh met a Japanese delegation at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Friday to discuss job opportunities in Japan for young people from the state.
The delegation was led by Skill, Labour, Employment and Entrepreneurship Secretary N. Bandana Devi. It included representatives from Japanese social welfare organisations and recruitment agencies, including Life no Gakkou, Fukushi Gakudan, Gasshoen, Mineyama, Kuneikai, Goshiki, Zenken Corporation and NSDC International.
After the meeting, Singh said on social media that the Japanese representatives had expressed interest in recruiting skilled youth from Manipur for jobs in Japan.
Manipur and Japan share historical ties dating back to World War II, particularly the 1944 Battle of Imphal, locally known as Japan Laan.
The battle saw fierce fighting between Japanese and Allied forces and became a major turning point in the war in South Asia.
Thousands of Japanese soldiers died in Manipur, including around sites such as Red Hill. Japan has since sent delegations and recovery teams to locate and honour the remains of soldiers who died in the region.
The meeting followed an international recruitment drive held at Manipur University on Thursday, October 22. The university’s Department of Vocational Studies and Skill Development (DVSSD) organised the programme with NSDC International and Zenken Corporation.
The day-long drive assessed 30 shortlisted candidates, including 20 students from Manipur University and 10 from Siliguri, for potential employment opportunities in Japan.
Department head Nambram Amulkumar said senior executives from Tokyo, Miyagi, Kyoto, Gunma and Fukushima conducted group and individual assessments.
Those attending included Life no Gakkou president Tanaka Nobuya and Fukushi Gakudan president Iida Daisuke.
The recruitment drive also marked the first recruitment campaign in India by Fukushima-based Social Welfare Corporation Goshiki.
National Skill Development Corporation officials, including Deputy General Manager Anshul Singhal and State Engagement Officer Masotmi Zimik, supported the programme and coordinated with the participating employers.
Amulkumar encouraged local youth to use the university’s training facilities to prepare for future recruitment drives.
He said candidates with high school diplomas, graduation degrees or one-year hospitality certificates could enrol in the department’s Japanese language and training courses to pursue employment with overseas companies.