Caring across borders: Indonesian care workers’ experiences of working in Japan
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1747-9894
Article publication date: 21 February 2024
Issue publication date: 17 May 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the large number of Indonesian health-care workers working as migrant care workers in Japan, there is a lack of studies that have investigated this phenomenon or assessed the working conditions of Indonesian care workers working in Japanese aged-care facilities. This study aims to explore the work experiences of Indonesian care workers in Japan.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative descriptive research design was used, and a purposive sample of 18 Indonesian health-care workers (12 nurses and six midwives) who work as care workers in Japan participated in this study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with these participants between December 2022 and January 2023. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used to report this study.
Findings
Four key themes emerged from the data: easy but mentally challenging, being a care worker is a blessing, working in a partially Muslim-friendly environment and enjoy living: prefer to stay longer.
Originality/value
The work experiences of Indonesian care workers in Japan are complex and multifaceted. By understanding their experiences and needs, the authors can work toward creating more inclusive and supportive workplaces for all.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Declaration of conflicting interest: None.
Acknowledgment: The authors acknowledge the Indonesian health-care workers who participated in this study.
Funding: This study is funded by Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), Japan, and Ritsumeikan University, Japan.
Authors’ contribution: All authors contributed equally in this article according to ICMJE authorship criteria.
Data availability: Data were available on request to the corresponding authors.
Citation
Gunawan, J., Efendi, F., Tsujita, Y. and Oda, H. (2024), "Caring across borders: Indonesian care workers’ experiences of working in Japan", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 181-198. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-05-2023-0043
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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