The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced on March 22 that it will grant JPY100 million ($980,000) in official development assistance (ODA) to a vocational school in the northern region of Vietnam. Established in 2012 by Tokyo-based Mukai Construction Group, the school, which enrolls 240 workers annually, aims to train Vietnamese workers for construction sites in Japan. The Japanese government is currently considering hiring more foreigners, including Vietnamese, for construction projects in its northeastern region affected by earthquakes, and in preparation for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The move will open up more opportunities for Vietnamese workers and enable the Southeast Asian nation to meet the target of sending 90,000 laborers abroad this year. (Quan Doi Nhan Dan – People’s Army Mar 24 p8, Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam – Vietnam Economic Times Mar 24 p4)
