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Kumachan vol.2


In Bangladesh, I met some people who knew Japan. A sandal shop owner once lived in Oizumi T, Gumma prefecture and Hamamatsu C, Shizuoka pref and so on. Gathering from the places, worked for car manufacturer.
"So, Why did you leave Japan? You lost job in recession?" That's a question I really wanted to know. "Oh! no. Definitely not. There were lot of work to do. We were busy. A factory asked me to stay in the work place. But, you know, my families in Bangladesh asked me to come back" He answered. Now he ran shoe shop and was called "Boss" from the young. "Hey, Boss is talking in Japanese. Hey, please take a picture with him" Then young guy came after another into my frame.


The Bangladesh people who used to be in Japan as a migrant worker's back to their home and now reached to the age of some leader. It's a little bit unfortunate that their experience in Japan was not told to younger generation. It must be a bitter sweet memories only in each migrant worker. Meanwhile, the younger people didn't know about Japan. (But do you know any thing about Bangladesh?)
So the streams of migrant workers from Bangladesh to Japan was now all over? Maybe not. I actually saw some Bangladesh workers in the flight back to Japan. I talked to one of them. "Japan is in depression now. We cannot chose a job" He spoke in fluent Japanese from the realistic view point. Bangladesh people is so industrious and hard worker.


Through the story, I learn Japanese economy has been supported by foreign workers. Recently Japanese government shows the plan accepting more immigrants. (Although I think sometime they mixed up immigrant and migrant workers) Hiring foreign health care workers and even lowering the qualifying level of Japanese language to solve the problem of shortage of applicant, for example.
However the government is never on the immigrant side. They think only own situation. I knew, the foreign worker has their own life and their family. Who can make unstable single year contract or temporary status. Who can live in Japan without suffrage.
I wrote that the young in Bangladesh didn't know so much about Japan. However it doesn't means they don't know about foreign countries. In the conversation with business parson, for example, China, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Srilanka and Indonesia comes first before Japan.


One day, A Bangladesh guy appear in workplace by its personal reason. One day the guy leave the workplace by its personal reason. One day, A Bangladesh guy moves into next door. One day, invited party by the neighbor. Japan in '90s could be more flexible and international than today.



Mar. 2015



Today's piece
" Portrait " Rajshahi, Bangladesh 2015




fumikatz osada photographie