A robbery in Ibaraki prefecture, viral footage of unruly behaviour by an Indonesian group in Osaka and social media posts purporting to reflect the concerns of Japanese employers have stirred debate about Indonesian migrant workers’ ability to adapt to Japanese norms and what Jakarta can do about it.
Indonesian officials warn that much of the backlash – and resulting panic – has been stoked by misinformation, with potentially serious repercussions for Indonesians seeking work overseas.
The minister was referring to the arrest of three Indonesian nationals in connection with a robbery in the city of Hokota, Ibaraki prefecture – a case that drew widespread media attention after Japanese police made arrests on June 30, nearly six months after the break-in.
