NHK WORLD PRIME

Season 6, Episode 19

Episode Title: Land of Rising Dreams?

Air Date: 2022-10-08

Overview:

"Japan is a developed country. A good country." That's what many Vietnamese people believe when they come to Japan as technical intern trainees. For four years, NHK has followed 10 Vietnamese intern trainees who arrived with a dream, but were subjected to harsh conditions, long working hours, wage theft, and violence. The COVID-19 pandemic made their lives even more difficult. Then, six of them fled from their workplace. What became of them? Our investigation uncovered the dire situation that they and many others like them face, including illegal lenders, unwanted pregnancy and abortion, and the coronavirus itself. What can be done to change this harsh reality?