JAKARTA – The Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, will dispatch at least 30,000 rural youths to participate in internship and scholarship programs in Japan through a partnership with Exceed Cooperative Japan. This initiative forms a central part of the government's drive to elevate the quality of rural human resources by acquiring hands-on work experience and technical knowledge in Japan to be implemented upon their return to Indonesia.

"I express my gratitude to Mr. Watanabe Daisuke and Mr. Harada Tsubasa; we will proceed with signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Osaka. Our initial target based on their request is a minimum of 30,000 participants. We will conduct mapping and detail the operational aspects so that this program runs seamlessly. We will involve ten village associations to fulfill this allocation quota requested by Exceed Cooperative Japan," stated Minister Yandri during an audience with Exceed Cooperative Japan and the Hakko Fukushikai Foundation Japan at the Kemendes PDT Office on Monday (August 3, 2026).

Minister Yandri viewed this collaboration as a mutually beneficial partnership. Indonesia possesses vast human resource potential, whereas Japan requires additional workforce support due to a declining productive-age population. Through this program, rural youths will gain opportunities to work and sharpen their competencies, while also being groomed to become village aggregators capable of driving economic development and local growth upon returning to Indonesia.

"We will sign an MoU titled 'Youth Building Villages, Building Indonesia.' Productive-age men and women will be dispatched to Japan under scholarship and internship schemes. Following their internship, they will serve as village aggregators—returning as empowered youths who understand how to advance their respective villages based on local potential," he added.

Screening and training for participants will commence shortly, involving multiple stakeholders. Beyond the ten village associations, the State-Owned Banks Association (Himbara) and the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDKMP) will also participate, particularly regarding departure accommodation arrangements slated for next year.

This collaborative plan received a warm welcome from the President Director of Exceed Cooperative Japan, Watanabe Daisuke. According to him, partnering with Indonesia serves as a strategic solution to address Japan's rising labor demands triggered by a shrinking productive-age population over recent years.

"Over the past seven years, as our productive-age population has steadily declined, we have increasingly needed human resources, particularly from Indonesia. During these seven years, we have placed numerous workers across health care, logistics, construction, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors," Watanabe noted.

Accompanying Minister Yandri at the meeting were Secretary-General Taufik Madjid, Head of the Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM) Agustomi Masik, Head of the Information Development Agency (BPI) Mulyadin, and Director General of Economic Development and Investment (PEI) Tabrani. This audience will be followed up with the official signing of an MoU and Cooperation Agreement (PKS) in Osaka, Japan, to solidify the legal framework between both parties.

Photo: Angga/Kemendes PDT 
Text: Ria/Kemendes PDT