Nepali Workers Repeatedly Defrauded by Unscrupulous Brokers Over Individual Work Permits to Japan; Embassy and Labor Ministry Issue Warning
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(Translated/summarized article) Nepali online outlet Online Khabar reported in January 2026 that the Embassy of Nepal in Tokyo and Nepal's Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security had issued a warning over repeated cases of workers seeking to travel to Japan on individual labor permits being defrauded by unlicensed consultants.
According to the report, unlicensed operators falsely promise to "guarantee employment in Japan" while charging high fees, but do not actually provide suitable job placements. Victims reportedly span a wide range, including university graduates, cooks, and skilled tradespeople, with the embassy and authorities said to have received numerous complaints. Authorities are urging victims with evidence of false promises or excessive fee collection to file formal complaints.
Current status: This article is a translated summary based on local media reporting; specific figures on the number of victims or total damages have not been officially disclosed as of this writing.
Fraud by unscrupulous brokers in sending countries follows a pattern similar to cases already reported involving illegal-employment brokering of Thai nationals (related coverage), illustrating how foreign workers can be exposed to exploitation risks even before arriving in Japan.
Editorial Perspective
The Technical Intern Training Program is set to be replaced by the new Employment for Skill Development system in April 2027 (related article), and developments like this one can be seen as part of the institutional design process during that transition. Expanding acceptance also requires resolving practical issues such as broker problems in sending countries and building proper oversight systems among accepting employers. For the new system to work as intended rather than merely on paper, it will be important to continue examining how it actually operates once implemented.