Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Akamatsu Shuichi on Friday hosted the ‘Pakistan-Japan Human Resources Stakeholders Meeting’ at his residence, bringing together around 70 key stakeholders involved in advancing employment opportunities for Pakistani professionals in Japan. The event convened high-ranking officials including Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister of State for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Mohammad Awn Saqlain, and senior representatives from both Pakistani and Japanese public and private sector institutions. Prominent organizations in attendance included Plus W, Proud Partners, Japan-Pakistan Innovation Institute (JPII), Japan Station, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). The forum focused on increasing the placement of skilled Pakistani labor in Japan across high-demand sectors such as information technology, healthcare, agriculture, construction, and manufacturing. Discussions centered on building stronger institutional linkages, enhancing worker preparedness, and creating smooth pathways for deployment. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Akamatsu underscored the growing contribution of Pakistani professionals to Japan’s labor market, noting that their success is becoming a vital pillar of bilateral relations. “The value of Pakistani talent is being increasingly recognized in Japan,” said the Ambassador. “We anticipate rising demand for skilled Pakistani professionals, particularly as Japan continues to seek high-quality human resources. This collaboration will not only benefit Japan but also contribute to Pakistan’s economy through remittances and skill development.” Highlighting the Osaka-Kansai Expo (April 13 – October 13), Ambassador Akamatsu praised the Pakistan Pavilion — built with pink Himalayan salt — as a major attraction, expressing hope that it would spark further interest among Japanese citizens in Pakistan’s culture and potential. He also encouraged more Pakistani visitors to experience Japan’s advanced, human-centric technologies. Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain welcomed the deepening cooperation between Pakistan and Japan, commending initiatives such as the partnership between the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) and Plus W under the Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) program, which now includes diverse sectors beyond IT. Minister Shaza Fatima highlighted Pakistan’s strong showing at Japan IT Week in April, where 15 Pakistani companies secured contracts exceeding $600,000. She called for more roadshows to showcase Pakistani tech talent and advocated for a workforce matching platform to better align supply with Japanese demand. She also proposed including IT and telecom sectors in Japan’s JDS scholarship program. Speakers from JICA, JETRO, OEC, Plus W (celebrating its 5th anniversary), and a bilingual Pakistani student currently studying in Japan shared progress on initiatives to enhance workforce collaboration and strengthen people-to-people ties. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen long-term collaboration between Pakistan and Japan through human capital development and enhanced cross-border mobility of skilled professionals.