在日本，儘管現有印度居民數量僅約5.4萬人，其中東京西葛西地區因印度社區聚集而被稱為“小印度”，這一規模似乎並不顯著，但近日日印兩國達成的人才引進計畫卻引發廣泛關注，讓人不禁聯想日本未來的人口和勞動力結構可能會出現類似加拿大的變化。根據這項行動計畫，未來五年內，計畫實現雙向流動人員總數達50萬，其中包括引進5萬名印度技術人才及潛在人才赴日工作和學習。

該計畫在2025年日印年度峰會上獲得兩國一致認同，旨在通過互訪和交流，加深兩國國民理解，並探索在人才培養、技術合作及產業創新方面的合作機會。印度官方強調，計畫將利用日印兩國的人力互補性，推動聯合研究、商業化及價值創造，並通過文化、教育及基層交流投資未來，為兩國經濟發展奠定基礎。日本方面，尤其關注IT、製造業及護理等領域的人才短缺問題，通過引進印度人才可以緩解勞動力緊缺，同時也促進人工智慧、軟體發展、半導體等高科技領域的聯合研究與發展。

計畫明確指出，日本公司將赴印度高校進行招聘，日本高校也將與印度高校啟動新的交流專案，以推動科研合作。此外，護理行業人才需求尤為迫切，日本政府預計到2035年護理人員缺口將超過30萬，對印度護士來說，不僅意味著更高的薪資，也意味著進入一個長期需求穩定的行業。製造業、建築工地以及餐飲、酒店、農業和食品加工等行業同樣依賴外國勞動力，第一批印度技術實習生早在2019年就抵達日本。此次行動計畫將拓展這些途徑，為焊工、電工及工廠工人提供更多機會，同時通過增加印度考試中心、政府支援的日語課程和電子移民系統，減少申請過程中的詐騙風險。

此外，該計畫也關注教育和科研交流，在總計50萬名流動人員中，學生和培訓人員將佔據重要比例，為兩國在人才培養和科技創新方面奠定基礎。這項計畫不僅回應日本因人口老齡化和勞動力萎縮面臨的迫切需求，也為印度年輕人提供新的職業和發展機會，預計將對兩國經濟和社會結構產生深遠影響。

In Japan, although the current Indian resident population is only about 54,000, with Tokyo’s Nishikasai area earning the nickname “Little India” due to the community concentration, the recently announced India-Japan talent introduction plan has drawn widespread attention. This initiative raises questions about whether Japan could experience demographic and workforce changes similar to those seen in Canada. According to the plan, over the next five years, a total of 500,000 personnel will participate in bilateral exchanges, including the introduction of 50,000 Indian skilled and potential talents to Japan for work and study.

The plan was endorsed during the 2025 India-Japan Annual Summit, aiming to deepen mutual understanding through visits and exchanges and to explore cooperation opportunities in talent development, technological collaboration, and industrial innovation. The Indian government emphasized that the plan would leverage the complementary workforce strengths of both countries to promote joint research, commercialization, and value creation. It also highlights cultural, educational, and grassroots exchanges as an investment in the future. For Japan, which faces labor shortages in IT, manufacturing, and healthcare, bringing in Indian talent can help mitigate workforce gaps while fostering joint research in high-tech sectors like artificial intelligence, software development, and semiconductors.

The initiative specifies that Japanese companies will recruit directly from Indian universities, while Japanese universities will launch exchange programs with Indian institutions to promote collaborative research. In particular, the demand for healthcare workers is urgent: the Japanese government estimates a shortage of over 300,000 nursing staff by 2035. For Indian nurses, this presents not only higher salaries but also long-term job stability. Other sectors such as manufacturing, construction, hospitality, agriculture, and food processing also rely heavily on foreign labor. The first batch of Indian technical interns arrived in Japan in 2019, and this plan expands opportunities for welders, electricians, and factory workers. Additional measures, including more exam centers in India, government-supported Japanese language courses, and integration into Japan’s electronic immigration system, aim to reduce fraud risks.

The plan also emphasizes education and research, with students and trainees making up a significant portion of the 500,000 personnel, laying the foundation for talent development and technological innovation. Overall, the initiative addresses Japan’s urgent needs due to an aging population and shrinking workforce while offering new career and development opportunities for young Indians, with long-term implications for both countries’ economies and social structures.