Meghalaya launches Japanese language training as state targets major overseas placements

A new step in Meghalaya’s overseas employment strategy took shape on November 17 as the state government opened a dedicated Japanese language training centre in Shillong, signalling a push to scale up international placements, particularly in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, hospitality and IT.

The initiative follows rising evidence that overseas skilling is already paying dividends. According to the state government, 37 nurses currently working in Japan are “on average sending back 1 lakh rupees per month to their family”, a figure officials say illustrates the long-term economic potential for Meghalaya’s workforce.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the programme is intended to widen similar opportunities for many more young people. He described the launch as “a very important and a very big step for our state and for our youth”, adding that the government hopes to see “about 10,000 to 15,000 of our boys and girls go to Japan” over time.

Addressing new trainees, he noted, “You are getting an opportunity which others did not get… the kind of opportunities that will open up is going to be unlimited.”

Labour and Employment Minister Methodius Dkhar said the institute could become a gateway for young people from across the North East, adding that he hopes it “will be the opportunity for the youth of our state… to go abroad and especially to the country of Japan.”

ASEAN Group chair Nishikwa Toshiaki, whose organisation is partnering with Meghalaya on placements, said he viewed it as his mission “to have you find employment in good companies in Japan, so you can earn more money and send it back”.

The training centre follows an MoU signed between the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society and the ASEAN Group on September 5, 2025, in Japan. The agreement sets a target of training and placing 500 candidates in the first year and 5,000 over five years.

Officials described the launch as part of a broader strategy to equip Meghalaya’s youth with globally competitive skills while strengthening economic and cultural links with Japan.