Jakarta City Council (DPRD) Chairman Khoirudin voiced full support for the Jakarta Government’s plan to send 5,000 residents to internship programs in Japan.

The program is seen as a strategic step to reduce unemployment in the city.

Khoirudin said the initiative is part of the administration's effort to expand job opportunities. Participants will not be sent abroad immediately but will first undergo education and training at the Regional Job Training Centers (PPKD) before being deployed overseas.

"We are making maximum efforts to reduce unemployment, both through training at PPKD and by sending workers abroad, particularly to Japan," he noted on Thursday (2/19).

He explained that several technical issues still need to be resolved to ensure the program runs optimally, including streamlining bureaucracy, preparing the curriculum, handling permits or licensing, and other technical aspects.

"I hope the program can begin soon to recruit residents from Jakarta and surrounding areas," he shared.

Khoirudin added that of the 5,000 workers to be deployed, most will be prioritized for driver positions in the logistics and passenger bus sectors, in line with demand in Japan, which is currently facing a shortage of drivers.

"Many buses in Japan are not operating and remain parked in depots due to a shortage of drivers. Meanwhile, we have a surplus of workers. God willing, we will send them there," he said.

He expressed hope that the program would not only increase employment but also generate a multiplier effect on the economy at both the household and regional levels.

"Of course, I hope this will not only support family economies at the micro level but also strengthen the economy of Jakarta and Indonesia as a whole. They are foreign exchange heroes," Khoirudin asserted.