Asia

Nepali psychiatrist guidance for Nepalese in Japan

Nepal's community in Japan has grown quickly through language schools, university programmes and the Specified Skilled Worker route, with many arriving in Tokyo, Osaka and other cities needing to reach a working level of Japanese fast while adjusting to a demanding culture of workplace hierarchy, punctuality and long overtime hours. Part-time jobs in convenience stores, restaurants or factories are often combined with study or shift work that leaves little time to rest, and the pressure to send money home adds another layer of responsibility. Company or shared dormitory housing can also mean very little private space to speak openly, even during a phone call. The pressure to appear composed and not burden others, valued in both Nepali and Japanese culture, can make it especially hard to admit that something is wrong. Japan's own strong cultural stigma around discussing emotional difficulty, even among Japanese colleagues, can make it doubly hard for a Nepali worker or student to find the words in a second language. Those who came through the Technical Intern Training or Specified Skilled Worker routes may also face a rigid employer relationship that makes it harder to change jobs or push back on difficult working conditions, which can leave symptoms of anxiety or depression unaddressed for far longer than they otherwise would be.