Abstract
Between 2008 and 2011, nearly 800 Indonesian nurses and care workers have entered Japan as candidates for registered nurse (kangoshi) or certified care worker (kaigo fukushishi) under the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA). The most serious problem in their everyday life is the difficulty in mastering the Japanese language, which presents a high hurdle for passing the national board examination for registered nurse. Until 2011, only 17 Indonesian nurse examinees have been able to pass the examination, and become registered nurses in Japan. To contribute the developing of a more sustainable IJEPA program, this research aims to explore Indonesian nurse candidates’ learning strategies for passing the national examination in Japan, and identify other factors that hinder their success. Although the number of Indonesian and Japanese interviewees was limited, the analysis of the research demonstrates that strong material and moral support by the management and staff of the receiving hospital is essential in motivating Indonesian candidates to do their best to pass the examination. It also suggests that such support is critical especially in the early stage of training at the workplace even for improving the efficiency of educational investment that makes nurse candidates pass the national exam and become registered nurses in Japan.
