ETAJIMA, Hiroshima Prefecture —In this island city in the Seto Inland Sea, a haunting tragedy contrasts with the harsh reality: foreign workers are both a source of fear and an essential economic lifeline.

Once tainted by a violent crime committed by a foreign technical intern more than a decade ago, Etajima now faces the challenge of breaking down invisible barriers and fostering coexistence to preserve its vital oyster farming industry.

LABOR SHIFT IN JAPAN

The labor landscape that has shifted dramatically in recent years in Etajima is a phenomenon seen across Japan.

According to calculations by The Asahi Shimbun with the help of Makoto Kato, a researcher at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., of the nation’s 67.81 million workers, more than 2.3 million—or roughly one in every 29—are foreign nationals. Just over a decade ago, the ratio was one in 112.

Urban centers such as Tokyo lead the way in foreign workers, with one in 14 workers being a foreigner, but rural regions are witnessing the fastest growth. Hokkaido, Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures have seen foreign labor increase seven- to eightfold over the past decade.

Sectors suffering from labor shortages show particularly high ratios: food manufacturing employs one foreign worker for every seven employees; accommodations, one in 14; restaurants, one in 13; agriculture, one in 30; and fisheries, one in 19.

With Japan’s working-age population projected to shrink sharply by 2070, dependence on foreign labor is no longer a choice but a necessity.

A DARK PAST

In March 2013, Etajima’s oyster industry suffered a shocking blow: a Chinese technical intern at a local oyster farming business killed the company's president and an employee, injuring seven others.

The homicides cast a long shadow, fueled by the intern’s isolation and frustration. One defense attorney described the intern’s actions as “an eruption of pent-up stress.”

Despite that trauma, the number of foreign residents on Etajima has nearly doubled over the past decade to approximately 950, while the general population has shrunk by some 6,000 to 20,265. Today, one in 21 Etajima residents is a foreign national.

In Hiroshima Prefecture’s fishery industry, including oyster farming, the youth workforce is overwhelmingly foreign: nearly all fishery workers in their 20s are foreigners, according to the 2020 census.

Etajima Mayor Sansei Dote acknowledges the social challenges.

“There are barriers of preconception, barriers of values and barriers of language,” he said in early August, describing the “three invisible walls” that complicate integration efforts.

“Removing these mental walls among Japanese residents is difficult,” the mayor said. “Things are not rosy. But we can’t make it without the help of foreigners.”

TRIALS OF AN OYSTER FARM

At the 70-year-old Kakiuchi oyster farm on Etajima, foreign employees are indispensable.

Six workers—from Indonesia and Vietnam—toil alongside the family owners in the backbreaking task of harvesting and shucking oysters.

The physical toll and early morning starts deter local workers, pushing the farm to depend entirely on overseas labor.

Ryota Kakiuchi, 37, the son of company President Ryuji Kakiuchi, said, “Hauling in oysters requires physical strength. It's not a rewarding job. It's difficult to recruit Japanese workers, so we have no choice but to rely on foreigners.”

During the harvest season from November to May, boats set sail after 4 a.m. to haul in oysters suspended from rafts offshore. Upon returning to port, the workers continue oyster shucking by hand until the evening. Each worker produces 50 to 100 kilograms of shucked oysters per day.

I Komang Angga Punarujaya, 23, a new worker, came from Indonesia after learning Japanese in high school. He finds the work grueling.

“Winters are cold, mornings begin early. The work varies by season, so it was hard to get used to,” he said.

But during harvest season, he earns nearly seven times more than his previous job at a convenience store in Indonesia.

Half of his income covers his living expenses in Etajima; the rest helps his parents back home. He dreams of returning to Indonesia one day to start a wholesale fish business.

Kakiuchi is grateful for foreign workers but worries about their long-term intentions.

“If things continue like this, oyster farmers will disappear,” he said.

To encourage long-term settlement, Kakiuchi is exploring ways to better integrate foreign workers, including utilizing vacant housing in the city.

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

In a survey conducted by the Etajima city government in 2021 and 2022, 60 percent of foreign residents expressed a desire to “actively engage” with their Japanese neighbors. In contrast, only 6 percent of Japanese respondents shared that enthusiasm.

Thirty percent of Japanese residents said, “The current level of interaction is sufficient,” while 15.6 percent said either “I would prefer not to interact” or “I absolutely do not want to interact.”

The largest group, at 42.8 percent, responded, “I don’t know.”

In response, the city government has tried to build bridges by offering free Japanese classes for foreign residents twice a month, where city staff and volunteers teach the language and offer advice on daily life.

Cultural and sports events are also held, bringing together foreigners and Japanese residents.

“The quickest way to eliminate unconscious biases toward foreigners is to get to know them,” said Yukio Yamamoto, manager of the city’s Human Rights Promotion Section.

Etajima’s experience reflects the broader national struggle to create a society where Japanese and foreigners can live and work together in harmony.

“The reality is that foreigners are already living alongside Japanese citizens," Etajima Mayor Dote said. "To ensure a peaceful coexistence, we will get relevant organizations engaged and build face-to-face relationships among residents.”

(This article was compiled from reports written by Tomonori Asada and Michiko Yoshida.)