TOKYO: When Vanessa, a worker with Japan’s “technical intern” programme, told her supervisors she was pregnant, she says they first suggested an abortion and then pressured her to quit.
It’s an example, activists say, of the abuses faced by vulnerable workers in a controversial programme that helps Japan meet its labour needs.
The programme, which had around 275,000 workers from countries including China and Vietnam last year, is supposed to give participants specialised experience that will be of use…
