Myanmar worker claims he was beaten with stick at Hokkaido farm
TOKYO -- A Myanmar man who fled a farm in Hokkaido, where he was employed under Japan's Specified Skilled Worker status, said at a news conference in
A Myanmar man working on a farm in Hokkaido claimed he was beaten and harassed by associates of the farm's operator. The man, in his 30s, arrived in Japan in May to work under a Specified Skilled Worker visa. At a news conference in Tokyo, he detailed being grabbed by the collar and struck with a stick when he made errors or struggled with Japanese communication.
The man plans to file criminal complaints against two individuals, including a local assembly member, whom he suspects of assault. Six other Myanmar nationals, both men and women, have also been taken in by the Sapporo General Union for similar allegations of violence and verbal abuse at the same farm. One of the men filed a police complaint in late August, accusing two individuals connected to the agricultural corporation of assault and causing injury.
The agricultural corporation admitted employing around 30 Myanmar workers since May, raising concerns about widespread assault and harassment. The Sapporo Regional Immigration Services Bureau is investigating the matter. The assembly member overseeing the farm has not publicly addressed the allegations and skipped the recent assembly session, citing personal reasons.
Notably, a company at the same address faced an administrative penalty in March 2022 for violating the human rights of technical interns.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
