Saturday 16th April, 2011
program+ (AP) - MANILA, April 16 (Kyodo)—Around 15 percent of nurses and caregivers from the Philippines and Indonesia have withdrawn from a program to work in Japan in fiscal 2011 in the wake of last month's devastating earthquake and tsunami, an intermediary organization said Saturday.
The Japan International Corp. of Welfare Services said 43 nurses and caregivers had withdrawn, citing fears of radioactive contamination from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and continued aftershocks.
The number of cancellations is the largest since applicants in Indonesia and the Philippines began arriving in Japan in 2008 and respectively, according to officials of the organization and Japan's welfare ministry.
The cancellations have reduced the total number of nurses and caregivers taking part in this year's program to 239, the officials said, adding they are worried that if the number of cancellations grows it could undermine the program.