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Indonesian Tuna Crews Jump Ship In Japanff

18 October 2007 Japan

Thirty-four fisheries laborers, mostly from Indonesia, who have been missing since arriving in Japan this year aboard fishing boats under the “Maru-ship” system, were recruited by three temporary staffing companies in Indonesia, it was learned Tuesday.

The Maru-ship system is designed to simplify the landing formalities of foreign crew members.

The Indonesian firms are suspected of laxity in screening the working qualifications of the Indonesians, who are believed to have gone into hiding upon arrival in Japan in an attempt to stay in the country illegally, according to the fisheries industry-affiliated management committee in charge of administering the Maru-ship system for fishing vessels.

The committee said it will now turn down applications from fishing boats carrying foreign workers mediated by the three Indonesian temp job agencies under the Maru-ship system. The number of foreigners unaccounted for after their fishing boats -which are entitled to use the simplified entry procedures- arrived in Japan has reached 45, 34 of whom were found to be connected with the three Indonesian temp job agencies, the committee said.

There are about 180 tuna boats operating in waters near Japan under the Maru-ship system, with about 1,000 foreign crew members, according to the committee.