Indian techies backbone of Japan's IT industry

Tokyo: Indian system engineers are making their presence felt in Japan's information technology industry. At the end of 2008, 22,000 Indians were living in Japan, nearly double the number a decade ago.

"India is already the international standard in the IT world," said Kenichi Yoshida, Director of Softbridge Solutions Japan, a staffing company. Its founder is an Indian-American, who set up the Japanese company in 2002.

Indian engineers are sent out to Japan after studying Japanese language for five months. In addition to operation and maintenance of financial information systems, they are in charge of systems development for computers and mobile phones, reports Kyodo news agency.

"While the number of working people is decreasing in Japan, in India, the number will continue to increase until 2040. Education levels are also high. It's important for Japanese industry to work together with India," said Yoshida.

Softbridge Solutions also provides opportunities for Japanese engineers to undergo training in India for two to four months, and major Japanese enterprises are taking advantage of the service. "Everything is in English there. They eat curry from same bowl and return home a lot tougher," said Yoshida.

Tokyo's Edogawa Ward has the highest number of Indian residents, at about 2,200. After visa requirements for engineers working in Japan were eased in 2001, Indians flocked to the ward because it is close to the centre of Tokyo and prices are lower than in other wards. "Until several years ago, there were only men in their 20s whose families were back home, but recently, the number of Indians accompanied by their families is increasing," said Jagmohan Chandrani, 57, President of a company, who came to Japan about 30 years ago.

Chandrani imports and sells black tea, runs a guest house and also serves as leader of the Indian society in the ward, assisting his countrymen in their day-to-day lives. Many new residents are from Bangalore, known as India's Silicon Valley. Given that tandoori chicken and nan, which are popular in Japan, are northern Indian dishes, Chandrani has opened a southern Indian restaurant and a food store for engineers yearning for the taste of home.

Chandrani hopes that the ward will become not an 'India town' but a place serving as bridge between the two countries.