In Japan, 67 Nepalis have died in the last 10 months. Of these, 25 have committed suicide. Most of them are those who went to work on student visas.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 67 Nepalis have died from last Shravan to Jestha 18. The number of deaths due to illness is low. Some death certificates state the cause, but most of them are written as 'unknown'.

Acting Ambassador to Japan Harihar Kant Poudel said that the management of bodies has become very complicated due to the increase in deaths in recent times. 'Some family members have been performing the last rites here.' In some cases, relatives have not even informed the embassy after the last rites have been performed,' he said.

It costs about 1.2 million rupees to bring a body to Nepal from Japan. Educational institutions have not even borne the cost of sending the bodies of students who came on student visas to Nepal. Such educational institutions do not contact the embassy. Recently, people have started going to Japan on student visas to study the language. There is no provision for those who go on student visas in this way to obtain a work permit from the Department of Foreign Employment. The Foreign Employment Board does not pay for the transportation or management of the bodies of workers who die without a work permit.

Nepalis who have died or committed suicide are especially employed in the construction sector, hotels and restaurants run by Nepalis, and supply companies. The number of hotels and restaurants run by Nepalis in Japan is about 6,000. Restaurant operators do not pay workers' health insurance and social security payments.

Nepalese educational consulting firms are sending them by offering various incentives and charging high fees. According to Japanese government records, 116,000 students will be in Japan by 2025. This number is second only to China for Nepalis. Nepal is currently ranked fifth in the list of immigrants in Japan. The total number of Nepalis in Japan is 3992. Of these, 9,908 are Nepalis who have obtained permanent resident identity cards.

According to the Non-Resident Nepali Association, Japan, Nepali students who have come to Japan after taking out high-interest loans are under mental pressure. 'Since Japan is expensive, 28 hours of earnings are not enough to cover room rent, food, and tuition fees,' said Sachin Acharya, Secretary of NRN Japan. 'There is mental stress when families ask for money to pay Nepal's loans. Language and skills are required to obtain a work visa from a student visa. It is very difficult. Due to which suicides seem to be increasing.'

According to him, since student visas are easy to obtain, workers have started coming on student visas. 'Those who cannot find work have to ask for money from Nepal to cover their expenses.' In cases where it is found that they have worked more than 28 hours, "Every day, Nepalis are being arrested," he said. "There is a shortage of manpower in the Nepali embassy. Due to which it is becoming difficult for the embassy to go to jail." Uma Khatri, a Nepali student studying in Japan, said that life is very difficult. "I never thought that I would have to suffer so much after coming to Japan. I have to come fluent in Japanese. It is good for those who work hard, but it is difficult for students." He said. "Living in the city is very expensive. House rent is cheap in the villages, but work is not available. 80 percent attendance in college is mandatory. If this is not done, there will be problems in renewing the visa." Hira Shreesh from Baglung, who reached Japan after paying 1.35 million, said that even those who work more than 28 hours a week will not be able to pay for food, clothing and interest alone. ‘You can expect a lot from Nepal, but some find it difficult to pay off the loan within two years,’ he said, ‘The reality of thinking in Nepal and experiencing it in Japan is very different. When living in Nepal, many people think that 70-80 thousand is a lot. But in Japan, even if you earn more than one lakh, you cannot send it home. It is also difficult to survive. Money does not stay in your hand.’

He said that students are often lured by the sweet talk of consultancy. ‘You have to learn the language for a year. There is no guarantee of work. There is a lot of competition even in part-time,’ he said, ‘You have to work two jobs to save money. Which is illegal. This can even lead to the cancellation of your visa.’

It is very rare to go to Japan as a skilled worker. Trainee workers are used to go in the business and agricultural sectors. The Nepali Embassy has sent a letter to the Ministry of Labor through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not to send them with individual labor permits. In the last fiscal year alone, the number of people who have obtained labor permits (institutional and individual) from the Department of Foreign Employment was only 18,744. Of these, only 5,800 are women.