South-East Asian Nurses’ Experiences Under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Japan: How Language Ability Affects Self-Confidence and Interpersonal Relationships

Introduction: Since 2009, nurses have relocated to Japan from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam under the auspices of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). We asked why some migrant nurses remain in Japan whereas others leave. Method: We applied the methodology of Constructivist Grounded Theory. All participants were internationally educated nurses (IENs) currently or formerly working in Japan after passing the National Nursing Examination. Results: Difficulty in mastering the Japanese language was established as one of the main themes. Initial coding elicited two explanatory sub-categories: lack of confidence in communication and effects of language difficulty on workplace relationships. One explains how practical experience in the workplace affected nurses’ confidence in communication. The other explains how levels of Japanese language attainment shaped relationships with colleagues. Discussion: These findings suggest a need to regulate the working conditions of foreign nurses, and a need for training schemes to optimize IEN retention.