Plus W Inc. Launches New Project "Pakistan Advanced IT Talent Development & Japanese Language Education" to Send Pakistani IT Professionals to Japanese Companies
Plus W Inc., in collaboration with the Pakistani government, has launched a project to develop and send highly skilled IT talent to Japanese companies. Targeting 54 students from nine universities, the program provides IT skills and Japanese language training to address Japan's projected IT talent shortage by 2030.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: January 21, 2025 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 15:02 (11084h 1m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 15:03 (1 min after Collected)
Plus W Inc. (President and CEO: Wakako Sakurai), in collaboration with the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) of the Pakistani government, launched the "Pakistan Advanced IT Talent Development & Japanese Language Education Project" on January 10, 2025. This program aims to provide Pakistani university students with advanced IT skills and Japanese language proficiency to succeed in the Japanese IT sector and promote employment in Japan.
### Overview of the New Program
Japan is currently facing a severe talent shortage in the IT industry. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, it is predicted that there will be a shortage of up to 787,000 IT professionals by 2030. In response to this situation, Pakistan has an abundance of excellent talent with high-level IT skills, and this program aims to utilize that talent to meet the needs of the Japanese IT industry.
The "Advanced IT Talent Development & Japanese Language Education Project" partners with nine prominent universities in Pakistan to provide selected students with the latest IT technology and Japanese language education. The training content covers everything from the basics of IT technology to advanced specialized knowledge, equipping them with skills to become immediate assets in Japanese companies. Furthermore, through Japanese language education, students will enhance their ability to communicate smoothly within Japanese companies and be provided with opportunities to gain practical experience.
### Goals of the New Program and the Vision for the Future
Wakako Sakurai, President of Plus W, commented:
"Through this new initiative, we aim to connect Pakistan's excellent IT engineers with the growing needs of Japanese companies and further strengthen the cooperative relationship between our two countries. Over the past five years, we have hired 26 Pakistani individuals and handled 65 projects. In these projects, Pakistani IT engineers have played crucial roles in Japanese companies, proving their technical capabilities and operational performance. Based on these achievements, we expect even more Pakistani IT engineers to excel in Japan in the future. Additionally, Mr. Kuninori Matsuda, former Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine and Pakistan, has joined Plus W as an advisor since January 2025, and we expect his experience and vision to contribute to the success of this project."
### 54 Students to Attend the Program for One Year in the First Year
The program is largely divided into "Advanced IT Education" and "Japanese Language Education specialized for IT Development." A total of 54 third- and fourth-year students have been recruited from nine universities across three regions: Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. The lecture format is a hybrid of on-site and remote sessions, with IT education held once or twice a week and Japanese language education held once a week. Our team of instructors, who focus on the ultimate goal of working for Japanese companies, consists of Japanese professionals with extensive experience in managing overseas IT engineers and Pakistani IT engineers who have experience working in Japanese companies. Additionally, Japanese language education is conducted by our instructors with long-term experience in the field, along with cooperation from the International Social Contribution Center.
### Participating Universities
- National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)
- National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST)
- COMSATS University (COMSATS)
- University of the Punjab (PU)
- University of Central Punjab (UCP)
- University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (UET Lahore)
- University of Karachi (UOK)
- NED University of Engineering and Technology (NEDUET)
- Institute of Business Management (IoBM)
### Ceremony Held in Pakistan to Commemorate Project Commencement
To commemorate the start of this project, a ceremony was held in Pakistan on January 10. The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests who strongly support the promotion of this project. Approximately 100 stakeholders participated in the ceremony, witnessing the President of Plus W receiving a shield from Minister Hussain.
### List of Attendees
**Japanese Side:**
- Shuichi Akamatsu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pakistan
- Machi Itonaga, Director of JETRO Karachi Office
- Takashi Yamabe, Director, The Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships
- Kuninori Matsuda, Advisor to Plus W Inc. (Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine, Former Ambassador to Pakistan)
- Wakako Sakurai, President and CEO of Plus W Inc.
**Pakistani Side:**
- Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development
- Raza Bashir Tarar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan
- Arshad Mahmood, Federal Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development
- Nasser Khan Kashani, Managing Director of Overseas Employment Corporation
- Vice Chancellors and representatives from participating universities
- Pakistani students participating in the project
### Overview of the New Program
Japan is currently facing a severe talent shortage in the IT industry. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, it is predicted that there will be a shortage of up to 787,000 IT professionals by 2030. In response to this situation, Pakistan has an abundance of excellent talent with high-level IT skills, and this program aims to utilize that talent to meet the needs of the Japanese IT industry.
The "Advanced IT Talent Development & Japanese Language Education Project" partners with nine prominent universities in Pakistan to provide selected students with the latest IT technology and Japanese language education. The training content covers everything from the basics of IT technology to advanced specialized knowledge, equipping them with skills to become immediate assets in Japanese companies. Furthermore, through Japanese language education, students will enhance their ability to communicate smoothly within Japanese companies and be provided with opportunities to gain practical experience.
### Goals of the New Program and the Vision for the Future
Wakako Sakurai, President of Plus W, commented:
"Through this new initiative, we aim to connect Pakistan's excellent IT engineers with the growing needs of Japanese companies and further strengthen the cooperative relationship between our two countries. Over the past five years, we have hired 26 Pakistani individuals and handled 65 projects. In these projects, Pakistani IT engineers have played crucial roles in Japanese companies, proving their technical capabilities and operational performance. Based on these achievements, we expect even more Pakistani IT engineers to excel in Japan in the future. Additionally, Mr. Kuninori Matsuda, former Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine and Pakistan, has joined Plus W as an advisor since January 2025, and we expect his experience and vision to contribute to the success of this project."
### 54 Students to Attend the Program for One Year in the First Year
The program is largely divided into "Advanced IT Education" and "Japanese Language Education specialized for IT Development." A total of 54 third- and fourth-year students have been recruited from nine universities across three regions: Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. The lecture format is a hybrid of on-site and remote sessions, with IT education held once or twice a week and Japanese language education held once a week. Our team of instructors, who focus on the ultimate goal of working for Japanese companies, consists of Japanese professionals with extensive experience in managing overseas IT engineers and Pakistani IT engineers who have experience working in Japanese companies. Additionally, Japanese language education is conducted by our instructors with long-term experience in the field, along with cooperation from the International Social Contribution Center.
### Participating Universities
- National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)
- National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST)
- COMSATS University (COMSATS)
- University of the Punjab (PU)
- University of Central Punjab (UCP)
- University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (UET Lahore)
- University of Karachi (UOK)
- NED University of Engineering and Technology (NEDUET)
- Institute of Business Management (IoBM)
### Ceremony Held in Pakistan to Commemorate Project Commencement
To commemorate the start of this project, a ceremony was held in Pakistan on January 10. The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests who strongly support the promotion of this project. Approximately 100 stakeholders participated in the ceremony, witnessing the President of Plus W receiving a shield from Minister Hussain.
### List of Attendees
**Japanese Side:**
- Shuichi Akamatsu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pakistan
- Machi Itonaga, Director of JETRO Karachi Office
- Takashi Yamabe, Director, The Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships
- Kuninori Matsuda, Advisor to Plus W Inc. (Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine, Former Ambassador to Pakistan)
- Wakako Sakurai, President and CEO of Plus W Inc.
**Pakistani Side:**
- Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development
- Raza Bashir Tarar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan
- Arshad Mahmood, Federal Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development
- Nasser Khan Kashani, Managing Director of Overseas Employment Corporation
- Vice Chancellors and representatives from participating universities
- Pakistani students participating in the project