日本の評価引き下げ　外国人技能実習制度で―米人身売買報告書

　【ワシントン時事】米国務省は２５日、人身売買に関する国別の状況をまとめた２０１９年版の報告書を発表した。日本については「外国人技能実習制度に絡む強制労働」などが行われ、それらへの対応が不十分だと判断し、被害者保護の取り組みの評価を４段階のうち最高ランクから２番目に引き下げた。
　報告書は、日本に関して外国人技能実習制度の下で、「強制労働が行われている」とする継続的な報告があるにもかかわらず、１９年は１件も摘発されていないと指摘。外国人技能実習生を日本に送り出す海外機関による法外な手数料徴収を防ぐための取り締まりが十分に行われていないことも問題視した。（2020/06/26-09:21）

The United States has downgraded its rating on Japan regarding protection for human trafficking victims by one notch, from the highest Tier 1 to Tier 2 on a four-level scale, an annual report showed Thursday.
   Japan's rating fell to Tier 2 for the first time in three years.
   The Japanese government "does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so," the Department of State's latest Trafficking in Persons Report said.
   The Japanese authorities failed to identify any trafficking case among foreign technical trainees working in the country, despite "persisting reports of forced labor" among such migrants, according to the report.
   It said that "the government did not fully implement legally mandated screening procedures aimed at blocking foreign-based labor recruitment agencies from charging excessive fees--a key driver of debt-based coercion" among such foreign trainees.