UNAIR NEWS – A delegation from the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) at Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) visited the HITOWA office at Shinagawa Intercity C Building in Tokyo. The group was led by FIB Dean Syahrur Marta Dwisusilo, PhD, alongside Nunuk Endah Srimulyani, PhD, coordinator of the Japanese Language and Literature Study Program. The visit, held on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, marks a continued effort by FIB to broaden its global partnerships, particularly in community engagement and collaboration with industry (DUDIKA).
HITOWA Care Service Co., Ltd., part of Japan’s HITOWA Group, provides a wide range of elderly care and daily living services. The company manages 144 senior care facilities under the “Irise” brand across Japan. In response to workforce shortages and rising demand in the caregiving sector, HITOWA has launched an international recruitment initiative, including outreach to candidates from Indonesia. The company is currently working with several Indonesian universities to cultivate and recruit skilled professionals in caregiving services.
Assessing the HITOWA training program
Akihiro Yamamoto, Executive Officer of Business at HITOWA, welcomed the delegation and presented an overview of the HITOWA Care Academy Indonesia program. During the visit, the FIB delegation conducted a direct review of the program, which is designed to offer opportunities for professional development and global learning for UNAIR faculty members and students in the caregiving field.
HITOWA Care Academy Indonesia, launched in May 2025, delivers training rooted in Japanese caregiving practices and the company’s distinct approach. The program incorporates the kaigo method, a form of elderly care that emphasizes a human-centered approach, guided by the core values of hito (humanity) and wa (harmony). The initiative will begin with an instructor training scheme, including hands-on training in Japan. Participants are expected to complete approximately 80 hours of instruction, with the first cohort scheduled to begin in October 2026.
“Caring for people must be done by people. For that reason, developing individuals who can provide compassionate, human-centered care is at the heart of this program,” Yamamoto said. The statement reflects HITOWA’s guiding slogan: “Hito no tame ni. Hito no chikara de. Tomo ni ashita e” (for people, through the power of people, moving forward together toward tomorrow).
The visit to the HITOWA training center is expected to serve a concrete step in expanding opportunities for UNAIR faculty and students, particularly in preparing them to enter the global caregiving workforce with strong professional standards.
Author: Dhaniswari Ananta Ayu MHum
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
