Between precarity and protest: Cambodian migrants and the failures of Japan’s TITP

The suicide of a Cambodian technical intern in 2022 highlighted the failure of Japan’s Technical Intern Training Programme. While existing research primarily examines Vietnamese technical interns, scholarship specifically focusing on Cambodian interns remains scarce. To address this gap, this article utilizes functionalist and historical–structural migration theories to analyse the interplay of agency and structural constraints in shaping the experiences of Cambodian technical interns in Japan. Employing ethnographic case studies conducted in Kanagawa and Gunma Prefectures, this research investigates the reasons behind Cambodian interns’ decisions to abandon their workplaces, transition into undocumented status, and engage in political protests. Drawing from detailed interviews with ten former interns, the study identifies critical factors driving their choices: misinformation received before departure, burdensome financial obligations, exploitative working conditions characterized by excessive working hours and minimal compensation, restricted mobility, the role of unlicensed brokers, labour market demand in illegal sectors, and the pursuit of false asylum claims. Notably, all interviewed interns demonstrated active political engagement, having participated in organized protests in Tokyo. By foregrounding Cambodian migrants’ perspectives, this research contributes novel insights into the complex intersection of labour migration, asylum seeking, and political activism within the context of Japan’s migrant intern policies.