"Pal" was established on November 4, 2003,  with the support of a local consumer co-operative, Palsystem Saitama. It is a corporation established under the Social Welfare Services Act for the purpose of conducting social welfare business. Currently, it is engaged in the operation of special nursing homes for the elderly, short stays, day services, home-visit nursing care, and home care support.

 The special elderly nursing home operated by Pal in Warabi, Saitama Prefecture, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom

Since caregiver's work is considered hard, there is a shortage of human resources in this area causing a major social issue. Even in the special elderly nursing homes operated by "Pal", there are also more than 10 staff vacancies.

Following the start of the foreign technical intern trainees system in Japan in 2017, "Pal" decided to accept intern trainees so that they could learn the Japanese-style nursing care with the aim of helping ease the labor shortages that are affecting Japan and utilize the skills acquired upon returning to their home countries. The minimum training period is 3 years, and the working condition such as salary is the same as Japanese workers. 

In April 2019, "Pal" hired four foreign technical intern trainees from Myanmar and assigned to special nursing homes for the elderly. The technical interns have a record of working diligently and sincerely in Myanmar and both Ms. FUKUMOTO Kyoko, the Chairperson, and Mr. HASEGAWA Hideyo, the Managing Director of the facility urge the Japanese staff at the facility to work with them and learn each other's strong points.

The Technical Intern Training Act specifies that at the end of the three-year practical training period interns could transfer to another activity institution. It is also possible that highly trained intern trainees could have the opportunity to transfer to activity institutions with much better working conditions. In order to motivate interns to work at Pal for a longer period, Mr. HASEGAWA supports them not only at the workplace but also in their personal daily lives including helping them with shopping and cooking, sometimes taking them out to play or to the hospital to see a doctor when they feel unwell. In addition, by providing life support services such as lending them company housing and accepting them wholeheartedly as colleagues in the workplace, they have been able to settle down.

 The foreign technical intern trainee happily talking with the resident

"Pal" also holds study sessions and training programs for the interns to acquire the qualification of a care worker. Care worker examination qualification requires at least 3 years of work experience and the examination is taken once a year. If the training period is extended and during that period an intern passes the care worker examination, he or she will be granted indefinite resident status in Japan as a nursing care professional.

"The trainees now say they want to stay in Japan forever," said Ms. FUKUMOTO. In April 2020, five new intern trainees were accepted from Myanmar. The trainees who were accepted last year now have juniors, and "Pal" is beginning to create a workplace in the new environment.