The Philippines and Japan may start discussion during the first half of this year Tokyo's technical internship program for Filipinos, an official said on Wednesday.

In a forum in Quezon City, Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration Administrator Hans Cacdac said the Technical Intern Training Program will give Filipino workers the opportunity to work in Japan.

"They can enter (Japan) as technical interns to develop the skills that they can provide and bring back home in the Philippines," he said.

Cacdac said OWWA will be part of the team that will discuss a possible new cooperation between Manila and Tokyo, but the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration will spearhead the negotiations.

The Japan International Training Cooperation Organization (JITCO), on its website, said the purpose of the program is to transfer skills to technical intern trainees who will form a basis of economic development in their respective countries and play an important role in Japan's international cooperation and contribution.

This will allow technical intern trainees to acquire and master skills from Japanese industries and professions under employment relationship for a maximum period of three years, the JITCO website said.

Cacdac said this program is outside the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement which the two countries forged in 2006.

He was not sure if the agreement to be signed between the two countries on the internship program would be in the form of treaty or executive agreement. Celerina Monte/DMS