OSAKA/TOKYO Plagued by labor shortages, many of Japan's izakaya pub chains are increasingly relying on Vietnamese part-time workers to fill positions.
Torikizoku, an Osaka-based purveyor of grilled chicken, or yakitori, is one such chain. Known for its across-the-board menu price of 302 yen ($2.79), the chain has been hiring Vietnamese nationals to replace its dwindling number of Chinese employees, who used to make up the majority of its foreign part-time workers but now account for only 1%. At some outlets in central Tokyo, all employees except managers are Vietnamese, depending on the shift.
