1 The Model of Japan and the Philippines Cooperation in the Field of Employment Denada Faraswacyen L. Gaol Budi Luhur University, Indonesia df.lgaol@gmail.com Abstract This study aims to analyze the bilateral cooperation between Japan and the Philippines in the field of labor as an indicator of development. The background of this research lies on the decline in economic productivity due to the decline in the number of Japanese population in the last ten years. Meanwhile, the Philippines faces the problem of unemployment and the population of working age is very large due to demographic bonus. This research uses qualitative approach and descriptive method with secondary data. The results of the research show that the Government of Japan and the Philippines establish bilateral cooperation in the level of collaboration in the field of labor. Japan accepts Overseas Filipino Workers/OFWs based on the consideration of OFW competencies capable of supporting manufacturing and service industries through knowledge and expertise, expertise certification, legal awareness of rights and obligations as migrant workers, foreign language knowledge, historical background, and geographical proximity. Keywords: Bilateral cooperation, Development, Labor 1. Introduction In conducting the development of a country, one of the factors that must be considered is human resources (HR). The availability of human resources becomes the main capital that will contribute as workforce or productive age source performing as a driving factor of development. Therefore, the decline in figure would be a very serious problem, and this is now being faced by the Government of Japan today. The phenomenon of the decline in the number of people which continuously occurs in the last few years has caused a decline in growth rates and per capita income of Japan. The birth rate in Japan declined in 2014, in which according to Ministry of Health, only 1,001,000 babies were born in 2014, 9,000 lower than it was in 2013. The drop was the fourth time in four years and happened amid rising mortality rates. Some say that by 2050 the population of Japan will only reach 97 million or 30 million fewer than now. The impact of the decline in birth rates will harm Japan in many aspects, especially in the economic aspect. Many among the Japanese choose not to have children, so the population of Japan falls sharply, while more than one in four Japanese citizens are now 65 years of age or older. The number of Japanese citizens aged 65 years or more increased from 1.1 million to 33 million. The number of elderly people now exceeds those aged 14 years or younger by the ratio of 2 : 1. The demographic shift is a combination of low birth rates and long life expectancy of Japanese citizens. The increasing elderly Japanese