SAPPORO—Six Myanmar nationals gave a tearful account here of the daily physical abuse they endured on a farm in Kyogoku, Hokkaido.

The men and women between ages 19 and 30 are under the protective custody of a local labor union that filed a request with the agricultural company to immediately cease physical attacks and abuse of foreign workers and to distribute all unpaid wages.

The labor union also said the information had been turned over to the Immigration Services Agency.

The company did not respond to questions from The Asahi Shimbun.

The six individuals from Myanmar arrived in Japan between May and July on the specified skilled worker visa.

They said company officials beat their heads with a pole or bare hands several times and they also suffered verbal abuse.

One claimed they sustained an injury as a result. A criminal complaint regarding assault will be submitted on Aug. 24.

At the news conference held on Aug. 21, one man said, “My days were filled with hope prior to my departure from Myanmar.”

He added, “My family tried to stop me from coming, but I convinced them Japan was a very good nation and that there were kind people at the company.”

But what awaited the workers was relentless abuse.

If they did not understand instructions, they were beaten with what looked like a metal pole on their thighs.

One man said, “Every morning when I awoke I thought, ‘How will I be beaten today?’ and, ‘How will I be scolded?’ I was afraid.”

He had to pause his explanation after choking up. The other five looked down and also began to cry.

“I become afraid when I think that even if I go to another workplace, I might encounter the same thing,” the man said.

When asked what they wanted to say to society, one said, “We came to Japan to work so I want to be treated properly and taught properly.”

They said there were about another 20 or so other people from Myanmar working at the farm.