Global Career Development Program

for International Students

Lecturer : Kumi Tanaka

Session ２ Theme

Understanding Japanese Corporate

Culture and Job Practices
Today’s contents
1. Reflection on the previous session
2. Japanese employment environment
3. Japanese recruitment culture
4. Employment conditions for international
students in Japanese companies
Today’s contents
1. Reflection on the previous session
2. Japanese employment environment
3. Japanese recruitment culture
4. Employment conditions for international
students in Japanese companies
 1.Reflection on the previous session
1.What is “Career”?
2.What is “Generic Skill”?
3.What is “Global Talent”?
Today’s contents
1. Reflection on the previous session
2. Japanese employment environment
3. Japanese recruitment culture
4. Employment conditions for international
students in Japanese companies
Is the information and data reliable and up-to-date?

• Data and information are constantly changing. Take care to

always look for the most up-to-date.

• Do not be misled by 'rumours' or 'general information’.

The same information will be received differently depending
on your country of origin and whether you have any experience.
What are Generic Skills?(Examples)
Ability to step forward (action) Ability to think through (thinking)

Initiative Problem-solving
Ability to engage in others Ability to plan
Ability to execute Creativity

Ability to work in a team (Teamwork)

Communicating

Listening skills
flexibility
Situational awareness
Discipline
Stress control
What are Generic Skills?(Examples)
Ability to step forward (action) Ability to think through (thinking)

Initiative Problem-solving
Ability to engage in others Ability to plan
Ability to execute Creativity

Ability to work in a team (Teamwork)

Communicating

Listening skills
flexibility
Situational awareness
Discipline
Stress control
3. Definition of Global Talent by Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)

• Basic abilities as a member of society(e.g., initiative, ability to execute,

communication skills, cooperativeness, ability to think logically,
professional awareness, knowledge of liberal arts)
• Global business skills
• Experience working overseas
• Expertise required for the position
• A willingness to take on new challenges
• Communication skills in foreign languages
• Interest in and adaptability to different cultures
• Qualities and abilities as a global leader
• Ability to manage from a global perspective
Source: Keidanren, Proposal for the development of global human resources, June (2011)
3. Definition of Global Talent by Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)

• Basic abilities as a member of society(e.g., initiative, ability to execute,

communication skills, cooperativeness, ability to think logically,
professional awareness, knowledge of liberal arts)
• Global business skills
• Experience working overseas
• Expertise required for the position
• A willingness to take on new challenges
• Communication skills in foreign languages
• Interest in and adaptability to different cultures
• Qualities and abilities as a global leader
• Ability to manage from a global perspective
Source: Keidanren, Proposal for the development of global human resources, June (2011)
Today’s contents
1. Reflection on the previous session
2. Japanese employment environment
3. Japanese recruitment culture
4. Employment conditions for international
students in Japanese companies
How do you obtain reliable and updated information relevant to
your job search?
The most reliable labour-related data are available from the websites of national ministries.
They are mainly concentrated in the following 4 bodies.

• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare 厚生労働省

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/english/index.html

• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) 経済産業省

https://www.meti.go.jp/english/index.html

• Immigration Services Agency 出入国管理庁

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/?hl=en

• JETRO (independent administrative corporation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/
Always refer to updated information
[Quiz] How many enterprises are there in Japan?
A
There are currently more than 3,600,000 companies in Japan,
of which only 12,000 are large companies. As a percentage,
B
small and medium-sized enterprises account for 99.7%, while
large enterprises account for 0.3%.

A ① 40,000 ② 400,000 ③ 4,000,000

B ① 3.7 ② 99.7 ③ 50.3

 Employment rates of Japanese students

参考データ：https://www.jtuc-
rengo.or.jp/shuppan/roudou/roudou/data
https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20240126-mxt_gakushi01-000033649_2.pdf /yell/vol006/p10-11.pdf?24

Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology research.
 Starting salary by educational background

Total for men and women

Post-graduate master‘s degree 238,900 yen
University graduates 210,200 yen
Colleges of technology and junior colleges 183,900 yen
High school graduates 167,400 yen

Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Summary of results of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure (Starting wages by educational background）.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/itiran/roudou/chingin/kouzou/19/01.html
 Average annual income by age group
平均年収
Average annual income
600

500

400

300

200

100

0
19歳以下 20～24歳 25～29歳 30～34歳 35～39歳 40～44歳 45～49歳 50～54歳 55～59歳 60～64歳 65～69歳 70歳以上

Source: National Tax Administration Agency, "2022 Survey of Private Sector Salaries".
International comparison of average annual salaryc

https://data.oecd.org/earnwage/average-wages.htm
Average length of service of Japanese nationals

https://www.jil.go.jp/kokunai/statistics/timeseries/pdf/g0213_01.pdf
Source:独立行政法人 労働政策研究・研修機構National Institute for Labour Policy and Training (NILPT)
WORK（７min）

• Were there any differences with your country?

• Is there any other information and data you would like to know?
Today’s contents
1. Reflection on the previous session
2. Japanese employment environment
3. Japanese recruitment culture
4. Employment conditions for international
students in Japanese companies
 Employment method

Japan Your country

Simultaneous recruitment of New Graduates

Students are recruited once each year, and

recruitment takes place during their studies.

The system is used by those who do not have

work experience in their home country.

Disadvantage: recruitment takes place once a

year, so it is difficult to find a job if you miss the
recruitment period.

Source: JASSO “Job Hunting Guide for International Students”

https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/ryugaku/after_study_j/job/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2024/02/20/guide_2025_all_e.pdf
Percentage of those who have found a job while still in school

Source: METI 「事務局資料」(2022) https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/economy/mirai_jinzai/pdf/002_03_00.pdf

 Recruitment period

Japan Your country

Many Japanese universities and vocational

schools start in April and graduate in March.
Therefore, students who graduate in March join
the workforce in Japan from 1 April of the
following month. In some cases, students who
graduate in autumn (September) wait until 1
April of the following year after graduation to
join the company, but an increasing number of
companies have recently adopted an October
start date due to the acceptance of overseas
personnel.

Source１: 『留学生のための就職内定ワークブック』（Job offer workbook for international students）

Source２: JASSO “Job Hunting Guide for International Students”
https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/ryugaku/after_study_j/job/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2024/02/20/guide_2025_all_e.pdf
Increasing year-round employment

Source: METI 「 administrative data（事務局資料）」（2022）

https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/economy/mirai_jinzai/pdf/002_03_00.pdf
 Recruitment schedule

Japan Your country

In Japan, many companies follow the same

schedule for recruitment. In addition, job
hunting in Japan starts early. Students who do
not decide in June will continue their job search
thereafter.

On the other hand, companies that do not

necessarily follow Japanese business practices,
such as start-ups and foreign-affiliated
companies, have a flexible schedule and many
recruit throughout the year.

Source:『留学生のための就職内定ワークブック』（Job offer workbook for international students）

 Recruitment Test

Japan Your country

Recruitment tests for Japanese companies

include written tests in mathematics, Japanese,
English and Japanese essays, as well as at least
three interviews of various types.

Source:『留学生のための就職内定ワークブック』（Job offer workbook for international students）

 Reward form

Japan Your country

seniority by length of service

This is a system in which people are not

rewarded according to their achievements, but
are given positions and higher wages according
to the number of years they have worked and
their age. However, many companies have
recently adopted a performance-based system
after a certain period of time.

Source:『留学生のための就職内定ワークブック』（Job offer workbook for international students）

 Employment Criteria

Japan Your country

Potential Employment

Potential hires are people who do not currently

have the skills to be immediately effective in a
company, but whose potential, including their
qualities and potential, can be assessed and
who can be expected to grow.

『留学生のための就職内定ワークブック』（Job offer workbook for international students）

 Job-based and membership-based employment

Japan Your country

Membership-based employment
(General employment)

The company hires without determining the

type of job after joining the company. There is a
change of job type within the company.

→Training of generalists.

『留学生のための就職内定ワークブック』（Job offer workbook for international students）

WORK（７min）

• Did you find any differences with your country's system?

• Find out if there is any other information you would like to

know.
Today’s contents
1. Reflection on the previous session
2. Japanese employment environment
3. Japanese recruitment culture
4. Employment conditions for international
students in Japanese companies
Around 60% of international students at undergraduate and
postgraduate level who wish to work in Japan

Wish to work in Japan Wants to start a business in Japan

Wish to work in home country Wish to work outside Japan/ country of origin
 Employment of international students in Japanese companies
40%-50% of foreign students have been employed in Japan after graduating from or completing
higher education in recent years.

Higher education Number of people employment rate

graduates employed in Japan

Cabinet Secretariat “Reference data collection” (2022) https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/kyouikumirai/sozo_mirai_wg/dai6/siryou3.pdf

 WORK（７min） Find information on the following topics in your group

Areas with high levels of foreign employment

What are the jobs most often taken up by international students?

What companies expect from foreign personnel.

What Japanese language skills do companies require?

？？
WORK（７min）

• Benefits to yourself (if any) of working for a Japanese

company

• Benefits you can give to the company by working for a

Japanese company

• Where and what kind of work you can use your strength or
career?
Homework
For yourself and others, please write your reflections on the
lecture today on the Padlet.