20 Pct of Major Japan Firms to Increase Spring 2027 Recruits

Tokyo, March 26 (Jiji Press)–A Jiji Press survey showed Thursday that 21 of 100 major Japanese companies plan to increase the recruitment of new graduates for spring 2027 from the levels this year. More than half of the 100 firms said that it will become difficult to recruit new graduates in 2028 and later. It is believed that new graduates will continue to have the upper hand in the job market in the foreseeable future. Of the 21 companies, East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, plans to hire about 930 new graduates, up roughly 20 pct from spring 2026, to strengthen its human capital for needed for the implementation of its management vision. Daiwa House Industry Co. intends to double its recruitment to about 400, after limiting this year’s hiring to the minimum as it proceeds with structural reforms. Meanwhile, 21 firms said they will reduce their spring 2027 recruitment. As the reason, home appliance manufacturer Panasonic Holdings Corp. said that the company is “shifting to a highly productive corporate system by improving operational efficiency.” Daiwa Securities Group Inc. said that it is continuously conducting midcareer hiring and that the turnover rate at the brokerage group has fallen. Eight firms said they will keep the number of 2027 new recruits unchanged while 50 said they have yet to decide their hiring plans. On the outlook for 2028 and later, 51 companies said that it will become difficult for them to secure the necessary number of new graduates, and no firms said it will be easier to do so. Mitsubishi Materials Corp. said, “The start of recruitment selection and the timing for informal job offers have been brought forward.” Beverage group Suntory Holdings Ltd. said it needs to “address diversifying values among students.” Some 20 pct of the 100 surveyed companies said they will actively conduct midcareer hiring in the medium to long term. Construction company Shimizu Corp. said it is increasing midcareer hiring because the recruitment of new graduates is on the decline due to the falling number of students. Electronics maker NEC Corp. said it is balancing the recruitment of new graduates and that of midcareer workers to diversify its human resources. In the survey, 50 companies said that they will maintain or increase the recruitment of people who have skills related to artificial intelligence. The questionnaire for the survey was sent to the 100 companies from mid-February. Answers were collected by late this month. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]