①Job types

Have you ever heard the Japanese word “Sogoshoku”? Sogoshoku refers to a “generalist.” Most new graduates are unable to handle specialized jobs immediately after joining a company. Japanese companies allow employees who are hired to work at various jobs in order to develop long-term human resources. On the other hand, employees at foreign-owned enterprises are often given specialized jobs as soon as they join a company.

②Payment

Japanese companies have long used a seniority-based system. In this system, salary increases as you get older. However, because of this, the starting salary you receive when you first join a company as a new graduate is often about 200,000 yen a month. It is rare to receive a high salary in the first year, but as you work at the company longer, your salary will increase.

③Stability

In addition to the seniority system, Japanese companies still implement a “lifetime employment system.” The lifetime employment system is a system where employees are expected to remain with the company until retirement. Therefore, if you join the company as a full-time employee, it is unlikely that you will be fired unless there is some serious issue. On the other hand, foreign-owned enterprises have a performance-based system, and employees may be dismissed if they do not produce results.