Unleashed Japanese Employment: "Demand for Hiring Korean Talent Remains Strong"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jin-ho] With the easing of entry restrictions in Japan, a green light has been lit for young Koreans seeking employment in Japan. Japan is a country with high demand for workers due to chronic low birth rates and an aging population. Recently, the relaxation of COVID-19 quarantine measures has brought more vitality to the job market.

According to the KOTRA Japan Regional Trade Office on the 12th, about 200 candidates who were finally accepted by Japanese companies but had been waiting in Korea due to entry restrictions over the past two years were recorded as of the end of last year.

Since the easing of entry restrictions on March 1, 81 of them have entered Japan and started their jobs. The Japanese government increased the daily quota of foreign entrants from 10,000 to 20,000 starting in June and plans to resume tourist visas soon.

Japan is a country experiencing a so-called labor shortage, where there are more job openings than job seekers. The effective job openings-to-applicants ratio has consistently remained above 1 since December 2013, maintaining 1.23 even during the economic downturn caused by COVID-19.

The most promising employment sector in Japan is undoubtedly the IT industry. While companies are focusing on securing IT talent to respond to industrial changes such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, there is a shortage of technical and science-related personnel, so hiring demand is expected to continue.

Additionally, the manufacturing sector centered on automobiles and parts, where Japan traditionally holds strengths, also has high hiring demand. Since the entry of foreign tourists was permitted on the 10th, service industries such as tourism, hotels, and retail have also emerged as promising fields.

Tsukamoto, HR manager at Hitachi Logistics Software, said, “We highly evaluate Korean talent in various aspects such as language skills and local adaptability,” adding, “We are steadily conducting new recruitments, and the number of experienced hires has increased since the outbreak of COVID-19.”

Kim Sam-sik, head of KOTRA’s Japan Regional Headquarters, said, “There are many companies in Japan offering quality jobs, and if Korean job seekers prepare diligently, there are ample opportunities for employment,” adding, “We will continue to actively support young Koreans seeking jobs in Japan by regularly hosting employment support events that reflect the characteristics and trend changes of the Japanese market.”

Meanwhile, KOTRA plans to hold the ‘Japan Online Job Fair Summer’ event in August, a joint employment event of four trade offices in the Japan region. Detailed announcements will be made through the ‘Working in Japan with KOTRA’ Naver cafe and World Job Plus.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.