A recent poll shows that major Japanese organisations are modernising their hiring practices, and 70% of them now offer internships that are linked to employment. With this strategy, companies can find and develop exceptional candidates among university graduates well in advance of the spring 2025 employment season.
Furthermore, Japan’s fierce labour market rivalry has forced companies to become more inventive. Internships are quickly evolving into the new front in the fight to draw in young talent. These programmes provide beneficial pre-employment experiences that let employers evaluate candidates for cultural fit and skill set while giving students real-world experience and practical understanding in a work environment.
The Jiji Press survey found a notable change, which it distributed to 100 organisations. 68 organisations in total have adopted programmes for internships connected to employment. Of them, 57 organisations provide at least five-day programmes that expose students to real-world situations and let them put their academic knowledge to use in real-world contexts. Four organisations took things a step further and offered graduate students specialist curricula. Seven firms, including Toyota, implemented both kinds of internship programmes.
There is a huge range in the number of interns admitted into these programs—from a few to several thousand. Leading the pack are Nippon Life Insurance, Sekisui House, and Hitachi, which take in about 2,000, 1,000, and 930 pupils apiece.
Furthermore, these internships provided a wide range of professional opportunities, from data analysis and customer visits to on-site construction management.
Anticipating the hiring season in the spring of 2026, the study indicated a persistent interest in internships related to employment. The Japan Times stated that although 48 organisations declared their intention to provide these kinds of courses, eight chose not to, and 38 remained unsure.
