What do Japanese businesses need from graduates?

Japanese businesses do not require employees to be exceptionally intelligent, but rather require people who can adapt quickly to change.

In a lecture on the model of graduates that Japanese businesses expect on June 16, Mr. Toshiaki Koshimura, Chairman of the Advisory Council for the Japanese Government on promoting the Vietnam-Japan University project, affirmed that businesses do not require employees who are too intelligent or outstanding.

Former President of Tokyu Corporation, has extensive experience in recruitment,Mr. Koshimurabelieves that the first thing Japanese businesses need from their employees is the ability to adapt quickly. The reason is that sThe development of information and communication technology changes the structure of the economy. After two oil crises, Japan had to develop energy-saving technology, which means the business environment is always changing.

Recounting the story of Japan building a nuclear power plant with the participation of leading experts but still having problems after the 2011 tsunami due to inadequate geological surveys, Mr. Koshimura reminded students to carefully study all issues to find ways to adapt when necessary.

Mr. Toshiaki Koshimura affirmed that Japanese businesses need employees with the ability to adapt. Photo: Duong Tam

From a personal perspective, Mr. Koshimura believes that to be successful in Japanese businesses, students must be equipped with knowledge related to labor management laws, financial accounting laws and some other types. This is useful knowledge, indispensable when working for Japanese businesses.

"When you advance to the management or executive level of a company, you have to manage more employees and departments. Rich social knowledge and good interpersonal skills will help you have more partners," he said, adding that extensive liberal knowledge will help a person do well in management.

With 50 years of experience working for a large economic group, Mr. Koshimura emphasized that other important factors that students need to have to work in Japanese enterprises are communication skills, initiative, judgment and flexible problem solving.Japanese companies always rotate positions in their work, from employees to managers and then to branch directors. They also have a title system so that potential employees can be trained and can go to Japan to work. Therefore, being fluent in Japanese for communication is very important.

“In particular, if you aim to become a business manager, you need to have additional risk management capabilities including natural disaster, legal and operational risks,” said Mr. Koshimura.

According to this speaker, the knowledge learned in school and the necessary application capacity in society do not necessarily coincide. "Developing leadership capacity in an organization and being successful as a leader no longer depends on the ability to adapt to the daily changes of the business environment and the global environment," he commented.

Problem-solving skills can be developed through books, friends, and travel. And judgment skills are developed not only through specialized knowledge but also through liberal education such as natural sciences, social sciences, culture, modern history, music, and art.

Speaking about the importance of liberal education, Mr. Koshimura gave an example of when he was the head of Tokyu Corporation, he received a proposal for an urban railway investment plan in a country in the Middle East. However, he decided not to invest because he knew that this area often had religious and ethnic conflicts.

"I want to tell you through this story that although modern historical knowledge is not often included in textbooks, if you take the time to learn it, it will help you when you need to make sustainable business decisions in the future," Mr. Koshimura shared.

According to VNE