TOKYO - As the new fiscal year began on April 1st, companies across Japan welcomed fresh employees with distinctive entrance ceremonies while some firms drew attention by offering sharply increased starting salaries.
A vivid spring landscape unfolded in Satte City, Saitama Prefecture, where yellow rapeseed flowers stretched across fields beneath fully bloomed pink cherry blossoms, creating a striking contrast at the Gongendo Tsutsumi embankment, a scenic spot lined with around 1,000 Somei Yoshino cherry trees along a one-kilometer stretch.
Under the cherry blossoms, newly enrolled elementary school students wearing brand-new backpacks were seen taking commemorative photos, with one child saying, "I woke up at 6 a.m. I’m very sleepy." A mother accompanying her child reflected on the location as a meaningful place she had visited while pregnant, saying, "It feels quite emotional. They’ve grown so much."
A couple also visited the site before submitting their marriage registration, saying, "After taking photos here, we’ll go register our marriage," and pledging to cherish their life together.
Meanwhile, companies marked the start of the new fiscal year with a range of creative entrance ceremonies.
At ANA Holdings, the ceremony was held inside an airport hangar with passenger aircraft parked nearby, where a new employee said seeing the planes upon entering the venue filled them with excitement about joining the group.
Seibu Group held its ceremony for the first time at a skating center in Yokohama, where the event began with a faceoff-style puck drop between the president and new employees.
In Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture, new recruits participated in an experiential ceremony at the Mishima Skywalk, trying the facility’s signature long zip slide, with one participant saying, "I was nervous, but it makes me excited for what’s ahead."
Amid growing concerns over labor shortages, companies offering starting salaries exceeding 400,000 yen in 2026 have drawn significant attention.
Electronics retailer Nojima held its largest-ever group entrance ceremony, with around 1,100 new employees participating. The company introduced a new hiring system called "Deru Kugi Entrance," under which students who worked part-time at Nojima for over a year during university are evaluated and offered starting salaries of up to 400,000 yen.
One new employee said the higher starting salary boosted motivation, adding, "I want to become someone who can confidently say I started at 400,000 yen."
Major insurer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance also raised its starting salary for the 2026 fiscal year, increasing it from 280,000 yen to as much as 430,000 yen under certain conditions, which one recruit described as a major attraction compared to other companies.
In Okinawa, the newly opened theme park Junglia Okinawa, which launched in 2025, held its entrance ceremony while allowing recruits to enjoy the park’s attractions, with one employee expressing a desire to create a place that visitors would find enjoyable.
At the Churaumi Aquarium, new staff members gathered in front of a massive tank featuring whale sharks, pledging to provide service that would leave visitors glad they had come to Okinawa.
Source: FNN
