Korea-Japan Trade Cooperation Expands to Talent Recruitment... KOTRA Hosts 'Online Job Fair' for Employment in Japan

Online Job Fair for Employment in Japan Held
Recruitment Interviews Conducted with Over 70 Korean Youths
Participation from 31 Japanese Companies Reflects High Demand

Following last year's APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in Gyeongju, shuttle diplomacy between the leaders of both countries has continued, and the mood of bilateral cooperation in the economic sector is now expanding into the field of talent development.

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on the 22nd that it held the "Online Job Fair for Employment in Japan" over two days starting from the 18th to help young people who hope to find employment overseas enter the Japanese job market.

Japan is one of the most open countries in attracting foreign talent. This is due to a shortage of labor caused by a declining working-age population as a result of an aging society. According to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), Japan's unemployment rate is in the 2% range, which is close to full employment, but this also indicates a labor shortage. In particular, there is a high demand for foreign professionals in the ICT (Information and Communication Technology), manufacturing, medical, and construction sectors.

View of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). KOTRA.

The Japanese government has also introduced various measures to attract foreign talent, such as shortening the period required to obtain permanent residency, easing requirements for accompanying family members, establishing a preferential visa (J-Skip) for highly paid specialists, and introducing a job-seeker visa (J-Find) for graduates of top-ranked universities worldwide.

During the two-day online one-on-one interviews that began on the 18th, 31 well-known Japanese companies in the fields of ITC (International Trade Center), manufacturing, and services participated, conducting recruitment interviews focused on job suitability and practical skills with over 70 young Korean candidates selected from among approximately 290 applicants.

KOTRA also collaborated with Otsuma Women's University and others to hold a seminar in advance to strengthen interview preparation competencies. A Japanese professor gave presentations on Japanese companies' hiring trends, interview strategies, and global competency development.

An HR manager from a Japanese information and communications company stated, "Young Koreans are quick to understand and learn their work, and their creativity is a strong advantage. Through this event, we hope to hire talent with a high level of job understanding and practical skills. We are particularly interested in candidates with overseas experience or a strong understanding of international roles."

Park Yongmin, KOTRA's Head of Japan Regional Headquarters, said, "Japan offers good working conditions and is therefore a preferred overseas employment destination for our young people. Japanese companies are also increasingly interested in hiring Korean youth who are quick learners and creative. From pre-interview training to recruitment interviews and post-hire support, we will systematically help our young people advance into overseas careers."

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