Over 2,000 graduates see job offers canceled, worst on record

Friday 01st May, 06:45 AM JST

TOKYO —

More than 2,000 of the new school graduates in Japan have had their job offers canceled, the worst such toll on record as the global economic downturn forced businesses to review employment plans, a labor ministry survey showed Thursday. The results of the latest survey found 2,083 of the graduates fell victim to such cancellations and the total is nearly double the previous record of 1,077 marked in 1998 in the aftermath of the collapse of major brokerage Yamaichi Securities Co in November 1997.

Of the total, 379 were high school graduates, 1,703 were college and junior college graduates and one finished a junior high school at the end of Japan’s academic year on March 31. Their job offers were canceled by a total of 427 businesses, most of which attributed the decisions to the deterioration of their business performances or bankruptcies.

Along with the data, the ministry revealed the names of 12 companies that canceled offers for 10 or more potential new recruits. Among them were four group companies of leading temp staff agency Radia Holdings Inc, formerly known as Goodwill Group Inc, which combined withdrew 154 jobs.

Radia Holdings disputed the results of the poll, saying the number included students who voluntarily declined to accept offers.

‘‘And we are in the middle of talks on a deal to transfer our business operations to another company, so we needed to make such cancellations,’’ a Radia Holdings official said.

Also in the survey, Tokyo-based chemical products maker Tiers Co was singled out for having failed to fully explain the reasons for canceling its offers and to help those affected find another jobs.

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10 Comments

biglittleman at 07:49 AM JST - 1st May

The junior high school student needs to take their butt back to school anyway. It maybe a blessing in disguise for that student.
sharky1 at 07:55 AM JST - 1st May

There are still plenty of jobs around if you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty or sweat a little. Problem is, these young people think they are above manual labor. There is no reason for a person who is willing to work to be unemployed.
IchyaWarFare at 08:27 AM JST - 1st May

Plenty of people needed to flip burgers and do what is needed to make money. Lord knows they need some more inept people in their police departments and self defence force. Why not college grads in blue collar jobs trying to make Japan better? Its what is open now, anyway.
geronimo2006 at 08:44 AM JST - 1st May

Wouldve thought there would be a lot more that 2000. My guess is next year all the offers will dry up. Yep, 2000 burgers flippers available now Ronald
lordomni at 11:00 AM JST - 1st May

I'm glad people are taking such pleasure in others misfortunes. It's very sad. These kids had job offers, they thought they were safe and now that's been taken away in an unprecedented fashion. How is this entertaining, funny, or deserved at all?
IchyaWarFare at 11:33 AM JST - 1st May

I am being serious. Go do some hard blue collar work and get some exp. If the job is still open for them later on, than jump on it. They need more able cops, and ones who can think, hopefully. No better canidate than a college grad with nothing to do. You want them in the park naked?
pointofview at 12:38 PM JST - 1st May

There are plenty of jobs. However, they pay very low wages and you cant live off of them. Thats why nobody is interested. In my opinion holding down two or three jobs shouldn`t be necessary to survive. The world is completely out of balance.
nadavaloryo at 07:53 PM JST - 1st May

the goverment should make a way of this prob...or maybe should go for blue collar job for the main time..gambatte kudasai
sharky1 at 10:45 PM JST - 1st May

pointofview...low wages vs no wages...you choose...
pointofview at 10:16 AM JST - 8th May

sharky1,

Irrelevant. How about 1 half decent paying job? People are just being taken for a ride because they can`t do anything about it. Nonsense.