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New recruits mark 1st day at work across Japan as fiscal 2019 begins

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I cant tell you how many tan trench coats I saw today in Nihombashi...

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Never understood this nonsense where everyone has to start a job on 1st April (or rent contract etc.) Kind of explains why everyone has to travel to work at exactly the same time...

18 ( +18 / -0 )

So all the ones sitting up front in the JAL photo are the future executives (first class). The ones at the back are the peons.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Kind of explains why everyone has to travel to work at exactly the same time...

And take lunch at the same time.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

Japan sure is obsessed about April 1st, and having ceremonies for entering and exiting absolutely everything along the way from cradle to grave....

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Go to the third seat from left to right, then third row! Someone needs some sunlight

2 ( +4 / -2 )

You can become anything you want to be if you put your mind and effort into it

Bollocks.

I put my effort into becoming a pro footballer and wasn’t good enough. I ended up a grease monkey/salaryman.

My brother was a very good footballer, worked hard at it, but wasn’t good enough and ended up working in finance.

My sister worked hard to be a pro pianist but wasn’t good enough and ended up a nurse.

Most people doing their jobs didn’t fulfill their dreams.

Just be honest with these kids. Okay, this is the treadmill, but keep your head down and you can make enough money to have a decent life. Don’t kill yourselves with overtime and make sure you have a life outside work.

This motivational crap is irritating. Bah humbug.

17 ( +19 / -2 )

Seven new recruits started their jobs in the town of Okuma, which co-hosts the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Now there is a clue.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Third seat from left to right, then second row: a woman in a pant-suit!

Power to you, you rebel!!

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Love the man-spreading.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Try hiring staff or renting an apartment etc in May.

Okay, this is the treadmill, but keep your head down and you can make enough money to have a decent life. Don’t kill yourselves with overtime and make sure you have a life outside work.

Jim, this is the most British thing I have read except for the last sentence - unfortunately you can forget that ever happening in Japan.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

A rather glum looking group.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

This motivational crap is irritating. Bah humbug.

I think you are missing the point. "You can become anything you want to be if you put your mind and effort into it" is much better advice that "keep your head down, take some boring job that pays the bills, and make the best of it."

Because the sad fact is, most people never really try to achieve their dreams. They sort of give up and "accept reality" before they really put in the effort needed. People should chase their dreams. If they give 100% and fail, that's OK. No reason for regrets. If they give up before they even start, they will always wonder "what if...")

Most of us are capable of far more than we give ourselves credit for.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Be a treasure of the company and if possible you should be someone who will be valued by society.

That's gotta be the most dispiriting welcome message I've ever read.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Send in the drones

8 ( +10 / -2 )

This is absolutely bizarre, they should be able to choose in the current job market, rather than conform to a stereotype that might, might lead to a life beholden to a company. It's so sad....really sad, that in 2019, the youth are still in the mindset that being given pilot goggles by an employer its selling your life for the greater good. The mind set, the mist is thick, it takes strength to see through it.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

That explains it!

In in spite of the lovely, sunny weather this morning, the commute trains were unusually crammed full of sardines (still) in down jackets and dark suits with white dress shirts and neckties.

Not to mention a new new school year starting up.

I was was wondering why it was so full; now I know! (And it will continue like this for another two months....)

Sigh....

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Japan shows everyone how to stand out in a crowd.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Go to the third seat from left to right, then third row! Someone needs some sunlight

I think she's wearing a mask...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Today was the start of the new fiscal year and my company had a change in their accounting and time keeping procedures. Up until this year, the anniversary date of when an employee was hired, was the date that their annual leave increased.

(In my company it's pretty easy to use, and people typically can take it an hour at a time, without any trouble. Yeah I know, people are thinking, YOU work for a Japanese company! But anyway, because of the change, everyone's annual leave now increases on the same date, April 1st, So what's the big deal you ask?)

My "anniversary" date of hire was March 1st, so last month my annual leave increased, but lucky me! I got another 20 days of annual leave tagged on top of the increase I got LAST month. Like an unexpected bonus!

Kind of feel sorry for the folks whose anniversary was April 1st...(NOT) Now I just have to wait until April 1st of 2020 for the yearly increase instead of March!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Yup but in a month they get ten days off !

Is it R0 or R1 ?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Isn’t this the same picture from last year?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

A rather glum looking group

many late nights working with little extra pay , with those future prospects youd be glum too

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This is absolutely bizarre, they should be able to choose in the current job market, rather than conform to a stereotype that might, might lead to a life beholden to a company.

Are you saying the Japanese government forced these young people to work for a certain company? They had no choice? None of these nearly 2,000 JAL employees want to be there? Highly doubtful. These people worked hard to get their jobs. Very few people have jobs that are not at least somewhat drudgery. In the big scheme of things they are fortunate.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Your mentality is irritating. Just because YOU failed, and YOUR brother and sister FAILED, does not mean others will fail too.

Easy there, tiger. No need for the caps. Yes, my dream was to be a pro footballer. I was good, but I wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t through lack of effort. One kid at my year at school turned pro. I worked as hard as him but he was just better. He was born better. He was excellent but never made it to the top league because...he wasn’t good enough. It’s a very competitive field.

Luckily, I have a serviceable brain and I ended up working for a large company and earning an above average salary. Good enough. I don’t think I’m a loser. It pays enough to satisfy my needs and caprices. These kids, like me, and I dare say everyone here, are clearly not cut out for dreamworthy jobs. I suppose if your dream is to get promoted at a large company, they might be in with a shot, but that’s about it.

As I said, these kids need better advice about living a fulfilling life, particularly in Japan where they will be worked mercilessly and face massive stress. Silly nonsense about everything is possible can be actually harmful. It is sadly limited to the very gifted few. Most of us will be on the treadmill.

If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse

Brainless crap of the type you hear from tanned idiots with capped teeth in polo shirts doing seminars. I still want to be a pro footballer, but I’m in my mid-forties and have foot problems ( possibly through training too hard as kid ) but I’m too old, not good enough and carrying a chronic leg problem.

Am I finding an excuse?

By the way, what are you doing for a living? Playing lead guitar for a legendary rock band? Making scientific breakthroughs? Acting in Hollywood blockbusters? Curing cancer? Writing literary masterpieces?

My guess is you are doing 9-5 like most of us here.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

It's rare to see someone who put his mind and effort into something to fail, cases such as yours are rather common

It seems you are in conflict with yourself. At least what you say doesn't really make sense. You let your emotions control you.

And just because you were indoctrinated in neoliberal ideology, some people might think differently and might argue that all you say is wishful thinking mostly.

It's especially true here in Japan that no matter how many hours of dedicated work and commitment will you put in, it will still not please some managers eventually. After all we talk about the land of the karoshi.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What a great time to be a graduate in Japan! These youngsters have a smorgasbord choice of companies, with 1.66 jobs per job hunter. Boom time. I am real jealous!

"You can become anything you want to be if you put your mind and effort into it," Toyota President Akio Toyoda told them.

Brilliantly said, Toyoda- san. Every one of these 1,492 can rise to the position of CEO if they work real hard and have a good attitude. Dedicate yourselves 100% to the corporation. You have a job for life. Good luck!!

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Boom time

I think you mean shortage of workers time there, sport.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

@ Jimizo, true. But the kids who get the jobs in the JAL, Toyota, Nissan etc studied hard.

But I agree with your other points. My dream is to be an F1 driver. I don't want to quit on my dream, but my eyesight is poor, I'm over 40 now, and my driving isn't real good. I'm a failure according to ILoveCoffee, but I am thinking of giving up my dream.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Yeah, took ages to get into the Elevator this morning due to the queue...

You'd think they could at least make these youngsters walk up the stairs in lieu of the morning exercise routine. ... At least they went down the stairs in the evening, so I guess one of the elders in a high up position, noticed and complained to HR...

It's sad that there's no individuality. Everyone wearing "School" Uniform again.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

May they enjoy their work but find a balance of life as well with friends, family and personal goals (non-work as well).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Dreams are good to have, however reality is a hard knock. I have faster reactions that most (even still), and once wished to be a Fighter Pilot, but was deemed too short. Thus my then immediate dreams of being an Astronaut, were curtailed, I then thought I could become a Nuclear Physicist, but found it a bit dry and boring after starting the Courses, and found out that you'd generally end up in a University low paid job. ....

I still dream of being an Astronaut... maybe I will buy my own passage :-)

The morale of this story, hope should not be lost at times of despair, for who knows what fortune lies just around the corner for those who do not simply give up, and try again.

Robbie Burns & the spider in the Cave spring to mind.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am very favorably impressed by the neat appearance of these young JAL employees just starting out. It gives me a good impression of Japan.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"You can become anything you want to be if you put your mind and effort into it," Toyota President Akio Toyoda told them. "Be a treasure of the company and if possible you should be someone who will be valued by society."

Subtext: Conform no matter what.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The picture says it all, an army of uniform unthinking drones... no individual thought allowed

3 ( +4 / -1 )

F A I L First Attempt In Learning.

Most successful people have a number of failures behind them, that they regard as experience.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Look at the size of that bloke on the left!!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They have about ten women sitting at or near the front and the rest seem to be men. It suggests JAL is not an equal-opportunities company.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Welcome to your undoing.

Throw away your dreams.

This is just the beginning

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Looks like the economy lounge at United :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If at first you don’t Succeed, give up and go down the pub!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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