Japanese Companies Are Pulling Out All the Stops to Recruit Young Workers
Firms are so desperate for graduates they’re paying off student loans and offering cheap housing.
Illustration: Maggie Cowles for Bloomberg
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Ryosuke Yamamoto is living the dream. For about 25,000 yen ($160) a month, the 25-year-old rents a single room complete with kitchenette and bathroom in a corporate dormitory 20 minutes by train from his office in downtown Tokyo.
On Friday nights, he hangs out with colleagues in the dorm’s common area, playing video games on a widescreen TV and drinking beer purchased from a vending machine. With parking and utility bills included in the dorm’s rent, he’s got money left over for regular golf outings with friends. Last October, he went on vacation to Italy.