The Shifting Sands of Japan's Career Landscape For generations, the pinnacle of professional aspiration in Japan was embodied by a single, powerful image: the salaryman , a loyal employee of a prestigious, large-scale corporation. A career at a titan of industry like Toyota, Hitachi, or Sony was more than a job; it was a lifelong social contract. It promised a predictable ascent up the corporate ladder, a steadily increasing salary based on seniority, and, most importantly, the security of employment from graduation to retirement. This path was the bedrock of Japan's post-war economic miracle, a symbol of stability and a gateway to middle-class prosperity. The name on one’s business card was a passport to social and financial credibility. Today, the foundations of that system are being shaken by forces of unprecedented scale and velocity. The relentless march of digital transformation, a demographic cliff defined by an aging and shrinking population, and a profound evolution ...
N2/N3 but still lost at Tokyo stations? We teach the real phrases Japanese people use.