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August 20, 2025 9 mins

Japan’s executive and specialized job market is on fire — and recruiters are scrambling to keep pace. From boardrooms to biotech labs, Tokyo is seeing a surge of new executive-level openings, with demand for bilingual, globally minded leaders outstripping supply. The hottest roles? Digital and AI experts, data scientists, and transformation leaders — exactly the talent pool in shortest supply.

In this episode of the Executive Search in Japan podcast, we break down the trends shaping Japan’s high-stakes recruiting landscape:

  • Explosive demand for leadership — why executive roles across pharma, finance, tech, and fashion are multiplying.
  • AI and digital transformation at the center — from Takeda’s LLM engineers to Lenovo’s IT growth strategists, companies want tech-driven change-makers.
  • Bilingualism as currency — nearly every senior role requires fluency in Japanese and English, making true bilinguals the most valuable candidates in the market.
  • Cross-industry battles for talent — with Johnson & Johnson, BlackRock, Calvin Klein, and Bank of America all fishing in the same limited pool.
  • Soft skills matter — collaboration, innovation, and leadership are just as critical as technical mastery.

For executive recruiters, this isn’t just a wave — it’s a talent gold rush. Those who can tap hidden bilinguals, bridge global-local dynamics, and move fast on digital leaders will own the market.

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tessa Sourceley (00:00):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
We're here to cut through thenoise, get you those key
insights.
Now, have you ever thought muchabout Japan's job market?
Maybe pictured it as, you know,traditional, a bit closed off?
Well, here's somethingsurprising.
Right now, executive recruitersin Tokyo, they are scrambling.
Seriously, working overtime,not just filling a few gaps, but

(00:20):
facing this huge, urgent surgein really high level jobs.
So today we're doing a deepdive into exactly that.
Japan's executive andspecialized job market, we're
going to dissect this recentgrowth and look at the pretty
unique opportunities popping up.
Our mission, simple, give you ashortcut, help you understand
the trends shaping this dynamiclandscape, the skills you'd

(00:41):
actually need, and the kinds ofreally cutting edge roles
available now.
And we've pulled this from allover specific job postings, you
know, the big global companieslike Takeda, Johnson & Johnson,
Bank of America, Lenovo,BlackRock, plus insights from
specialist recruiters rightthere on the ground.
OK, so this surge, let's unpackthis a bit.
It's clearly more than justlike general hiring bump, what's
really driving it, and whatdoes it mean for the types of

(01:04):
executive roles suddenly open inJapan?

Chase Stratton (01:06):
Yeah, it's fascinating because it's not
just more jobs, right?
This trend points to a realstrategic shift.
Global companies are gettingaggressive about finding very
specific high-level talentinside Japan.
We're seeing this clear demandfor leaders, people who can
bridge the global strategy withthe local market stuff, drive
innovation, expand theirfootprint, all within Japan's

(01:28):
unique context.
It feels like Japan's beingseen again as a critical global
hub, not just another regionalmarket.

Tessa Sourceley (01:35):
And running through basically all of these
top jobs, there's one thing youabsolutely cannot avoid.
It's almost like the gatekeeperskill.
Bilingualism.

Chase Stratton (01:42):
Yeah.

Tessa Sourceley (01:43):
Japanese and English.
It seems non-negotiable.

Chase Stratton (01:45):
It absolutely is.
Yeah.
Proficiency in both Japaneseand English.
It's not just a nice to have.
It kept coming up again andagain as a harder requirement.
Take Takeda Pharmaceutical,their AI engineer and scientist
role, explicitly demandsbusiness level Japanese
language.
Speaking, business writing andreading, JLPT N2+, and that's a

(02:06):
pretty advanced businessJapanese, handling complex
stuff, and business levelEnglish preferred on top of
that.

Tessa Sourceley (02:11):
And it's not just pharma or tech, is it?
Even in finance, thatfundraising director role at
Specialized Group, they needsomeone bilingual, Japanese,
English, why?
To work with HQ, sure, but alsoto present effectively to
Japanese LPs, those limitedpartners funding the deals.

Chase Stratton (02:29):
Exactly.
It's consistent.
PVH Corp for a Calvin Kleinsenior PR manager needs
excellent presentation, skillsin English, and Japanese
conversation ability ismust-have.
Makair, BlackRock's VP votingand engagement analyst.
Fluency in both is desired forthat governance role.
And Lenovo's project manager.
Native-level Japanese andbusiness-level English, they

(02:51):
even mention a TOEA key scoreequivalent.
It's not just abouttranslation.
It's that cultural fluencypiece.
It unlocks access, creates areal competitive advantage for
people who have it.
It really makes you wonder, islanguage becoming the ultimate
edge in certain global marketslike Japan?

Tessa Sourceley (03:07):
That's a really powerful point.
And here's where it gets, well,even more interesting for me.
A lot of these jobs aren't justabout language.
They're right at the cuttingedge of innovation.
So is Japan just adoptingglobal tech or are they doing
something maybe unique with it?

Chase Stratton (03:20):
That's the key question, isn't it?
And it feels like much morethan just adoption.
What's striking is howcorporate Japan, often seen as
traditional, isn't just usingbut integrating A.I., digital
transformation.
right at the strategic level,it signals a pretty profound
shift, I think, in their globalaims.
Takeda, for instance.
They're not just playingaround.

(03:41):
They're leading a globaldigital transformation in their
field, embedding what they callDD&T data, digital technology,
deeply.
That AI engineer role isspecifically about large
language models, LLMs,generative AI.
Now, LLMs are global, sure, butapplying them effectively in
Japanese.
With its complexity, that'sgenuinely cutting-edge work,

(04:01):
especially factoring in culturalnuance.

Tessa Sourceley (04:03):
Right.
Not just Takeda, Johnson &Johnson, their innovative
medicine sector.
It's all driven by science,yeah, but with this huge focus
on data, digital tech, becominga data-driven, outcomes-based
company.
Even their head of HR role istied into that big strategic
push.

Chase Stratton (04:18):
Absolutely.
Then you have Lenovo.
They call themselves a globaltechnology powerhouse, right?
Full stack of AI-enabled,AI-ready, AI-optimized stuff.
Their project manager job.
It's about expanding services.
Things like device as a servicedie as managed services.
That's a big shift from justselling boxes to providing whole
solutions.
And it's not only digital.

(04:39):
Look at ReachXKK.
Their battery development rolepopped up on a climate change
job site.
That points to a real push forsustainable new product
development, specifically forairframes, fire protection, heat
dissipation, that kind ofthing.
So what's really fascinating isthis mix.
High-level corporate rolesmeeting very specific tech and
environmental goals.
It shows deliberate,future-focused investment in

(05:02):
Japan.

Tessa Sourceley (05:02):
Okay, so technology is definitely
reshaping things.
And it sounds like it's notjust about needing tech skills.
It's changing the type ofleadership needed, right?
Which leads us to this broaderset of strategic roles across
different functions.
Like you said, these aren'tjust managers.
They seem deeply tied into thecompany's strategy and growth in
Japan.

Chase Stratton (05:18):
Exactly right.
Take HR Johnson & Johnson.
They want a head of HR forinnovative medicine in 1HR
Japan.
This isn't just standard HR.
It's described as a strategicpartnership role.
Building capability.
driving the talent agenda,attracting, developing, keeping
people shaping the culture,guided by their, our credo.
And critically, this personsits on the Japan President

(05:39):
Council.
They're right there in thestrategic core.
Then, in finance andinvestment.
Equally strategic.
Specialized groups fundraisingdirector.
Focus on raising capital,managing investor relations,
specifically building the brandand getting funds from Japanese
LPs for real estateinfrastructure that needs deep
existing relationships withsenior people at Japanese
institutions.

(05:59):
Very specific.
BlackRock's VP voting andengagement analyst that's a
specialist within investmentstewardship, engaging with
companies, voting shares, needsreal expertise in governance and
sustainability practices inJapan and Asia.
And Bank of America needs a VPtechnical service delivery
manager, managing networkinfrastructure projects across
12 APAC markets that requiresolid project and financial

(06:21):
management risk handling,crucial for the bank's network
security.

Tessa Sourceley (06:24):
And Lenovo's project manager, back to tech
and services, that's a seniorleadership role, spearheading
growth for advanced services,leading initiative So what does
this all really signal forsomeone maybe looking to make a
big impact in Japan?

Chase Stratton (06:40):
It means these aren't just jobs to fill slots.
They are pivotal roles.
They're about defining andexecuting strategy in a really
competitive global context rightthere in Japan.

Tessa Sourceley (06:51):
So beyond the cool jobs and essential skills,
what's the actual day-to-daylike?
What are these companiesoffering to attract this kind of
top talent in Japan?
It must be competitive.

Chase Stratton (06:59):
That's a really important piece, yeah.
Because in a market this tight,the job description alone isn't
enough.
We're definitely seeing astrong focus on culture,
inclusion, professional growth,and increasingly, flexibility.
That seems key.
Takeda, for example, they're acertified top employer globally
and in Japan.
They talk a lot about aninclusive, safe, and empowering

(07:21):
work environment, continuoustraining, diverse networks.
They specifically mentionflexible work styles, flex time,
telework, plus good paid leave.
And interestingly, they evenwarn applicants about
recruitment scams, which isWell, responsible.

Tessa Sourceley (07:35):
Yeah, that shows they're thinking about the
candidate experience right fromthe start.
It does.

Chase Stratton (07:39):
Johnson & Johnson with their R Credo.
They really push inclusion andprofessional development,
valuing different perspectives.
Bank of America talks aboutresponsible growth being a great
place to work through D&I,training, benefits.
They mention a hybrid model atleast four days in the office.
Lenovo's committed to a moreequitable, trustworthy, and
smarter future.
They also offer flexible workthree days on site.

(08:01):
Too remote is their option.
PBS for Calvin Klein emphasizesfostering an inclusive and
collaborative culture.
And BlackRock focuses on makingsure people feel welcomed,
valued, and supported.
They also use the hybrid model,again, at least four days in
office, stressing collaborationand apprenticeship.
So if you step back and look atthe bigger picture, these

(08:22):
companies clearly get it.
To attract and keep the bestpeople in Japan's market, you
need more than just a goodsalary.
It's about the whole package,that holistic employee
experience.
It needs to genuinely engagepeople.

Tessa Sourceley (08:33):
Okay, so let's quickly recap this deep dive
then.
Japan's executive job market.
It's seeing a major surge.
creating some really excitinghigh-level opportunities
tailored to that market.
The absolute key skill poppingup everywhere, bilingual
Japanese and English, it'sparamount, a real
differentiator.
And the opportunities, they'reheavily focused in cutting-edge

(08:53):
areas, AI, digitaltransformation, sustainability,
plus these really strategicleadership roles across
different functions, allhappening within companies that
seem to be prioritizinginclusive cultures, ongoing
development, and flexible workas part of their core strategy
to win top talent.
So as you about all this here'sa final thought to maybe chiwan
given japan's really unique mixthat deep tradition alongside

(09:16):
this accelerated jump intocutting edge tech how might that
actually reshape what it meansto be a global executive over
the next decade and maybe morepersonally what completely new
unexplored opportunities couldthat create for you
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