News room

ITOKI CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Koji Minato) conducted an exchange training program for employees who graduated from Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Vietnam) in Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture in July 2026.

Since 2023, Itoki has been strengthening its recruitment of highly skilled STEM personnel by collaborating with Hanoi University of Science and Technology, one of Vietnam's leading universities for science and engineering. To date, 36 graduates from the university have joined Itoki, and almost all of them are currently active in a wide range of fields, including design, production technology, and DX.

Against the backdrop of a declining birthrate, an aging population, and the advancement of DX and AI, securing highly skilled foreign talent, as well as ensuring their retention and success after hiring, has become a crucial management challenge for Japanese companies. This training program was conducted with the aim of fostering relationships where employees can learn from and support each other by sharing their experiences, challenges, and strategies for working in Japan through interaction across different entry dates and departments.

This training program included employees from Hanoi University of Science and Technology who joined the company at different times and belonged to different departments. During the training, participants shared their experiences working in Japan, their work and life challenges, and the strategies they were using to improve their lives. Through group work and discussions, employees who don't usually interact much in their daily work learned from each other and worked to build relationships that will allow them to support each other in the future. At the end of the training, each participant organized their actions for future growth and set specific goals. In addition, a program that introduced them to Japanese culture was also implemented, providing an opportunity to deepen their understanding not only of working in Japan but also of living in Japan.

The post-training survey confirmed that by sharing challenges and strategies they experienced in working and living in Japan, employees deepened their understanding of Japanese work styles and culture, and fostered connections among employees across different entry dates and departments. Through these interactions, Vietnamese employees working and living in Japan are learning from each other's experiences and building supportive relationships.

While more companies are hiring foreign nationals, ensuring their long-term retention and success remains a common challenge for many.
At ITOKI, we believe that for highly skilled foreign nationals to work and thrive in Japan with peace of mind, it is crucial not only to recruit them, but also to provide support in both their work and personal lives, including post-hire training, mutual understanding with Japanese employees, and support for both work and personal life. We provide comprehensive support for recruitment, training, and retention, encompassing both work and personal life, including fair treatment regardless of nationality, cross-cultural understanding training for both Japanese and Vietnamese employees, support upon joining the company such as housing arrangements and work preparation allowances, training on Japanese corporate work styles and business fundamentals, Japanese language learning support, repatriation cost support to Vietnam, and a special paid leave system.

Fair treatment regardless of nationality
At Itoki, we employ Vietnamese nationals with the same treatment as our Japanese employees. Furthermore, we do not differentiate treatment based on work location; even those assigned to Shiga Prefecture receive the same salary level as those in Tokyo. We have established a system that allows everyone, regardless of nationality or work location, to demonstrate their abilities in a fair environment.

- Building an organization that emphasizes mutual understanding
We conduct cross-cultural understanding training not only for foreign employees but also for Japanese employees. Rather than foreign employees unilaterally adapting to Japanese culture, we are working to create a workplace where everyone can work with peace of mind by understanding each other's cultures and values.

• Training programs to support employees from joining the company to their professional growth.
We support new employees in establishing a stable life upon joining the company, including arranging housing and providing employment preparation allowances. We also conduct training on Japanese corporate work styles and business etiquette. Furthermore, we subsidize the cost of online language school courses to support their daily work and growth through improved Japanese language skills.

- Support for life in Japan and for family
We have established systems that allow employees to cherish their family connections, such as subsidizing the cost of returning to Vietnam, granting special paid leave, and subsidizing travel expenses for family members to attend company-sponsored ceremonies and events. By supporting employees' lives and families, we are working to create an environment where they can work in Japan for a long time with peace of mind.

Itoki will continue to promote the creation of an environment where talented individuals, regardless of nationality, can maximize their abilities, and will strive to enhance corporate value through the recruitment, training, retention, and success of highly skilled foreign nationals.