Major Japanese trading houses lead elite university graduate hiring rankings

Two recent surveys of Japanese employers of top‑university graduates show that the country’s largest sogo‑shosha continue to dominate hiring. The 2028 graduate summer‑season ranking released by research firm Leading Mark lists Mitsubishi Corporation, Itochu Corporation, Mitsui & Co., Sumitomo Corporation and Marubeni Corporation as the top five firms, with Itochu moving up to second place and Mitsui slipping to third. Real‑estate developers such as Mitsubishi Estate and Mitsui Fudosan also improved their positions, while consulting and think‑tank firms saw a decline in share.

A separate ranking that examined the proportion of hires from Japan’s most selective universities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Hitotsubashi, etc.) identified the same trading houses and leading consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company and Boston Consulting Group among the top employers, with an unnamed infrastructure company placed third. The surveys note that graduates now target higher future earnings, with the average desired salary at ¥946 million and 43.3 % aiming for ¥1 billion or more. These rankings are used by companies to adjust recruitment strategies and by students to gauge employer appeal.