I still get asked:

“Isn’t it too early to prepare now?”

When I said last year that Class of 2029 had already started,

many people didn’t believe it.

But here is what I am seeing in real time while supporting students:

• Class of 2028 → already in early selection rounds
• Class of 2029 → systematically joining long-term internships
• Class of 2030 → internship programs already announced

Yes. Class of 2030.

1️⃣ Japanese hiring timelines have moved two years forward

Many assume the timeline looks like this:

Year 3 → Job hunting begins

But the real timeline looks more like this:

Year 1 → Strategic positioning

Year 2 → Stable long-term internship

Year 3 → Selection process + informal offer

At many top universities, students secure offers before the end of Year 3.

This is not an exception.

This is a structured pathway.

2️⃣ Why does “Class of 2030” already exist?

Because companies do not wait for graduation to evaluate talent.

Their logic is simple:

• Lock in early
• Observe early
• Filter early

1-day programs, project-based internships, long-term placements —

these are all pre-screening mechanisms.

When you think “it’s still early,”

companies are already watching.

3️⃣ Top university students don’t win by IQ — they win by timeline

Students from Waseda, Keio, former Imperial Universities, MARCH:

• Start looking for internships in Year 1
• Build achievements in Year 2
• Enter selection channels smoothly in Year 3

They do not suddenly “start job hunting” in Year 3.

They are already positioned.

This pathway is an open secret inside elite circles.

4️⃣ Why do many international students realize this too late?

Because their typical rhythm is:

Improve language first

Think about career later

Start moving only after seeing others move

But Japanese job hunting is not a sprint.

It is a four-year track.

When you start determines which segment of the race you stand in.

5️⃣ The essence of early selection

It is not about anxiety.

It is about stratification.

By the time mass recruitment officially opens,

some students are already near the finish line.

In Japan, job hunting does not begin in Year 3.

It begins the day you enter university.

Some people haven’t started yet.

Some are almost done.

Tokyo Asabana｜東京朝花
Founder: Serena He
Nationally Certified Career Consultant / MBA
Education & Career Strategy Consultant for International Residents in Japan
hello@tokyoasabana.com