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Tohkon Co., Ltd.

As of October 1, 2025

The Power of International Employees: Building an Organization Centered on Employee Satisfaction

Kazuhiko Shimada, Executive Officer, Tohkon Co., Ltd.

Profile

Kazuhiko Shimada joined Tohkon Co., Ltd. as a new graduate in 1997. After serving as sales, office manager, and head of the HR Department at the Headquarters, he now oversees HR and Organizational development as an Executive Officer. His guiding principle is to integrate perspectives from both the branch and the headquarters to foster talent and build strong organizational foundations. Known for his coordination and organizational skills, he values flexibility, learning from mistakes, and continuous adaptation to achieve optimal outcomes. He sees the growth of individuals and organization as his mission, dedicating his passion to nurturing the next generation of talent and organizational structure through exceptional leadership. He holds national certifications including Career Consultant and Industrial Health Supervisor. His hobby is cooking.

• Background and Key Considerations in Hiring International employee

  Tohkon Co., Ltd. began actively hiring international employees since 2009, starting with new graduates. Even before that, individuals of various nationalities—including Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino—were already contributing as contract employees, creating an international work environment. Currently, 5 to 6 of our 7 to 10 annual new hires are from outside Japan. The company proactively recruits outstanding global talent, regardless of their nationality.
  The turning point came in 2009, when the company encountered exceptional international candidates. One such hire, selected directly by the then-president during an interview, now leads a department of 160 employees. Another International employee has also risen to a managerial position.These exceptional international emloyees demonstrates how the success of international talent contributes directly to the company’s growth.
  In recruitment, the primary focus is on human qualities rather than Japanese language proficiency. The company considers an N2 level of Japanese proficiency to be sufficient, but prioritizes attributes such as initiative, leadership, and decisiveness.
  

• Support Systems and Workplace Success

  To ensure that international employees work in Japan peacefully, Tohkon has established a comprehensive support system. Visa procedures are handled by an administrative scrivener, with initial costs covered by the company. For direct overseas hires, the company provides detailed support, including assistance with entering Japan, securing rental housing, airport pickup, mobile phone setup, and accompanying employees to local government offices for necessary procedures. Japanese language education is also supported through company-funded e-learning for those who request it.
  Post-hire support is also available especially during the first 12 to 18 months, with frequent check-ins by supervisors and senior staff to address any concerns related to work or daily life. This ongoing support has led to a high retention rate. Some International employees have been with the company for over a decade, serving as role models for others.
  International employees primarily work in logistics management and technical roles such as system development and CAD. They are hired as future executive candidates, and the number of international managers continues to grow. Currently, the company has 2 department managers, 1 chief, and 4 assistant chiefs of international nationality, many of whom have been promoted rapidly.

• Impact on the Company and Future Outlook

  The presence of international employees in the workplace has had a positive impact on Japanese staff. Exposure to different cultures has sparked interest in greetings and cuisine from other countries, deepening mutual cultural understanding. The initiative and expressiveness of international employees provide fresh inspiration to Japanese colleagues and valuable business insights. Through the employment of international talent, our company promotes a vision of 'welcoming individuals with initiative, decisiveness, and leadership into management, regardless of nationality.' This vision is closely tied to our core philosophy of being 'a company where employees feel satisfied.' By striving to become 'a company where one would want their son or daughter to work,' we aim to enhance employee satisfaction, which in turn leads to customer and partner satisfaction, ultimately contributing to society through a virtuous cycle of 'spiral-up.'
  

• Message to Companies Considering Hiring International Employees

  Vision and management philosophy are universal, and building a permanently attractive organization and company is essential and fundamental. Hiring international employees offers many advantages. Japanese employees are also stimulated and management teams gain valuable insights from them. As Japan faces a declining birthrate meaning labor shortage, international employees are indispensable. They are also indispensable when expanding business to overseas. We encourage companies to take on this challenge as soon as possible.
  Furthermore, we advise you to focus on each individual's personality and character, not relying on stereotypes such as 'national character' or generalizations like '○○ people.'
  We hope companies will not treat international employees as special cases, nor aim to be companies where only international employees can thrive, but rather become organizations where both international and Japanese employees can equally succeed.

Company Overview

Company Name

Tohkon Co., Ltd.

Location

Miyake Building 502-1, 549-2 Shinanocho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Founded

October 1, 1963

Business Areas

Logistics outsourcing, practical IE consulting, design and manufacturing of plastic corrugated products, domestic and export packaging

Number of Employees

263

International Employees

China: 13, Philippines: 9, Vietnam: 7, Mongolia: 6, Nepal: 4, India: 4, Indonesia: 3, Myanmar: 2, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Taiwan, Nigeria, Peru, Russia: 1 each

Website

https://www.tohkon.co.jp/

As of October 1, 2025

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