#Japan #Tokyo #Sony #ANA #Itochu

2026 Job Brand Ranking: Insights into Preferences of Students

In a recent survey conducted by Bunka Broadcasting Career Partners, the 2026 Job Brand Ranking has been unveiled, catering to students about to graduate in the spring of 2026. This survey meticulously researched job brand preferences across genders and academic majors among students across Japan, showcasing their aspirations and targeted career paths.

Overview of the Survey

The study aimed at understanding the evolving perceptions of students concerning potential employers. It gathered insights from students currently in their fourth year of university and second year of graduate school who are members of the renowned Bun Navi platform. Conducted from October 1, 2024, to March 15, 2025, the research methodology included web surveys via the Bun Navi site, application surveys at career fairs, and QR code surveys located in job magazines produced by Career Partners. A total of 19,856 valid responses were collected, representing a mixture of 12,415 males and 7,441 females, alongside 14,036 from liberal arts and 5,820 from sciences.

The students ranked their desired employers based on the voting system, where each voter could cast up to five votes for favorite companies, culminating in a total of 62,612 votes.

Top Preferences by Gender

Male Preferences: For male students, Itochu Corporation leads the ranking comfortably, followed by Nippon Life Insurance and Mitsubishi Corporation. The presence of technology firm Sony also reflects the significant appeal of innovation-oriented companies among this demographic, rounding out the top five.

1. Itochu Corporation
2. Nippon Life Insurance
3. Mitsubishi Corporation
4. Mitsui & Co.
5. Sony

Female Preferences: On the female side, Itochu once again secures the top position, with a remarkable showing from All Nippon Airways (ANA) in second place. Japan Airlines (JAL) makes a strong entrance in third, followed by other formidable players in finance and publishing, indicating diverse interests among women in both traditional and dynamic industries.

1. Itochu Corporation
2. All Nippon Airways (ANA)
3. Japan Airlines (JAL)
4. Dai-ichi Life Holdings
5. Daiwa Securities Group

Rankings by Major

When it comes to fields of study, preferences shift notably. In liberal arts, Itochu dominates the rankings just like in gender-based preferences. For science students, however, Sony takes the lead, showcasing the unique appeal of tech industries in attracting scientifically inclined graduates.

 Liberal Arts:

1. Itochu Corporation
2. Nippon Life Insurance
3. Hakuhodo
4. Dai-ichi Life Holdings
5. Daiwa Securities Group

 Sciences:

1. Sony
2. Meiji Group (Meiji & Meiji Seika Pharma)
3. Itochu Corporation
4. NTT Data
5. Ajinomoto

The findings suggest that while traditional giants in trading and insurance remain favorite venues for job seekers, cutting-edge technology companies like Sony are immensely influential in recruitment for students from science backgrounds. This diversified interest reflects the changing landscape of student preferences as they approach the employment sector.

Conclusion

Overall, the 2026 Job Brand Ranking elucidates the shifting preferences among new entrants into the job market. With a slight inclination towards gender representation and academic disciplines, it indicates broader shifts in how companies are perceived and preferred by the upcoming workforce. The entire report is available for download at Bunka Broadcasting Career Partners for those interested in the comprehensive details of the survey and its results.