Nikkei Group - Education & Talent Business Unit / ASIA to JAPAN
We’re turning India recruiting from a “special initiative” into a highly reproducible standard model. With STEM students who have already studied Japanese and shown strong on-the-job aptitude, the entire process — from interviews to job offers — can be completed in a single one-week trip to India.
01 — CONCEPT
Pune University has 620 affiliated colleges and 670,000 students. Marathi shares phonetic similarities with Japanese, and many Japanese-language schools and university-affiliated courses already exist here.
An established employment pipeline centered on Japanese manufacturers, with a clear “study → corporate employment” pathway and high student motivation to work.
Students are highly cooperative and loyalty-oriented — an excellent fit for training-based Japanese-style employment and Japanese company selection processes.
02 — ACTIVITIES
See firsthand the Japanese-learning environment for STEM students on the ground.
Understand the characteristics of Indian universities and their career-support structures.
Get a direct read on student reactions and the differences from Japan.
Meet students who have already received job offers to see what makes them successful.
Meet many students face-to-face and find the right fit for your company.
A chance to build rapport with incoming hires and deepen their commitment.
03 — TARGET
Savitribai Phule Pune University — highly rated for student character and retention, with an extensive hiring track record at major manufacturing, IT, and construction companies.
AtoJ Hirameki — India’s largest Japanese-language education institution. ASIA to JAPAN’s Indian subsidiary has partnered with Pune University since 2017 to deliver job-oriented Japanese courses for STEM students. Multiple colleges have adopted its 550-hour, credit-accredited intensive Japanese program, with continued brush-up lessons for students who go on to work in Japan.
All five colleges below have adopted the credit-accredited intensive Japanese program.
Founded: 1992 (institution established 1917)
Profile: Located in central Pune near government offices; a comprehensive engineering college spanning mechanical, electrical, electronic, IT, and civil engineering.
Strengths: Known for practical education and steady engineer training, with a strong hiring track record in manufacturing and infrastructure.
Fit: Production engineering, design, quality, construction management, software development.
Founded: 1983
Profile: A leading engineering college under Pune University; NAAC A+ and NBA accredited with numerous programs.
Strengths: A strong research-oriented student base in AI/ML, electrical, and mechanical engineering, plus an active Japanese-learning culture.
Fit: Software development, data engineering, R&D, design & development.
04 — ON-SITE INTERPRETERS
Founded Hirameki Solutions, the predecessor of AtoJ Hirameki, in 2008, and has since been at the forefront of bridging Japan–India business. With 20 years of hands-on experience and a management strategy background from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), she brings deep contextual understanding to high-level business communication. She holds JLPT N1, the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, and currently leads executive-level business Japanese and career-preparation programs.
A pioneer of Japanese-language education and career training in India. Began his career as an interpreter/translator in 2005, building deep cross-cultural insight that goes beyond language. He later led a web-development division at a major tech company, including experience through its acquisition by IBM, giving him expertise spanning both technology and global business. As an educator, he volunteered for 16 years as head of the Japanese Language Department at Pune University, helping develop the next generation.
05 — CLIENTS
Below are example companies that have hired students from Pune University and AtoJ Hirameki, spanning numerous successful placements at major manufacturing, IT, and construction companies.
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. · Kubota Corporation · DENSO Corporation · Komatsu Ltd. · Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. · Mitsubishi Electric Corporation · AISIN Corporation · Rakuten Group, Inc. · Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. · Dai-ichi Life Technocross Co., Ltd. · NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd. · YKK Corporation · Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd. · Takamatsu Construction Group · Yokogawa Electric Corporation · Azbil Corporation · Daifuku Co., Ltd. — and approximately 60 other companies.
Free brochure requests and individual consultations are available — reach out with any questions.
For any questions about new-graduate STEM or international-student hiring, please get in touch.