Japanese firms offer buyout packages to more workers

Tokyo (Jiji Press) — Listed Japanese companies had offered buyout packages to 8,711 workers this year as of Thursday, nearly double the 4,654 workers in the same period of last year, a survey by Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. showed.

The data suggests that the full-year figure in 2025 may surpass the 22,950 total in 2009 during the global financial crisis as U.S. President Donald Trump’s high tariffs are expected to weigh on corporate earnings.

The survey found that 19 companies have offered buyout packages, down from 27 a year before.

Still, there have been large-scale job cut announcements this month, including by Panasonic Holdings Corp. and Japan Display Inc. Nissan Motor Co.’s job cuts were not included in the data because it is unknown how many domestic workers will be affected.

Eighteen of the 19 firms that have offered buyout packages this year were manufacturers.

“More companies are cutting labor costs in the face of higher wages,” a Tokyo Shoko Research official said.

Even some financially strong companies are cutting jobs in an effort to keep them competitive in the longer term.

Profitable companies have offered buyout packages to 6,380 workers, or over 70 pct of the total.