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Greetings,

As always, thank you for reading this newsletter! If you are new here, welcome 🎉 (See what you missed in past newsletters.)

Today I'd like to discuss the slightly controversial idea to required pay transparency on the Nihongo Jobs job board, and I welcome all opinions from the employer side by mid-May before enforcing this in the summer.

You are also invited to join a free in-person (Chicago) or virtual HR Summit on May 8 to be held in the Japanese language.

Lastly, I welcome you to consider how an online cross-cultural workshop could be helpful for your organization if you experience miscommunications and inefficiency when working between the US and Japan.

Sincerely,

Kasia （カーシャ）

Founder, Ikigai Connections & Sr. Consultant, Japan Consulting Office (LinkedIn)

Promoting pay transparency on the job board

The Nihongo Jobs job board currently does not require job ads to have salary information, but this is expected to change this summer for all employers who purchase a Featured 15-Day or 30-Day job ad.

Although it is not required on Indeed, 91% of their job ads have this data. Indeed's article (updated April 8, 2026*) mentions the following points regarding why employers should clearly identify salary information:

• Compliance: it is required in some states and markets.
• Job seekers consistently value pay transparency, and 38% of them "would stop or abandon a job application if the salary range is not disclosed."
• Increased applications via candidates whose expectations align with what you can offer, and reduced mismatches that save time for both employers and applicants.
• Better employer branding because you show candidates that your organization values fair pay practices and competitive compensation.

According to a recent article from the New York City Society for Human Resource Management ("Why Pay Transparency is the New Global Retention Strategy," February 23, 2026*), "pay transparency is a fundamental driver of workplace trust and a critical tool for talent retention."

Since the Nihongo Jobs job board covers the entire US, it is important to note that there are differences among the 50 states in terms of pay transparency. This article from Paycor* highlights some key points by state.

Going forward, here are some tips to consider from the same Indeed article:

• Use clear and realistic salary/rate ranges. (Unreasonably wide ranges will reduce trust.)
• Mention bonuses, commissions, or stipends.
• Highlight total compensation and benefits.

Job seekers who utilize the Nihongo Jobs job board often ask about salaries. If you represent the employer side and would like to share your thoughts on this topic, please hit "reply" to this email by May 15 (Fri). Ikigai Connections will remain open to other perspectives to see what is best for both sides before making a final decision. Thank you in advance for your consideration and cooperation!

*Note: Ikigai Connections has no affiliation with Indeed, Paycor, nor NYC SHRM, and is sharing these articles only as a reference.

May 8 (Fri) HR Summit in Chicago (inc. virtual option) - in the Japanese language

ハイブリッド開催イベントのお知らせ：HRサミット 2026 @シカゴ

『米国HR現場から得る、今知っておきたい実践知』

◆ 日時

米国中部時間：2026年5月8日（金）13:00 - 16:00（終了後、会場参加者向け懇親会あり）

日本時間：2026年5月10日（土）3:00 - 6:00 AM

◆ 会場　（参加費：無料）

シカゴ・シャンバーグ会場（先着60名） Two Century Centre, 2nd FL Conference Center, 1700 E Golf Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60173

ウェビナー：Zoom

◆ プログラム概要　（使用言語：日本語）

開会挨拶　～米国HRの現状と見通し（13:00-13:10 CT）

座談会①　米国の労働市場と日系企業における採用最前線（13:10-13:40 CT）

座談会②　企業のベネフィットプランとコンプライアンス（13:40-14:10 CT）

座談会③　米国におけるトレーニングとトレンド（14:10-14:40 CT）

座談会④　日系企業におけるHRマネジメントとコンプライアンス （14:40-15:10 CT）

座談会⑤　職場でのAI活用術と法的対応（15:10-15:40 CT）

閉会挨拶（15:40-15:50 CT）

懇親会

主催：Pacific Dreams, Inc.

協賛：SGR法律事務所 / Business Engineering America, Inc. / エドワードジョーンズ / Waterview Consulting Group inc. / QUICK USA, Inc. / ONEPOWER Consulting LLC

詳細・ご登録：https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2517749656959/WN_0yHOvaM2ReaJxjGMTtaRIg#/registration​

Cross-cultural training opportunities

JCO celebrates 20 years in 2026! I am happy to provide cross-cultural trainings for Japan Consulting Office because I firmly believe that such knowledge-sharing is important for global business.

If you'd like to get a glimpse into how JCO trainers work virtually and in-person, consider attending an efficiency-boosting Open Workshop:

• "Working and Communicating with Japanese Colleagues, Clients and HQ" Monthly session information here (in English)
• 「アメリカ人同僚との仕事とコミュニケーション講座」Monthly session information here (in Japanese)

Each virtual seat at an Open Workshop offers the following:
🎯 A pre-course questionnaire so we can learn what matters most to you
📚 1-month access to all JCO E-learning modules (7 engaging topics in English and 8 in Japanese)
🗣️ A live, interactive 2-hour session (11 AM - 1 PM CT) with practical tips you can start using right away
Price per session: $490 USD

𝗛𝗥 𝗼𝗿 𝗟&𝗗 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀: If you're in charge of training at your organization, you can attend for free by agreeing to a follow-up call. It’s a no-risk way to see if the course is right for your organization.

Press hit "reply" if you are interested in learning more!

About Nihongo Jobs

Thank you for being a part of this community! Learn more about Nihongo Jobs here if you'd like to post a job ad to the Ikigai Connections community of 20,000+ followers who are interested in using their Japanese language and/or cultural skills in a career.

FYI: here are the steps to follow. If you already have a job description created, it should take you 10-15 minutes on average:

1. ​Log in or register on Nihongo Jobs
2. Select the 15-day or 30-day job ad (bulk options also available)
3. Add your job ad details
4. Make your payment
5. Upon submitting, you will receive a confirmation email with links to the social media posts. (This usually takes a few minutes, but please check your spam folder if you don't receive it.)

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to hit "reply"!

Learn more about the Nihongo Jobs job board here. See how featured job ads are promoted: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Bluesky, Threads, LinkedIn newsletter (Tuesdays), job seeker newsletter (Thursdays).

If you haven't already used coupon code "nihongo" for 25% off a single 15-day or 30-day job ad, login/register to use it now.