Seiryo Adopts Specified Skilled Workers from Myanmar

Seiryo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Toda City, Saitama Prefecture; Representative Director: Takafumi Kobayashi) hired two specified skilled workers from Myanmar on May 18, 2026.

Accepting specified skilled foreign workers in the automobile transportation sector is a relatively new initiative that has started recently. In the transportation industry, which continues to face labor shortages, accepting and training foreign talent is considered an important option to support the industry's future.

Takafumi Kobayashi, the representative director of Seiryo, visited Myanmar in 2025. He conducted face-to-face interviews there and hired these individuals based on how well they aligned with Seiryo's philosophy and corporate culture.

These two newly joined employees are the first foreign workers for Seiryo. To ensure they can work in Japan with peace of mind and grow despite differences in language, culture, and lifestyle, the company has been preparing for their arrival in terms of both daily life and work.

Preparation for Joining: Creating a System for the Whole Company to Welcome Them

Initially, the two employees were scheduled to join around January 2026.

However, because the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) required for foreign talent to reside in Japan arrived on March 13, preparations for their travel to Japan became active from mid-to-late April.

Considering the preparation period for the candidates in Myanmar, the start date was set for mid-May.

In preparation for their arrival, the company set up living spaces, purchased daily necessities, adjusted signs in the office, and shared information with existing staff.

Instead of leaving the preparation to a single person, tasks were distributed among staff members. Tasks were divided smoothly, with some staff creating a shopping list, others reviewing and adding details, and others doing the actual purchasing.

For example, even for kitchen utensils, they listed items like refrigerators, microwave ovens, rice cookers, knives, cutting boards, and frying pans, and refined the list by adding detailed items such as "wouldn't they also need a lid for the frying pan?"

On the other hand, rather than the company preparing everything unilaterally, they decided to consult the employees after their arrival on items that might depend on differences in culture and lifestyle habits.

Changes in the Office through Preparing Daily Necessities

During the preparation, changes were observed not only in the main staff but also in other employees.

For tasks that take time to complete alone, such as cutting and pasting or moving large furniture, surrounding staff naturally began to cooperate.

While carrying out their regular duties, each employee worked in between to prepare for the arrival of the two individuals from Myanmar.

This movement was not just a preparation for onboarding.

It became an important time for the feelings of "let's welcome new colleagues together" to spread throughout the company.

Through such teamwork, Seiryo prepared both the living space and the workspace.

Conveying Unspoken Rules Essential for Life in Japan

To ensure foreign workers can work with peace of mind, teaching them tasks is not enough.

To live in Japan, there are many daily life rules to learn, such as how to dispose of trash, how to use the toilet, how to handle food, and how to interact with neighbors.

In Japan, there are not only official rules and restrictions, but also unspoken rules and local customs.

It is not easy for foreign workers coming to Japan for the first time to understand these from the beginning.

Therefore, Seiryo has listed these "unspoken rules" and is preparing to explain them carefully one by one after their arrival.

For example, behind the fact that there is little trash on Japanese streets, there are local sorting rules and designated disposal methods.

By explaining the reasons and meanings behind them, the company supports them in starting their lives in Japan with peace of mind.

Sharing 'Ha-Sa-Mi' with Existing Staff: Organizing Communication Methods

When accepting foreign talent, the attitude of the receiving side is just as important as the efforts of the individuals themselves.

Seiryo shared a communication mindset with existing staff when interacting with the two employees from Myanmar.

The keyword is 'Ha-Sa-Mi':

Ha: Ha-kkiri tsutaeru (Convey clearly) Sa: Saigo made iikiru (Say everything completely to the end) Mi: Mijikaku tsutaeru (Convey briefly)

Between Japanese speakers, rapid conversation, sentences without subjects, and ambiguous expressions can sometimes be understood.

However, when speaking in the same way to foreign talent who have studied Japanese, the message may not be fully understood.

Rather than leaving the language barrier to the other side, the sender should also adapt.

This is the welcoming attitude that Seiryo values.

Even when the other party does not fully understand Japanese, both sides aim for a relationship where they support each other.