BizReach Announces "JAPAN HEADHUNTER AWARDS 2026" to Recognize Japan's Top Headhunters Among Approximately 9,700 Professionals

BizReach Inc. (Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo / President & CEO: Tetsuya Sakai), which operates "BizReach," a job site connecting talented professionals with companies, has determined the winners of the "JAPAN HEADHUNTER AWARDS 2026" to honor headhunters active in fiscal year 2025.

This award ceremony celebrates headhunters who have achieved outstanding results. It consists of "MVP" and "Hall of Fame" awards across 12 categories, including various industry and domain-specific divisions, a "Member Satisfaction Division" for headhunters with particularly high member satisfaction, and a "Regional Revitalization Division" for those who have achieved the most excellent results in supporting job transitions to regional companies. This year, 12 individuals were selected.

The awards are presented to headhunters who have achieved comprehensive excellent results based on a headhunter score calculated using two evaluation criteria: "activity performance" and "member evaluation," among over 9,700 headhunters registered on BizReach. For the "Medical" division, due to a rigorous review process, there were no eligible candidates this time.

Furthermore, one headhunter with a history of five or more wins in the "JAPAN HEADHUNTER AWARDS" and who has demonstrated long-term achievements on BizReach was inducted into the "Hall of Fame."

■ List of Award Winners

Award Name (MVP)

Winner

(Honorifics omitted)

Winner's Affiliation

Finance Division

Shintaro Kaise

Pasona Inc.

Trading Company Division

Kazuhiko Kameya

Persol Career Co., Ltd.

IT/Internet Division

Fumihiro Hishinuma

Kreis & Company Inc.

Consulting Division

Yuuki Matsubayashi

TRN Global Career Inc.

Manufacturing Division

Seiya Kono

Quick Co., Ltd.

Medical Division

No eligible candidate

Energy Division

Keisuke Fukuchi

Agent Co., Ltd.

Construction/Real Estate Division

Ryunosuke Matsumoto

Job Craft Co., Ltd.

Executive Division

Shin Kotani

Confidence Interworks Inc.

Newcomer Division

Daiki Shintani

S hire Inc.

Regional Revitalization Division

Mami Nakanishi

Colorful Company Inc.

Member Satisfaction Division

Sho Hasegawa

Assign Inc.

Hall of Fame

Yuki Shimoda

Careerable Inc.

Judging Criteria for Each Award

MVP

・Industry/Domain Divisions: High headhunter score and overall excellent performance in the respective industry or domain.

・Newcomer Division: Opened an account within the performance reference period and achieved particularly high results within that period.

・Regional Revitalization Division: Achieved a high overall headhunter score and demonstrated performance in regional job postings.

・Member Satisfaction Division: Achieved a high overall headhunter score, delivered excellent performance, and achieved particularly high member satisfaction.

・Hall of Fame: Possesses 5 or more wins in the "JAPAN HEADHUNTER AWARDS" and has consistently achieved results on BizReach over many years.

(Performance Reference Period: April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026)

■ Comment from Ken Eda, Executive Officer, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Head of BizReach Business Unit, BizReach Inc.

The ratio of mid-career hires in Japan continues to rise year by year. According to a recruitment plan survey by The Nikkei (※2), the ratio of mid-career hires in recruitment plans for fiscal year 2026 reached 50.3%, exceeding half for the first time since the survey began. Furthermore, 80% of companies cite "securing immediately available talent" as the reason for increasing mid-career hires. As labor shortages become more severe and rapid technological innovations, including AI, transform industrial structures, the recruitment of highly specialized, immediately available talent is becoming an even more pressing issue than ever before, and companies' expectations of headhunters are growing. Moreover, as career options diversify, headhunters who help business professionals expand their potential and make optimal career choices will increasingly prove their value as reliable partners.

The "JAPAN HEADHUNTER AWARDS," now in its 18th year, aims to express respect and gratitude to headhunters through the selection of award recipients, while also promoting the revitalization and recognition of the industry as a whole.

BizReach will continue to strive to be a bridge connecting companies and business professionals, with the support of headhunters.

※1 As of the end of January 2026

※2 Mid-career hires exceed 50% for the first time, emphasizing immediately available talent; securing AI talent in electronics and telecommunications (The Nikkei, April 28, 2026)

■ About BizReach, a Job Site Connecting Immediately Available Talent with Companies

In the human resources industry, where there was no platform for direct interaction between companies and job seekers, BizReach visualized the recruitment market by opening its talent database to companies. By providing a platform where companies and headhunters can proactively approach job seekers, we promote "Direct Recruiting" – recruitment activities where companies actively consider and execute all possible means to hire needed talent, supporting the swift recruitment of excellent personnel. Headhunters using our service meet our company's strict standards. Job seekers can maximize their career options and possibilities by being approached by companies they might not have known otherwise.

URL: For Job Seekers https://www.bizreach.jp/

　　 For Companies https://bizreach.biz/service/bizreach/

■ About BizReach Inc.

With the mission "To provide choices and possibilities in careers," BizReach Inc. has been operating various internet services that support the future of work since April 2009. In addition to its Tokyo headquarters, it has offices in Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Shizuoka, and Hiroshima. The company operates "BizReach," a job site connecting immediately available talent with companies; "Internal BizReach by HRMOS," which prevents talent outflow through internal scouting; the "HRMOS" series of human resource utilization platforms; and "BizReach Campus," an OB/OG (alumni) visit network service. Within the Visional Group, which promotes the digital transformation (DX) of various industries, BizReach primarily handles HR Tech platforms and SaaS businesses.

URL: https://www.bizreach.co.jp/