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作成日: 2024/09/04 20:26

更新日: 2025/12/08 10:54

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Why do I need a photo on my resume to apply for a job in Japan?
Yuko Tamura

The Japan Times
As photo editing has become easy and ubiquitous, it has transformed professional headshots — not only on LinkedIn but also on resumes.

With more advanced artificial intelligence tools, even photography studios offer editing options, from changing one’s skin tone and eye size to altering the angle of one’s lips. These studios are especially popular among new graduates looking for a job in Japan, according to an NHK report, as many believe their first hire out of university will be the most significant opportunity of their career.

This trend evokes a question  —  why are headshots required on Japanese resumes in the first place?

Japan prohibits discrimination in hiring processes based on race, beliefs, gender, class or family background. The health ministry also warns that seeking irrelevant information about applicants’ aptitude and abilities can lead to discrimination. However, these guidelines do not address biases based on candidates’ appearance nor do they explain why photos are required on resumes.

In fact, while many countries prefer applicants not to include photos of themselves on their CVs to avoid discrimination claims, it is common practice in Japan to have them. The argument is that photos allow recruiters to confirm a person’s identity, especially in a job market where people do not change jobs frequently.

That said, the model of lifetime employment that characterized postwar Japan has been significantly eroded, as demonstrated by the growing number of recruiting and even quitting agencies. Also, given that many applicants edit their photos to look more professional, even using AI, the logic of having headshots on CVs is outdated, to say the least.

Another custom that shows how long a shadow appearances cast on hiring processes is kao saiyō, literally, “face hiring.” Shockingly, 68% of recruiters assessing new graduates acknowledge the existence of appearance-based hiring and 96% of them report that job interviews are influenced by visual impressions, according to a survey by underwear maker Fukusuke from last year.

This explains why so many interview experts recommend job hunters to put a lot of effort into their looks, from hairstyles to suits.

Recruiting agencies are also likely to encourage applicants to include photos on their resumes by explaining that these can be a critical factor in hiring decisions, hinting at the possibility of kao saiyō. In fact, it is still hard to find Japanese resume formats that do not have a rectangular space for photos at the top, despite a demand for new templates that better fit the times. One exception are the CVs that stationery company Kokuyo has been designing since 2020, which exclude any information related to gender.

As things stand, the absence of a headshot would make an applicant look unnecessarily secretive, especially if compared with candidates who include their photo.

In addition, a plethora of job hunting platforms educates women to wear natural-looking makeup, slimming suits and high heels. And despite the wide availability of pantsuits for women, common advice for new graduates is that they stick to skirts because they are considered more formal and give a “fresh” vibe. Men are instead recommended to cut their hair short and wear white shirts and sober ties — ignoring anything in between these two rigid, gendered visions of how a person should look.

Last year, a petition demanding a stop to sexism in recruitment processes was signed by 33,000 people and submitted to the education ministry. The petition claimed that current hiring customs impose gender binarism and sexism, putting college students in a vulnerable position that does not allow them to express diverse gender and sexual orientations and values.

Harmful social and gender norms in Japan are “something that needs to be dismantled as soon as possible,” said Pichamon Yeophantong, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Working Group on Business and Human Rights, in an interview last month.

But what if government authorities are disseminating such prejudices? The Tokyo Shigoto Center, a one-stop job center established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, conducts highly questionable workshops aimed at mothers who have taken a break from their careers because of parenting and wish to return to work.

Sessions on offer include those on “positive walking,” pelvic floor muscle yoga and color coordination in dressing, in addition to communication and partnership lessons — perpetuating gender stereotypes and reinforcing the expectation of appearance-based hiring. It is no wonder that the most common reason for wearing makeup cited by Japanese women in a small-scale survey from last year is that it is “good manners” for adults to do so.

Outdated gender norms and preconceptions about looks also affect Japanese politics. Takahiro Anno, who came fifth in the recent Tokyo gubernatorial election, was reportedly told by mainstream media to cut his hair first if he wanted to appear on TV. It was only after the election that Japanese media widely reported on how Anno had skillfully used AI tools to collect Tokyoites’ perspectives and, in response, updated his policy platform throughout the campaign.

Lulu Imai, a Gifu Prefectural Assembly member, also confessed that she frequently received negative feedback on her appearance the first time she ran in a local election, in 2021. Voters suggested she should change her looks to appear young and fashionable, saying that this would help her appeal to female voters, even though she was more interested in people focusing on her personality, she said.

Even for those who land a job in this system, what may seem like a blessing could end up damaging their self-esteem and confidence. When my former supervisor jokingly told me he hired me because I was his type, the remark shattered my pride.

Later, when I told friends, I learned that I was not alone — for example, a male friend had experienced the same thing — but my insecurities at work remained. Working under the supervisor, I could never truly believe that my accomplishments were the product of my efforts.

Hiring based on looks is harmful in many ways. On a superficial level, it boosts the use of photo editing but in a deeper sense, it perpetuates outdated norms and prevents well-suited candidates from accessing valuable career opportunities.

It is time to ditch these customs and start building a fairer recruitment system that rewards people’s talents and dedication irrespective of their looks.

Yuko Tamura is a frequent Japan Times contributor and editor-in-chief of Japonica Publication.

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