TOKYO: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG), the largest of Japan’s three megabank groups, plans to raise the age for mandatory retirement to 65 from the current 60, the latest push to retain talent in an ageing population.
The move, effective April 2027, comes as part of “human capital initiatives” aimed at boosting long-term workforce sustainability, MUFG said in a statement yesterday.
The package also includes increasing paid parental leave to 20 business days from 10, and offering a one-time bonus of as much as 100,000 yen for staff that cover for their colleagues taking that time off.
Japan has long been facing a crisis of low birthrates and an ageing population. Births in Japan fell for a 10th straight year in 2025, data from the labour ministry showed last month.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged new measures to help address demographic challenges including easing costs for childbirth and reconsidering the country’s approach to hosting foreign workers.
Employees at Japanese companies have historically been forced to retire at age 60, but are often re-employed under a new contract, usually at a significantly reduced salary.
MUFG’s move adds to signs that this practice is starting to change, joining companies including Daiwa Securities Group Inc and Nomura Holdings Inc that are offering better terms for their senior employees.
MUFG traces its origins back to the founding of Mitsubishi Bank in 1880 and the later merger with UFJ Holdings in 2005. Today it is one of the world’s biggest financial institutions, with a market value of roughly US$194bil as of late 2025. — Bloomberg
