Makoto Kawamura, 51, felt he had few options left when the medium-size life insurer he worked for collapsed and a U.S. firm took over management.
The new management soon gave all nonsales staff aged 45 or older a two-week notice to retire early or risk being laid off.
That is why Kawamura went last year to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, K.K., located in Tokyo's Ginza district. The firm, the Japanese unit of the oldest U.S. outplacement firm, offers job-hunting support as part of early retirement packages offered by clients' former employers.