Toyota Motor Corp said it plans to recruit 1,200 people for the 2010 business year starting in April, but will not hire clerical staff due to uncertain economic conditions.
The figure represents a drop of more than 12 per cent from fiscal 2009, when Toyota recruited 1,376 people including clerical staff.
The planned recruitment is comparable with the level seen in fiscal 1994 after the collapse of the bubble economy, although conditions differ slightly each year depending on recruitment of mid-career employees.
The Japanese auto giant is expecting to return to profit in the current financial year ending in March after logging a huge loss in the previous year, but it plans to stem personnel costs in the face of declining sales amid massive global recalls of its vehicles.
The conservative recruitment plan of one of Japan's largest manufacturers could impact other companies and exacerbate the already adverse conditions in the domestic job market.
In fiscal 2009, Toyota recruited 143 clerical personnel, mainly graduates of two-year universities and professional school courses.
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For the next fiscal year, it is planning to hire a total of 460 administrative and engineering staff, falling below the 516 people recruited in fiscal 2009.
It will recruit 240 people to enroll at a Toyota training academy for technical skills, topping the 213 people enrolled in fiscal 2009.