On 13 June, the Japanese government decided to allow companies to use internships conducted before the traditional start of the job-hunting season to evaluate prospective employees from among university undergraduate and graduate students, a move that could speed up early recruitment, reports The Mainichi. The government has designated 1 June as the start of the job-hunting season. It previously said internships conducted before the end of May would not be treated as part of the screening process. Now, however, the government has acknowledged that internships conducted before the end of May can be used for recruitment activities.

When hiring students attending a four-year college course, companies will be allowed to use evaluations of those who participated in internships during the summer break of their third year. This will apply to internships to be held in the summer of 2023 at the earliest. It is said that many firms have already been using internships as part of the screening process. With the stamp of approval from the government, the programs could become a de facto job-hunting activity, possibly accelerating the hiring of students. A government official stated, "In the end, internships do not replace recruitment activities. We would like to make this fact known, so that there is no misunderstanding."