About entering corporate culture in Tokyo, encountering academic clique

It was year 2004, I entered a company of very old and traditional Japanese food company.  I returned to Japan a year ago after having lived in many years in foreign lands and those were still the days I was struggling to understand, actually just trying to get used to how things work in Japan. 

At the initiation ceremony, called “nyushashiki”, I noticed there were two fellow newly employed talking to HR Dept. personnel.  Those HR staff were helping them pack those two graduates rushing them out of the hall.  So that they could attend their university clique welcome party exclusive only for them.  

It was happening during the ceremony so obvious to anyone’s eyes but no one said anything only exchanging eye contacts wondering what was going on. 

Later we found out they were graduates of one University, one most prestigious private university in Japan.  There I came to know there was a clan of certain education institution academic clique, prevailing in the organization and it was made known to everyone entering the company on the first day.  The party was hosted by the CEO who was also an alumni of this particular university.  

This clan is very powerful in many organization and it really was so in this corporation I joined.  Starting from the top, Chairman to the corporate executives down to each section/department heads were mostly occupied with the graduates. 

(If anyone is looking for a job in corporate Japan, make sure which education institution executives come from, it should give you grand idea of culture inside)

What surprised me then was how systematically the HR positioning was carried out with the clique, operating in such blatant way was almost refreshing.  It is similar how Oxbridge in England operates but this one in the Far East I’d then imagined more direct without subtlety.  

Now having lived more than 15 years in the corporate life in Tokyo, I can see the tradition and efficiency of having such clan in one organization.  I have no grudges, no hard feelings.  Too mature now to go mad (or too worn out maybe).  I gained many friends from this clique and I myself worked with the academics from this university a few times, great experiences.  

But then I was naïve and looking for any reason to dislike the company, the society, the country of Japan.  

What I would write is part a story to how I came to make amend with the city Tokyo, with this country Japan.