How are Master’s degrees perceived in Japan?

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to understand how the Japanese hiring system views a Master’s degree, particularly in comparison to other countries.

From what I’ve observed, many Japanese companies seem to treat Master’s graduates similarly to new graduates (新卒), regardless of whether they have prior full-time work experience — especially in the case of foreign students.

In many other countries, a Master’s degree is often pursued after a few years of work and is used as leverage to move into a better position, higher responsibility, or higher salary. However, in Japan, it seems that most Master’s students proceed directly from undergraduate studies, and companies may not distinguish much between someone with work experience and someone without.

So I’m wondering:
1. Does the Japanese system generally perceive a Master’s degree differently compared to other countries in terms of job offers and career positioning?
2. For someone who already has work qexperience, completes a Master’s in Japan, and does not want to go through the regular 新卒 recruitment track — what are realistic pathways?
For context, I have 3 years of working experience back in my country before coming to Japan to study.

Am I misunderstanding the system, or is this a structural feature of the Japanese hiring market?

Would really appreciate any insights, especially from people who have navigated this.

Thanks!