This study investigates the employment landscape and career expectations of doctoral graduates in Japan through the analysis of three national surveys conducted in 2012, 2015 and 2018. The research explores the changing factors influencing graduates' employment destinations during this period, encompassing changes by discipline and proposing strategies to address challenges faced by these graduates. Unlike previous studies, which predominantly focussed on analysing data and interviewing students, this research offers both descriptive insights and analytical perspectives on Japanese doctoral education. Key fndings include an increase in doctoral graduates employed in universities and the private sector, while academia employment varies by discipline. Humanities exhibit the highest academic employment, while engineering shows diverse fluctuations. Additionally, career expectations shift, with declining interest in tenure positions and growing inclination towards non-academic paths. The study identifies challenges stemming from shifting academic appeal, skill mismatches, sector concentration and field-specific hurdles, providing insights into global trends while emphasizing Japan's unique complexities.