In Japan the beginning of a fiscal year is April so graduation ceremony is in March and entrance ceremony is in April with cherry blossoms in bloom in most of area of Japan. Every company and school have opening ceremony, where CEO, or President or Principal will make a speech and one of representative of students or newly hired also make a speech. It’s very formal and we bow many times. Bowing is the second nature for Japanese people. Bow to national flag, bow each other when making a speech.
Watch this video and you will can see the a typical entrance ceremony of a company.
This is a part of 2010 April ceremonies of JAL and Toyota when both companies were in hard time.
The ceremony is very regimental and formal and very important, just like a ritual.