Work in Japan

If you ever had a yearning to live in Japan, you have come to the right place. Japan is a unique and exciting place to live. View our guide with information and jobs for foreigners in Japan.

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Japan Facts

• Capital City: Tokyo
• Currency: Yen, JPY
• Language: Japanese
• Time Zone: +9 GMT
• Dialling Code: +81
• Religions Practised: Shinto, Buddhism
• Total Area: 377,835 square kilometres
• Population Size: 129450000
• Voltage and Plug Info: 100 V. Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades

Introduction to Japan

Japan is an archipelago nation comprised of 6,852 islands located in the Pacific Ocean. To the West lie the countries of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia. The characters that make up Japans name mean ‘sun-origin’ which is why Japan is called the Land of the Rising Sun.

The four largest islands are Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku which together make up 97% of Japans land mass. The country is home to over 127million people making it the tenth most populated nation in the world. Its capital city Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area on earth and is home to a staggering 30 million people.

Japan is one of the world’s economic powerhouses being home to the third largest economy. It is the fourth largest importer and fourth biggest exporter and its citizens have the longest life expectancy on the planet.

Japan has a long history filled with long periods of isolation. For centuries the peoples of Japan did not have any contact with the world outside of their homeland allowing them to create a unique culture, most famous for the Samurai and Shoguns that rose to power. It wasn’t until the medieval period that the Japanese came into regular contact with other Asian nations such as China and Korea. The first Europeans to visit Japan did not arrive until the 1500’s.

Japan is a constitutional monarchy and is comprised of the Emperor and the parliament known as the Diet. The Emperor is regarded as define by the people and is a symbol of the state and of Japanese unity. Before World War Two Japan ruled a vast Pacific empire but after the war the nation adopted a policy of non aggression making it one of the most peaceful nations in the world.

Jobs for Foreigners and English Speakers in Japan

Jobs for foreigners who move to Japan tend to be either unskilled or highly specialised.

The Japanese government does its best to ensure that natives get first dibs on any jobs. Unskilled work tends to be the jobs that the native don’t want to do such as manual labour and factory work. Skilled jobs are mostly for English teachers, international business people and technology experts.

However, English-speakers are in demand – especially as language teachers – and are almost always able to find some kind of work. Foreigners who do not speak English or Japanese will find it nearly impossible to get a job, and in the business world Japanese skills are a must-have for every applicant.

The best way for foreigners to maximize their employability is to make them-selves as flexible as possible. Knowing English, learning Japanese and improving professional skills are good places to start.

A good first step into the Japanese job scene (if you don’t already work for an international business) is to consider taking up teaching English. If you don’t have a job in an international company or don’t fancy being an English teacher then it’s a good idea to start looking for a job in Japan long before you leave your home country. This way you can apply for a work visa before leaving your home country, and you will not have to change visas in Japan.

The Japanese have a reputation for being some of the hardest working people in the world. It is not unusual for Japanese workers to do 60 hour weeks. This dedication to work even has its own name, karo-shi, which literally means death from overworking. There have been instances where Japanese workers have dropped dead from sheer exhaustion. Fortunately, instances of karo-shi are rare, and as foreign workers are usually not pressured to log the same amount of hours as their Japanese counterparts, they should have nothing to fear.

There are a number of useful websites to help you find work in Japan. Newspapers are also a good source for international job listings. While publications offer a broader range of listings for numerous countries, it can´t hurt to take a look to see what sort of positions are in demand on the international market. A good source is the Japan Times.

Guide to Living and Working in Japan

Japan is the kind of place you just cannot experience on a two week holiday. The language and customs are unlike anything you have ever experienced, but with the right guidance and armed with a bit of knowledge, you will be in for the time of your life. If you decide to move to Japan and you can be sure you will be in for an exciting chapter in your life. Here is what you need to know before you go.

Japanese Money

The Yen is the official currency of Japan and is the third most traded foreign currency in the world. It is also used as a reserve currency coming behind the US dollar, the Euro and the pound as the most popular choice.  The Yen was formerly adopted as the nation’s currency in 1871 after the Chinese sold their money press to the Japanese government.

The coins currently in circulation are as follows: ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, ¥500

The current series of notes consists of ¥1000, ¥2000, ¥5000, ¥10,000. Be aware that the ¥2000 note is rare and is often not accepted as a means of payment.

Following the United States’ measures to devalue the dollar in the summer of 1971, the Japanese government agreed to a new, fixed exchange rate as part of the Smithsonian agreement, signed at the end of the year. This agreement set the exchange rate at ¥308 per US$1.

However, the new fixed rates of the Smithsonian Agreement were difficult to maintain in the face of supply and demand pressures in the foreign-exchange market. In early 1973, the rates were abandoned, and the major nations of the world allowed their currencies to float onto the markets.

How to Open a Japanese Bank Account

To open a Bank account in the country you need to show your alien registration card, must have been in the country for longer than 90 days, passport and ink seal. (Unlike most nations, the Japanese use the old seal method of signing documents). You’ll also need some money to deposit into the account.

You will then need to complete an application form and make a deposit after which the account will be opened. You can also apply for a Japanese debit card or PIN number.

Be aware that only a few Bankers can speak English and that it will be very difficult to communicate with them. If you do not speak Japanese; make sure you have a Japanese friend or a pocket phrasebook handy when you go to open your account.

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