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Jobs in Japan? 76

Posted by Cliff from the i-think-I'm-turning-japanese-I-really-think-so dept.
Trak asks: "I've always been fascinated by Japanese culture and would love to spend a few years living there. Making a long story, short: my wife just left and I've got some savings, so I'm considering the move. I have a some jobs here in The States that I could rely on for telecommuting work, but I'd rather find a job there in The Land of the Rising Sun. Any advice on where to look and what to pursue? Any horror stories? I've done it all from System Admin to Programming to CTO, so I'm open to just about anything that's available, I just don't know where to begin looking. Thanks."
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Jobs in Japan? More

Jobs in Japan?

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  • Hmmmm... (Score:3, Informative)

    by mutterer ( 519272 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:12PM (#4369832) Homepage Journal
    Japan is a very interesting place to live, and I personally love it there. One job that you could almost definitely get would be an English teacher, if all else fails or if you just need something to do until you can find a better job. As far as SysAdmin type work, Sony is HUGE in Japan, as is DoCoMo. If you could score a job with either of these companies, you'd be set. The other thing to remember about Japan is that company loyalty is highly valued, so don't count on skipping out on a job working for a company. You can do it, but it's looked down upon and you'll surely not want that.
  • Don't take this [thejapanesepage.com] too seriously, but some of the links found are written by foreigners in Japan and have some detail of their experiences.

  • Great idea! (Score:3, Funny)

    by pizza_milkshake ( 580452 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:13PM (#4369837)
    Great! Now you can do reviews of anime on-site for /.! Get packing.

    • Its probably because I'm reading an article on Japan, but before I actually took the time to read your sig, I thought it was kanji.

  • fj.life.in-japan might be a good place on to ask this question moreso then in slashdot.
  • From what I've heard, don't live in Tokyo. The people of Tokyo itself are extremely xenophobic, and there are many places where foreigners are "not allowed". I also have heard that things become much better once you leave the city, and go out into the country, or to other cities. (This is all secondhand, but I've heard the same thing from multiple sources.)

    (And it couldn't hurt to scan google groups [google.com].)
    • The main warnings I've heard of about living in Tokyo and other large cities is the extreme housing shortages. Because of it, it's difficult to get a place to stay, and when you do, you may not even be allowed to have a car.

    • Re:One warning (Score:2, Informative)

      by StupidEngineer ( 102134 )
      The people of Tokyo itself are extremely xenophobic, and there are many places where foreigners are "not allowed". I actually lived and worked in Tokyo for a while. I didn't notice any of this. What I did see was the look of shock that I didn't speak japanese. (ethnic chinese). However, I do have a lot of japanese friends and didn't find that there are any restrictions on places to go... I did get a more xenophonic feel when I was in Kyoto there. They seemed a bit more rude than anywhere else I've been in Japan. But if you're into strip clubs, or hostess bars, etc. Then yeah, they're some places that are Japanese only. I think the bigger problem for foreigners are: 1. Housing. Now that's the problem. It's hard, and it's costly. The deposits are really high for everyone. Places hard to get, not all owners want non japanese tenants. 2. Work visa. That's hard to come by. You either need to make about 2000 US dollars a month by doing business in japan, or need a work sponsor.
      • You speak Chinese? Are you Asian? I ask this because Gaijan is a word used for all non-asians. A white guy in Tokoyo isn't going to have it as easy as a malaysian or whatever.

        And this I say to the person who posted this story. LEARN JAPANESE (it isn't hard!, it is EASY) And learn slang too, there are books that deal with this very subject. Learn amazing things like, when they sit there and refer to you as an English teacher it is the equivilant of a white guy calling a black guy a cotten picker. Don't be a bitch and look stupid, if it is a girl calling you an English teacher invite her over for a private lesson. ;P Don't sit there and say that your job is really programming at Sony or whatever...

        Another _easier_ approach to get to Japan is to join the military and make sure you will get stationed there. Military life is much simpler since you won't really have to learn Japanese, and you will probably get to have a lot of sex while you are there (sluts like to hang around military bases to find guys with bigger cocks, heh. wear condoms please.) The onbase life is very shelted from what it is like living in the middle of Tokyo though...
    • That is so untrue!!! I can tell you that, as I currently live in Japan.
      Yes, there are some place where they don't want foreigners to be present, very few places like that!!! The reason you hear these places is because these places are not common at all!!!
      As far as I can tell, you probably want to stay within Tokyo (and/or Osaka) and surrounding for the most part, if you don't understand Japanese very well. It is easy to find support in English in the large cities, but outside of it, it would be hard to do that. While it it true that in general, many people in Tokyo may not be as nice as the people in the country area in Japan, it is not hard to find nice people in Tokyo who are willing to help you out.
      Now, as far as the housing goes, well, buying a house is nearly impossible in Tokyo and surrounding area. You will probably have to settle with finding an apartment somewhere, and that would be expensive, but not impossible. Remember, people actually lives there. That means they somehow manage to pay the rent, eat, etc from what they earn.
      Having a car may not make much sense there, however. It is not uncommon for the people in Tokyo to own a car, but they often have their car parked at 2-3 subway stations away from where they live, as that is the closest monthly parking space they could find (and they often costs over $300). Given the expense associated with owning a car, many people chose not to have one at all in Tokyo area. This is not a big deal in Tokyo area, as public transportation is widely available to anywhere you may possibly want to go in Tokyo area.
    • Yes there are some people who are genuinely xenophobic. The guys in black trucks with loudspeakes saying that foreigners (gaijin) are destroying Japan are a good example.

      They are xenophobic

      Some people physically shake when you speak to them.
      Some shop staff run away from you in shops.

      They are just scared of speaking English. They usually assume that I only speak English)

      Other people want to practice their English with you.
      They seem very genuine, often for a long time.

      Some people are genuinely nice. Treat you like a human being instead of a curiosity and are able to be civil and kind. These people have usually travelled or lived overseas.

      But my experience of MOST businessmen and A FEW women in Tokyo is that they are perhaps a little xenophobic, but mostly they are just REALLY CHILDISH AND FUCKING RUDE!

      People in the country are usually much more polite, and much less cut throat. They are also more likely to fall into the shaking or eager to speak to a foreigner baskets.

  • Escape Artist's page (Score:3, Informative)

    by TheSHAD0W ( 258774 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:19PM (#4369881) Homepage
    http://www.escapeartist.com/japan/japan.htm [escapeartist.com]

    Escape Artist magazine is a resource for people seeking expatriate employment, or for a new place to live.

  • Site to try (Score:3, Informative)

    by Knightfall ( 558914 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:20PM (#4369885)

    This site usually has many links to Japan based job opportunities.

    http://www.1-allusjobs.com/default.asp

    Hope that helps!

  • First question (Score:1, Offtopic)

    by isorox ( 205688 )
    First question, do you speak (and write) jappanese?

    I'm looking to do something fun after graduation, and skipping the UK, but I barely speak more then holiday french/german/greek, so I'm guessing I'm limited to Ireland, the U.S, Austrailia, New Zealand

  • translation (Score:5, Funny)

    by tps12 ( 105590 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:24PM (#4369904) Homepage Journal
    I've always been fascinated by Japanese culture

    Translation: "I have 230GB of tentacle rape hentai."

  • Oh, yeah... (Score:4, Informative)

    by Otter ( 3800 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:29PM (#4369934) Journal
    Making a long story, short: my wife just left and I've got some savings, so I'm considering the move.

    Reading between the lines -- the answer to the question you really want to ask is "Yeah, you will." Is Gas Panic [links.net] still in business?

    Seriously, though, getting a job there is a good idea. Getting paid in yen makes life there much more affordable, but more importantly, the workplace is such a central part of Japanese culture that you'll be missing out on an enormous amount by telecommuting. Also, when starting out, go someplace that has a sizeable foreign staff. They'll be a crucial lifeline for the first few months.

    I did the bonehead English teacher route (in Nagoya) so can't advise about IT jobs but I did have a blast there.

  • Just a tip (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Read the first part of shogun to learn why it is important to have the right visas before you go there.

  • Foreign Service? (Score:2, Informative)

    by roachmotel3 ( 543872 )
    I used to work in the Embassy in Tokyo -- I was an intern, but I know they have lots of work to do. It was a great job, and there are lots of nationals that work there, to help you get into the culture.

  • Random thoughts from one who has been there... (Score:3, Informative)

    by ThinkingGuy ( 551764 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:51PM (#4370099) Homepage
    As a non-Japanese, you must have a proper visa to work in Japan. To get a visa, of course, you must already have a job. Basically this means you have to find some company that finds your talents worth going through a lot of government red tape, rather than just hiring a Japanese.
    (Note: Yes, it's possible to work in Japan without a visa, but it usually involves "entertainment"-type jobs such as bar host(ess)ing, stripping, or English conversation teaching).

    The English-language newspaper the Japan Times (they have a website, too) has a classified section every Monday. You might consider arriving on a Sunday night, picking up a Japan Times on Monday (they sell them at big bookstores and many larger train stations), and start calling around. I did this a couple of years ago, and got several interviews. Most places can probably interview you in Osaka or Tokyo, even if it's for a job is for elsewhere.
    As I recall, programmers were the most in demand among IT workers. Unix admin skills seemed pretty highly valued as well.
    One final piece of advice: be prepared to make multiple trips. You may get an interview, return home, and then then called back to Japan for a second interview (happened to me).

    Anyway, I lived in Japan for over 3 years (Tokyo and Sapporo), mainly as a student, and found it a fascinating experience and a great place to live.

    Hope this helps.

  • cut to the chase (Score:3, Insightful)

    by solferino ( 100959 ) <hazchem@gm[ ].com ['ail' in gap]> on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @05:53PM (#4370113) Homepage

    Making a long story, short: my wife just left and...

    ...i want to find me a japanese girlfriend

    seriously, one way to start off on the right foot is to avoid terrible cliches such as 'the land of the rising sun' - yes, i know nihonkoku translates roughly to land of the sun's origin - but this moniker sounds james-clavellish-kitschy and very tired

    - as bad as calling australia 'down under' or perhaps the usa 'the land of the imperialist warmongers'

    finally, i wish you luck on your journey
    - they say that travel broadens the mind

  • Learning the Japanese culture is a BIG challenge. (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Futurepower(R) ( 558542 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @06:02PM (#4370172) Homepage

    Learning the Japanese culture is a BIG intellectual challenge.

    You will always be "gai-jin", a negative term the Japanese have for anyone who is not exactly like them.
  • If you have a degree, any degree, you are a shoe-in for a job to teach english in japan. I have a whole bunch of friends that teach english in japan, korea, etc.

    A quick google search [google.ca] to get you started.

  • Japan is overcrowded. Because of that and because of cultural issues it will be VERY difficult for you to immigrate without a job already lined up, and because of said cultural issues; companies aren't exactly lining up to go through the trouble of helping.

    One thing that seems to be steady is the fact that they do tend to like foreigners to teach secondary and tertiary languages if you're adept with non-anime japanese.

  • Frying Pan -- Fire? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by martyb ( 196687 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @06:46PM (#4370427)

    In a nutshell, from what I can tell from over here in the USA, our economy has things good compared to what they're dealing with in Japan.

    From what I've read in the Wall Street Journal for the past few years, Japan is in the midst of a long recession. Layoffs have started to be implemented. Banks' financials are shaky and their central bank has pretty much exhausted what they can do (they've got their borrowing rate down to almost zero percent -- can't stimulate the economy much more than that!) Come to think of it, I recall they're actually in a depression -- people are putting off purchases, now, because they'll be cheaper, later. So businesses are starved for income and cut prices to drum up business; lather, rinse, repeat.

    I'm not saying you shouldn't go, but I most certainly would advise you to take a long, hard look before you leap.

    One thing I didn't notice in your post is how knowledgeable you are with their language? There are 4 parts to learning a foreign language: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. I studied German in High School and am still able to get by with the reading and speaking, but listening was hard (different intonations and accents) as was the writing (like programminng in a language I didn't know too well.) At least German uses basically the same alphabet as English (with the addition of some umlauts -- the two little dots over vowels). Japanese -- you need to learn a whole new alphabet, let alone the vocabulary and grammar. You've got your work cut out for you. And, if you've never learned any language other than English, doubly so. It was a real struggle to learn German in high school -- it was a whole new way of thinking. It's not like I'd think of what I wanted to say in English and do a literal translation! I had to learn to THINK in German. But, having done that, it's much easier for me to learn another language. I am now in the process of teaching myself ancient Greek and it's so much easier because I've already learned how to learn a language.

    In the interim, have you given some thought to going over there for a month or two of vacation? Then you'd have a chance to get a real feel for what things are like over there. You may well find "It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." But, having spent some time over there, you'll have some great experience that you can leverage should you decide to come back. I can assure you, you'll not see the world in the same way again! I was fortunate to have had a job that paid me to work for a week or two in 5 different countries in Europe. It truly broadened my horizons!

    It's good you are soliciting feedback and I hope you are able to garner useful information from people who have actually lived there. So, here's wishing you the best of luck in whatever you decide.

    P.S. One last thing: practice using chopsticks. =)

    • One thing I didn't notice in your post is how knowledgeable you are with their language? There are 4 parts to learning a foreign language: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. I studied German in High School and am still able to get by with the reading and speaking, but listening was hard (different intonations and accents) as was the writing (like programminng in a language I didn't know too well.) At least German uses basically the same alphabet as English (with the addition of some umlauts -- the two little dots over vowels). Japanese -- you need to learn a whole new alphabet, let alone the vocabulary and grammar. You've got your work cut out for you. And, if you've never learned any language other than English, doubly so. It was a real struggle to learn German in high school -- it was a whole new way of thinking. It's not like I'd think of what I wanted to say in English and do a literal translation! I had to learn to THINK in German.

      Oh come on. You don't need to conjugate verbs and nouns in four cases, three genders and eight tenses in Japanese. Japanese isn't very difficult. I can recommend the Pimsleur lecture tapes; they're good if you're busy.

      But I agree with the general consensus here; you should definately try to get at least a basic grasp on the language before attempting a journey. If you don't, then you will have problems.

  • First, visit japan, for about 2 weeks. If you like it, then decide.

    Some people love it there, some don't.

    I went 2 years ago and had a blast.

    am married to japanese so visa not an issue. But I am not sure I would really enjoy living there.

    As far as jobs, pick a relatively small town with a US consulate (try Fukuoka) (about 1 million ppl). There are about 45,000 americans living in Fukuoka, so you can get a support network of friends.

    Also, I would say that if you can work for a US company in the US by telecommuting then you can get a non-working visa (easier to get). High-speed internet costs about the same as here. Housing much more (think LA). Also, smaller towns might help there too.

    Don't worry about a car, you don't need one. Public transportation is world-class. (besides, gas is expensive there, more than in Europe)

    If you can get paid in dollars in the US you'll do better tax-wise.

    As far as jobs, well, Japan is in a recession. If you can manage to keep rent to $1000/mo with no car, then you can make it on $30K/year (25%tax,35%housing, the rest: bills, communications, food) so you can be competitive here in the US. Also, save up about 2 grand a year for trips back and forth, and administrative crap.

    If you want to go to japan and live the high life, you're gonna burn $500 per day easy. If you want to live thrifty, you're still looking at $50/day (including lodging and noodles).
    • I must ask a few things. First how do you pronounce 'Fukuoka'? The first 4 letters seem to stick out.

      Where does the 'small town' come from? I live in London, Ontario, Canada. It is what I consider a medium sized city of 330k people. So it is weird for me to see small town being 1 million people. I am thinking of going to a small city (90k ppl) when I move on.

      • Re:First, visit (Score:3, Informative)

        by gnovos ( 447128 )
        I must ask a few things. First how do you pronounce 'Fukuoka'? The first 4 letters seem to stick out..

        FU KEW OH KA

        Where does the 'small town' come from? I live in London, Ontario, Canada. It is what I consider a medium sized city of 330k people. So it is weird for me to see small town being 1 million people. I am thinking of going to a small city (90k ppl) when I move on.

        Tokyo has over 50 million people living in it. I know the Atlas say something like 12, but that's becuase the city itself extends beyond it's own borders (Technically, Tokyo is no actually a "city", it's more like what we would refer to as maybe a county. It has lots of little cities inside it, but they have ONG since merged into one mass.)

        So, when you are dealing with citties on that scale, 1m is peanuts.
        • I must ask a few things. First how do you pronounce 'Fukuoka'? The first 4 letters seem to stick out..

          FU KEW OH KA

          I think that, for a lot of people, that pronunciation would be unclear as well.

          FOO KOO OH KA..To get the vowel sounds right, try saying You Two Go Blah. Don't elongate the vowel sounds, though - They're meant to be short.

  • Jobs in Japan (Score:3, Funny)

    by presearch ( 214913 ) on Tuesday October 01, 2002 @06:58PM (#4370479)
    I don't know about Japan, but I just read that he'll be delivering the opening keynote address for Macworld Expo/San Francisco 2003.
  • i suggest beginning by teaching english (as english teachers are always in short supply). suss out the place, get to know the language, then apply for technically oriented jobs. good luck.
    • agreed kinda

      One of my closest friends, moved to japan for a gal (didn't work real well), however, he got a job as an english teacher, and I must say he enjoys it quite a bit (though the pay is not that great!)

      the only advise I could give, is be careful
      -they are rude to foreners (sp)
      -they assume you do not know their language (can be good)

      but BEST OF ALL!!!

      -they have some sweet technology (like cell phones etc)and you can see where some of our coolest stuff is thought up!
  • If you don't speak Japanese, don't expect that you can get an IT job easily. I went to the first Slashdot meetup in Tokyo and everyone was looking for a new job and having a tough time finding one. The foreign financials (i.e. Merrill Lynch, etc.) are good places to work but they all have budget problems right now. Most American firms have repatriated their R&D and localization so there's little demand there for English speakers or developers. Working as an IT specialist inside a Japanese corporation requires that you speak Japanese.

  • an advice from Japan... (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    As somebody who actually live in Japan, I thought I would make some comment...
    Well, as many people points out, without a proper job lined up, you won't be able to get the proper visa (of course, this is true for many other countries). So, unless you are willing to work illegally (bartender, teaching English, etc), you have to look for jobs first.
    Unfortnately, Japan is currently under recession (for years in fact) that it is hard to get good jobs. Many qualified Japanese can't get jobs, in fact. IT business is particularly bad right now. If you don't speak and write Japanese, you may find yourself very hard to find jobs in Japan.
    To make the matter worse, Japanese likes certifications and licenses so much that it is insane, if you ask me. They have system administrator certification (class 1 and class 2, I believe) in Japan, and many companies won't hire you unless you have some sort of that.
    Of course, there are companies which will hire you regardless, but these are typically not good companies. for example, there are a lot of temproary employment agencies in Japan. Unlike the ones in the US, many Japanese companies like that will send you to another company (let's call Company B) and work there for years. As a result, although you will work for Company B, you will be employed and paid by Company A (the temp employment agency you belong to). This will give you almost no chance of advancement in your workplace.
    This type of employment is more and more common in Japan today in every industry. I know many working in the IT business this way, and I also worked as a chemist in such a company. They hired me very easily, but it actually sucked so bad when I worked that way, I have to say. I had two bosses and two sets of rules to follow (of course, the place where I used to work was really bad, too).
    Then, there are work environment issue. Japanese work in harmony, they say. While that may be true, it sure make things hard to do your work, if you ask me. Of course, since you will be regarded as a "gai-jin" (foreigner), therefore, you may be able to do things in different way somewhat (it wasn't the case for me).
    Anyway, that's all I have to say about this, and good luck finding one.

  • Just vacation (Score:3, Insightful)

    by photon317 ( 208409 ) on Wednesday October 02, 2002 @12:55AM (#4371819)

    Go there for a month and have a blast and come back here to work is probably your best bet. I've been enamored with Japanese culture myself from time to time, which started when I was dating an Americanized Japanese girl when I lived in Singapore.

    While Japanese people and culture and fascinating, and it would be wonderful to be a part of it, the problem is you never will be. You were born an outsider and you will die one, even if you master the language and the subtleties of social interaction.

    While I respect them and their culture a great deal, please understand that at their core they're among the most racist cultures around. You'll never really have true respect among them, although they'll certainly be polite to you if you're trying. They have some good reasons for their arrogance, but being from the west I would imagine their inability to do anything but look down on you will eventually turn you off.
    • This is so true. I'm a white American but I grew up in Japan, all of my schooling was done in Japanese public school. I am still an outsider. Even though I speak Japanese better than most japanese-americans, I know the cultural nuances and everything, I am still an outsider. And yet the japanese-americans who grew up in suburbia, USA will have more respect than I will ever have. And, yes, there is some bitterness in that...
  • We're [q-games.com] looking for anybody who's good at making games, mainly seriously good animators and programmers right now.

    We're based in Kyoto, Japan and are both english and japanese speaking.

  • Try the JET programme (Score:3, Informative)

    by rpjs ( 126615 ) on Wednesday October 02, 2002 @06:17AM (#4372451)
    The Japanese govt runs the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) programme [jetprogramme.org] which places foreigners in teaching and "Coordinator for International Relations" posts with Japanese universities, schools and organisations for a year. Salary, travel and accommodation is all arranged by the programme. My gf used to work for the company that ran it in the UK, and many of her colleagues had been on it and all loved it.

  • Horror stories? (Score:3, Funny)

    by skippy5066 ( 563917 ) on Wednesday October 02, 2002 @12:26PM (#4374130)
    Well, for starters, read about these poor souls [megatokyo.com] who got stranded over there. I don't think they've managed to get home yet...

    They have a pretty extensive journal, I suggest starting at the beginning.

    -Jeff
  • No not that one. The legit one. Start up a rock, speed-metal, or better yet, Rap band. Achieve marginal sucess here. Get a gig over there. Know management will try and screw you. Be vigillant, clever, and screw them before they get you. Soon, you will be represented by legitimate management and will also be able to get your full visa. Out-drink everyone you meet, or try to.

    I a time of recession or not, any sort of entertainment business can still thrive. In Japan, as an American, you won't out produce, out tech, out work everyone. But you can be more American than anyone.

  • I have spent a lot of time in Japan since 1997, worked as a bartender (twice), English teacher, and at an IT company. I have noticed the following in the past few years: In response to previous posts: People in Tokyo are not xenophobes. People in Tokyo are quite used to foreigners. The only places that have signs outside saying "Japanese Only" are a very small number sex shops / brothels / massage parlours. You do not need to speak a word of Japanese to live and work in Japan. I have met quite a few people who have been in Japan for years and can say nothing more than a simple "Konnichiwa". Obviously they work for English speaking companies. Income tax in Japan is 5% (Only people on working holiday visas pay 25%, all others do not). Bartenders and private english teachers can get away without paying tax. Think very carefully before taking on a job teaching english. I have met many people who unhappy with their employer. Be especially wary of large English conversation schools with recruiting offices overseas. It is difficult to gain visa sponsorship from any company without a Bachelors Degree. Good Luck!

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