7 Most Popular Jobs for Foreigners in Japan

Japan is a popular destination for ex-pats. Be it for just a set amount of time so that you can learn about the culture and experience living somewhere else, or on a more permanent basis.

But how easy is it to find a job here? And what are the most common jobs among foreigners?

To answer these questions, let’s take a look at the 7 most popular jobs for foreigners in Japan!

Service staff

If you are still learning how to adapt after moving to Japan from the U.S. and are not ready for a long-term job decision, part-timing in customer service is a great idea. Because of how popular Japan is as a tourist destination, there is always the need for people with language skills. And, as a foreigner, you will likely know at least one or two languages more than a Japanese native.

If one of those languages is English, you will have an even more significant advantage. Some other valuable languages to know are French, German, Italian and Spanish.

However, pretty much any additional language is a big advantage. Of course, you would need to know at least a little bit of Japanese. You do not need to speak it perfectly, but you need to be able to participate in a simple conversation. 

IT

We cannot understate how popular IT-related jobs are in Japan. If you have any education in programming, computer repair, or similar, you will likely have an easy time getting a job. If you are good enough at it, you might not need formal education. But it can be more difficult to get employed in that case.

The good news is that you can find a job in Japan if you don’t speak and write Japanese in this sector. We do recommend trying to gradually learn! But at the very least, it will not be as hard as getting into other career paths we will be discussing here, making this one of the undisputed most popular jobs for foreigners in Japan.           

English teacher

The demand for English teachers in Japan, and Asia in general, has been on the rise for quite some time. Anyone with formal education is pretty much guaranteed employment.

The good news is, if you are a native speaker or just very good at English, all is not lost. You can work as a private tutor or offer online classes. The pay is unlikely to be quite as good as that of an actual school teacher, but it is much easier to get hired.

You would be in charge of your own working hours, and you can either use it as a transitional job or as a supplemental income. There is plenty of merit in pursuing such a job, which makes it one of the most popular jobs for foreigners in Japan.

Translator or interpreter

The other jobs on our list demand basic Japanese knowledge, but these place a particular emphasis on it. Working as a translator or interpreter can quickly become overwhelming if you do not have a firm grasp of both languages you are handling.

So, even though the demand for these jobs is high and the pay is excellent, we recommend that you only try to make it as an interpreter or translator if you’ve had at least some education on the subject. Or previous experience with the job, of course. Learning a language on your own is hard but not impossible.

Bank assistant

Now, this is perhaps the most demanding job on our list, experience-wise. You will likely have some difficulty getting it without prior experience.

However, if you do get it, it will very much be worth it! Besides, if you know multiple foreign languages, you will be much more competitive, particularly if it is one of the geographically closer languages in addition to English.

If you live in Hong Kong, you should consider hiring international movers from Hong Kong to ensure the simplest transfer from Hong Kong to Japan and apply for a job here! Knowing Chinese and English at the same time will open a lot of doors. Which can, at the very least, level the field with more experienced applicants. And if you have prior experience, all the better! You will be at the top of the hiring lists.

Salesperson or sales manager

Working in sales once again draws on the advantage all foreigners share: a diverse knowledge of languages. Japan is surprisingly full of foreigners, which makes it all the more important for the companies to include staff that can properly communicate and work with them.

As such, a salesperson with knowledge of multiple languages is indispensable. Once again, however, you will also be dealing with native Japanese citizens. This makes it essential for you to understand and speak their language fluently, particularly if you are trying to sell them something!

The good news is that all the conversations will surely gradually improve your level of proficiency.

Tourist guide

The final on our list of the most popular jobs for foreigners in Japan is a tourist guide! Luckily, it is another job that requires a relatively low base knowledge of Japanese. Since you will be primarily working with foreigners such as yourself, you will be able to get by with the basics.

However, English, on the other hand, is nearly indispensable. So make sure you have an excellent grasp of it! The added benefit of this job is getting to visit famous locations and landmarks and learning all about them while earning money.

The only complication is the potential of a nationwide state of emergency caused by the pandemic, which has somewhat reduced this particular job’s popularity.

Final remarks

Having gone over the 7 most popular jobs for foreigners in Japan, it should be evident that it is not that difficult to find employment in this country. Of course, some of the jobs can be treated as a mere fill in while you work on finding something that suits you better.

However, you are, at the very least, guaranteed not to be left in a situation where you have no clue what to do!

Author: Jassica Mendez