Jobs & Work

Quick Answer Legally, you can resign from a permanent position in Japan with 2 weeks’ notice (Civil Code Article 627) — no employer permission needed. In practice, give 1 month, tell your direct manager first (verbally, in private), then submit a taishoku todoke (退職届). Before your last day, secure your rishoku-hyo, gensen choshu-hyo (tax slip), and pension book. Your employer cannot hold your visa hostage. You’ve decided to leave your Japanese company. Now the anxiety starts: you’ve heard the stories — bosses who refuse resignations, weeks of guilt-tripping meetings, the fear that quitting somehow endangers your visa. In a culture where people famously hire resignation agencies to quit for them, how bad is this going to be? ...

Quick Answer If you lose your job in Japan: (1) you can stay on your work visa and job hunt — losing the job doesn’t cancel the visa, but staying 3+ months without work activities can; (2) if you paid employment insurance (雇用保険) for 6–12+ months, you can claim unemployment benefits at Hello Work — roughly 50–80% of your previous wage for 90–330 days; (3) you must switch to National Health Insurance and National Pension at city hall within 14 days. ...

Quick Answer A Japanese payslip (給与明細) has three blocks: 支給 (payments — base + allowances), 控除 (deductions — health insurance ~5%, pension 9.15%, employment insurance 0.6%, income tax, residence tax), and 差引支給額 (net pay). Expect take-home of roughly 75–80% of gross. Two classic surprises: residence tax starts only in your second year (June), and bonuses get deductions too. Your contract said ¥300,000 a month. Your bank account says ¥237,000 arrived. Somewhere in that dense little PDF of kanji, ¥63,000 evaporated — and nobody at the office thought to explain where, because to them it’s obvious. ...

You’ve sent out dozens of applications. The interviews go well — until the visa question comes up, and suddenly “we’ll be in touch” means silence. Finding employers willing to sponsor is the challenge most foreign job seekers underestimate, and applying blindly to companies that were never going to sponsor is where most of that wasted effort goes. The fix isn’t more applications — it’s targeting the right industries and the right platforms from the start. Here’s how to find visa-sponsoring employers in Japan. ...

Going freelance in Japan as a foreigner is possible — but it involves visa restrictions, tax registration, and business banking hurdles that most people don’t anticipate. Understanding the rules before you start saves significant headaches. Here’s what you need to know. Can Foreigners Freelance in Japan? Yes — with the right visa. The key issue is that most work visas in Japan are tied to a specific employer or business activity. Working outside that scope without authorization is a visa violation. ...

Working at a Japanese company versus a foreign company in Japan are two genuinely different experiences — in culture, hours, hierarchy, and career trajectory. Neither is universally better. The right choice depends on your goals and tolerance for certain trade-offs. Here’s an honest comparison. At a Glance Factor Japanese Company Foreign Company Language Japanese (usually) English (usually) Salary Lower starting; rises slowly Higher, more variable Job security High Lower Hierarchy Strong Flatter Work hours Often long More variable Career path Internal; slow promotion Faster, more meritocratic Work-life balance Improving, but still tough Generally better Foreigner integration Harder Easier Working at a Japanese Company (日系企業) Advantages Job security: Japanese companies (especially large ones) are known for lifetime employment (shushin koyo). Layoffs are rare; redundancy is managed carefully. ...

LinkedIn works in Japan — but it works differently here than in most Western countries, and using it the wrong way means getting no response from recruiters. A few adjustments to your approach can dramatically improve your results. Here’s how to use LinkedIn effectively for job searching in Japan. Why LinkedIn Works in Japan Unlike many Asian countries where local job platforms dominate, LinkedIn is genuinely used by: Foreign companies with Japan offices (tech, finance, consulting, FMCG) Large Japanese corporations with international divisions Headhunters and recruiters who specialize in placing foreign talent Startup founders building bilingual teams Most roles that actively welcome non-Japanese speakers are posted on LinkedIn. Traditional Japanese platforms (Rikunabi, MyNavi) are largely in Japanese and targeted at Japanese graduates. ...

Japan hires thousands of English teachers every year — and the demand shows no sign of slowing. But not all English teaching jobs are created equal, and signing the wrong contract is a year-long mistake. Here’s what you need to know before applying. Types of English Teaching Jobs Type Employer Students Salary Japanese Required JET Programme Government School-age ¥280,000–360,000/mo No ALT (dispatch) Dispatch companies School-age ¥200,000–280,000/mo No Eikaiwa Language schools All ages ¥220,000–280,000/mo No University Universities Adults ¥300,000–600,000/mo Some Private tutor Self-employed All ages ¥2,000–6,000/hour No Online (Japan-based) Online schools Overseas students Varies No The JET Programme — Best Entry-Level Option The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme is a Japanese government program that places foreign graduates in schools and local government offices across Japan. ...