- Which visa types are available for Indian nationals moving to Japan
- Japan’s booming IT sector and why Indian engineers are in high demand
- Salary expectations for Indian IT professionals in Japan (2025 numbers)
- INR to JPY money transfers — how to avoid bank markups
- Indian community, food, and cultural support networks in Japan
- Complete first 30 days checklist for Indians arriving in Japan
Indian nationals need a work visa (no Working Holiday Visa available for India-Japan). The most common route is an employer-sponsored Engineer/Humanities visa for IT and engineering roles. Japan has significant demand for Indian IT professionals, and salaries typically range ¥400,000–900,000/month for experienced engineers.
India is one of the largest sources of skilled workers moving to Japan, primarily driven by the Japanese IT industry’s aggressive global hiring. Japan’s population is aging and shrinking — software engineers, data scientists, and infrastructure professionals are in genuine short supply. For Indian professionals, this creates real opportunity.
Visa Options for Indian Nationals
Important: India does not have a Working Holiday Agreement with Japan. Indians must obtain a proper visa before entering Japan to work.
1. Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (Most Common)
This is the visa category for most Indian IT professionals, engineers, and business people:
Requirements:
- University degree in a relevant field (computer science, engineering, business, etc.)
- OR 10+ years of practical experience in the relevant field
- Job offer from a Japanese company
- JLPT Japanese language qualification (N4 minimum for some employers, but many IT companies don’t require it)
Process:
- Receive job offer from Japanese employer
- Employer applies for Certificate of Eligibility (COE) at Japanese Immigration — takes 1–3 months
- Apply for visa at Japanese Embassy in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, or Hyderabad — takes 5–10 business days
- Enter Japan, collect Residence Card at airport
Duration: 1, 3, or 5 years (renewable)
2. Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa — Fast-Track PR
For Indian professionals with strong credentials:
- 70+ points: PR eligibility after 3 years
- 80+ points: PR eligibility after 1 year
Points are calculated on education (IIT/IIM grads get high scores), salary (¥5M+/year helps significantly), and Japanese language ability (bonus points for JLPT N1/N2).
Many Indian engineers in Japan qualify for HSP. Check the official METI point calculator.
3. Intra-Company Transfer
If your company (TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, etc.) has a Japan operation, you may be eligible for intra-company transfer without starting a new job search.
Japan’s IT Sector: Opportunity for Indian Professionals
Japan’s technology sector faces a structural shortage of engineers. The government has set ambitious digitalization targets, and Japanese companies (Toyota, Sony, SoftBank, NTT, etc.) are actively recruiting internationally.
In-Demand Skills for Indian Professionals in Japan
- Cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Full-stack development (Java, Python, JavaScript)
- Data engineering and ML/AI
- SAP and enterprise systems
- Cybersecurity
- Embedded systems and automotive software (Toyota, Honda, Denso)
- Fintech (Rakuten, SBI, GMO)
Salary Expectations for Indian IT Professionals in Japan (2025)
| Level | Experience | Monthly Salary | Annual (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior engineer | 0–3 years | ¥300,000–400,000 | ¥3.6M–4.8M |
| Mid-level engineer | 3–7 years | ¥400,000–600,000 | ¥4.8M–7.2M |
| Senior engineer | 7+ years | ¥600,000–900,000 | ¥7.2M–10.8M |
| Tech lead/architect | 10+ years | ¥800,000–1,200,000 | ¥9.6M–14.4M |
Comparison to India: A Senior Software Engineer in Bangalore might earn ₹25–50 LPA (~¥3.6M–7.2M at current rates). Japan’s salaries are comparable for senior roles, but with much lower cost of living and significantly better quality of life metrics (safety, healthcare, infrastructure).
Companies in Japan Actively Hiring Indian Engineers
Japanese companies with large international engineering teams:
- Rakuten — officially English-as-corporate-language; large Indian developer community
- LINE/LY Corporation — strong multilingual engineering team
- SoftBank — enterprise tech
- Toyota/Denso — automotive engineering
- NTT Data — enterprise systems
Global companies with Japan offices:
- Amazon Japan, Google Japan, Microsoft Japan
- Accenture Japan, Deloitte Digital Japan (consulting)
Indian IT companies with Japan operations:
- TCS Japan, Infosys Japan, Wipro Japan, HCL Japan — intra-company transfer possible
INR to JPY: Transferring Money Between India and Japan
Bank wire transfers between India and Japan are expensive — SWIFT fees plus 2–4% exchange rate markup means significant losses on each transfer.
Transfer INR to JPY (or JPY to INR) at the real mid-market rate. Wise charges ~1% for INR transfers — far cheaper than Indian bank SWIFT transfers.
Open Wise Free →Typical costs to send ₹1,00,000 (~¥183,000) to Japan:
- Indian bank SWIFT: ₹500–1,500 fee + 2–3% FX spread → lose ₹2,500–4,500
- Wise: ~1% total → lose ~₹1,000
For regular salary remittances, Wise saves tens of thousands of rupees per year.
Regulatory note: Indian residents are subject to the Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) — you can remit up to USD $250,000 per year for approved purposes. Sending money from Japan back to India: use Wise or a dedicated remittance service. TCS (Tax Collected at Source) at 20% may apply on remittances above certain thresholds — consult a chartered accountant.
India vs Japan: Cost of Living Comparison
| Expense | Mumbai/Bangalore | Tokyo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR, good area) | ₹35,000–80,000/mo | ₹65,000–120,000/mo | India cheaper for rent |
| Groceries | ₹8,000–15,000/mo | ₹30,000–50,000/mo | India much cheaper |
| Dining out (casual) | ₹200–600/meal | ₹800–1,500/meal | India much cheaper |
| Healthcare | Variable (private insurance) | NHI-covered (~¥6,000/mo premium) | Japan affordable, predictable |
| Safety/quality of life | Varies | Excellent | Japan significantly better |
The honest picture: Japan is more expensive than India for daily consumables and food. But the salary premium in Japan (for IT professionals) is typically 3–5x what you’d earn in India, making the math very favorable. Additionally, Japan’s public safety, healthcare, and infrastructure quality are significantly higher.
Indian Community in Japan
Japan has a growing Indian community, concentrated in Tokyo (Nishi-Kasai, Edogawa-ku is nicknamed “Little India”), Osaka, Kobe, and other tech hubs.
Resources for Indians in Japan:
- Embassy of India, Tokyo — assistance with consular services, Indian nationals’ welfare
- Indian Community in Japan (Facebook groups) — active community for housing, jobs, cultural events
- Indian restaurants: Available in major cities — Nishi-Kasai (Tokyo), Sakaemachi (Osaka), and Umeda (Osaka) have good Indian food options
- Hindu temples: Tokyo has Hindu temples in the Edogawa area
Food and grocery access:
- Indian grocery stores exist in Tokyo (Nishi-Kasai area)
- Halal food is increasingly available in major cities
- Many Japanese grocery stores carry basic Indian spices; Amazon Japan stocks Indian groceries
First 30 Days in Japan for Indians
Before You Leave India
- Get your visa processed and COE received
- Set up a Wise account (takes 3–5 days to verify — start early)
- Scan all documents (degree certificates, passport, employment contract) to cloud storage
- Get apostilled copies of your educational degrees if required
Day 1–3: Arrival
- Collect Residence Card at airport immigration
- Get Japanese SIM immediately. See best SIM cards guide
Day 3–7: City Hall Registration
- Register address at ward/city office (住民登録) — within 14 days
- Apply for My Number card
- Enroll in National Health Insurance or confirm employer’s Shakai Hoken enrollment
Week 2: Financial Setup
- Open Japan Post Bank account (simplest for new arrivals)
- Set up regular transfer from Indian account via Wise if sending money home
- Full banking guide: opening a bank account in Japan
Week 3: Card and Payments
Japanese Language: Do You Need It?
For most IT roles in Japan, English is sufficient at the technical level. Rakuten, LINE, and many international companies conduct business in English. Japanese language ability:
- N5/N4: Can navigate daily life, read basic signs, order food
- N3: Can communicate in most daily situations
- N2: Opens professional roles at Japanese-majority companies
- N1: Near-native; significantly expands career options
Practical advice: Even if your job is English-only, learning Japanese to at least N4 dramatically improves your quality of life and integration into Japan. See our language learning guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Indians move to Japan for work? Yes — the most common route is an employer-sponsored work visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities category). Japan does not offer a Working Holiday Visa to Indian nationals, so a job offer before arriving is required.
Is Japan good for Indian IT professionals? Yes — Japan has a significant shortage of software engineers, and Indian IT professionals are among the most actively recruited groups. Salaries for experienced engineers (¥400,000–900,000/month) are competitive, and the cost of living advantage over European destinations is real.
How do I send money from Japan to India? Use Wise for JPY→INR transfers — it offers the real exchange rate at ~1% fee, far cheaper than SWIFT bank transfers. For large amounts, also check Instarem and RemitGuru. Remember India’s LRS rules for remittances from Japan back to India.
Do Indian degrees count for Japanese work visas? Yes — degrees from Indian universities (especially IITs, IIMs, NITs, and accredited private universities) are recognized for Japanese work visa applications. The Engineer/Humanities visa requires a relevant degree or 10+ years of experience.