Japan Guide: Jobs

Finding a job abroad is not easy, and foreign working conditions are often quite different from those at home. Our job guide explains where to look for a job and how to apply for it. You will also find information on salaries, working conditions and social security issues.

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  Introduction

  The Japanese job market

  The Japanese market was once dominated by enormous companies that offered jobs for life. With the arrival of recent recessions, this is now changing.

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  Looking for work

  How to find a job in Japan

  While there are numerous professional publications and internet portals that provide Japanese job listings, the most effective means of securing employment are personal connections (kone).

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  Job applications

  Cover letters and CVs in Japan

  Start applying for a job in Japan by preparing your CV/resume, or better yet, the Japanese rirekisho.

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  Japanese employment contracts

  Your rights and responsibilities

  Japanese contracts spell out all the details of employment in black and white, but foreigners should know that employer expectations and office culture sometimes differ from the fine print.

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  Working in Japan

  Hours, culture and work conditions

  Japanese employees work long hours. In spite of the Labour Law, it is not unusual for employees to work 60 hours a week. This has led to a phenomenon called karo-shi (death from overwork), where corporate employees have been known to spontaneously drop dead of exhaustion.

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  Social security

  The Japanese social security system

  For many years, less than 1% of Japanese people depended solely on assistance from social security for their livelihood. Still, foreign and Japanese workers are all required to pay into the social security system while employed.

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  Employment insurance

  Unemployment benefits and compensation

  Japan´s social security system ensures that employees laid off or injured at work have access to funds for support.

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  Japanese pension insurance

  The Employees´ Pension Scheme

  Japan provides all of its workers with a long-term savings programme that insures their pensions after retirement.

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