IT jobs in Japan

Hello all,

I know that these types of questions are very common and that there are many other posts in this forum, other forums, and information on web sites about this subject. But I would like to get some more specific information/opinions about my situation.

I am getting married in November and my fiancee and I are trying to decide where to live (US or Japan). Finding a job is a big determinant of whether it is even possible for us to live there.

Some info about me:

I have 2 associates degrees, one for Microcomputer specialist and one for Network specialist, I have _no_ certifications, I have worked at my present job as an IT Admin for a public school district in NW Wisconsin for just over five full years now. I am the only person in my department so I do everything related to computers and some other things that have been delegated to my department (intercom system repairs, phone system maintenance, A/V equipment troubleshooting, etc).

I have used and can administer Win98, Win2k Pro, WinXP Pro, WinNT (though its been a while), Novell (also been a while), NT Domains, Active Directory Domains (Win2k server), Novell networks (been a while), Linux (server, desktop, and LTSP), OS X 10.4, and OS X server 10.4 (as an OpenDirectory/OpenLDAP domain server supporting Win and Lin clients).

I am familiar with MS Office (through 2002), OpenOffice.org, Gimp, Photoshop, MS Publisher, Adobe Pagemaker (antiquated now, and replaced with a CS3 app which I have not used), Adobe Acrobat (PDF authoring), Veritas Backup Exec, Tolis BRU Server, Yosemite Tapeware Backup, Symantec Ghost, and a bunch of others.

I have taken a lot of Cisco courses as I was going to take a certification for it but then could not afford the cert test, but I don't work with Cisco equipment very often so I am a bit rusty with the IOS. I have knowledge of switches (Ethernet), routers, hardware firewalls (I built the schools), Web server administration (Apache, MySQL, PHP (some), <--LAMP), spam filtering (using dSpam and some other goodies), and email server management (postfix, dovecot, MySQL), wireless bridges, and _some_ fiber switching.

I have done my fair share of hardware maintenance on computers and servers, also I have done cabling projects (Ethernet). So I am pretty well rounded.

I am just starting to learn Japanese (written and spoken) so my ability is fairly poor at the moment.

Ok, so here is the actual question:

In the job hunting I have done the only possibilities I have seen are in Tokyo, however my fiancee lives in Osaka and doesn't really like the idea of moving to Tokyo for a few reasons, not the least of which is the cost of living. So I am wondering what the possibilities of finding an IT job in the Osaka, Kyoto , Nara area for someone with essentially no Japanese language skills are?

I am not looking to become rich, I just want to be able to take care of my wife and children and give us a somewhat comfortable life. I know that this is not an easy task but I owe it too her and me to find this information out so we can make the best decision for us and our future family. I have no prejudice in this, even though I have only been to Japan for a short time before it seemed that I could adapt to it, though adapting to city life might be the bigger challenge for me. I am not opposed to working in another "one man band" like I am now either for a small school or company. I even considered the possibility of setting up my own business doing PC repair, but my fiancee said that there are so many cheap repair stores that it probably wouldn't yield enough business, and she mentioned that most Japanese would probably feel more comfortable having another Japanese do the repairs. Perhaps some other form of IT business or desktop publishing (forgot to mention I have _some_ experience in DP too).

I have read many of the threads here and elsewhere but if you know of one that might be particularly useful in my situation I would appreciate if you could post a link to it.

Also one last mention, although my fiancee works in Osaka she could request a transfer to the Tokyo branch if there is no other option. Her parents live in Nara and her sister and brother live in the area as well so she would kind of like to stay close to them, especially her aging parents.

Thank you for reading my very long post, and I appreciate any constructive comments!

Reply!

Hey Bro,

I feel for you so I registered just for this post.

I'm a Canadian/American citizen working in Japan.

India is making moves in Japan IT just as they are everywhere in IT.

Furthermore... the speak English! Perfectly!

Japanese speak English but not enough to easily find employment I'm afraid. Not without a little help.

It may be very much worth contacting every IT company from India you can get your hands on and rewrite your post for them.

There will be much competition from within India obviously, but it's best to try Indian and Japanese companies.

You'll want to visit your family in Wisconsin just like me so you can certainly let them know you are game for American business trips.

Peace

Hi sdf,

Yeah, I looked at a few a while back but they gave you very little choice in where you would end up working and required a mandatory intensive 4 - 6 month Japanese class that was held in India. So I would have to live in India for 4 - 6 months and then get put where ever they wanted me, probably Tokyo which I am trying to avoid. I am reasonably sure I could get a job there (Tokyo) with out the Japanese classes (though I do wish to become proficient), but my preference would be the Osaka, Kyoto, Nara area. I found an Irish company in Tokyo that would be perfect and has openings but I would need to already reside there to apply.

Anyway, I really appreciate your response and I will look at more Indian IT companies.

Thank you,

Indian people do not always speak "perfect English", but their level of IT competence seems to overrule that. They seem to be getting hired a lot here.

As for other nationalities, it will depend on the company whether they want a person with Japanese language skills or not. Look for branches of companies in your home country. You'll need to work for them for a year in order to qualify for an intracompany transfer visa, but if you marry a Japanese (as I am assuming from what you write), that won't matter. What WILL matter with them is whether they feel justified in sending a newly hired worker to a position of responsibility overseas.

Indian people do not always speak "perfect English",

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I would say they almost never do. Having worked with many Indians in Japan, only a few had high level English with minimal accent. Most are right in the middle "okay for native English speakers to understand, impossible for Japanese".

Is your fiance Japanese?

If I were you, I would go live in Japan. Your wife has already said that she wants to be close to her parents and family. Look at it this way: You will live longer in Japan because of the food. And your wife will be happier.

So what's the hold up? You are afraid of not finding an IT job? The trick to finding an IT job in Japan is to be in Japan. Save as much money as you can in the USA. Then move there and start looking for work. Consider teaching private English lessons while you search for your IT job. You will find something eventually. Osaka is famous for its food. Also, there seems to be a popular baseball team there.... Go to a few games and learn some of the chants. It will be fun for you! Make it an adventure. Learn as much Japanese as you can. And be quick to mention to potential employers that you have a Japanese wife . . .

When I just checked my gmail account, one of the side notices informed me that Google is hiring in Tokyo. May be something to look into.

Glenski,

I have looked at that possibility as well, but most require that you have at least basic Japanese if not business level. I am studying but I am not even at a basic level for now.

GaijinPunch said:

Is your fiance Japanese?

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Yes, she is.

HelloKyoto,

The hold up is that I need to be able to support my family (wife and future kids) where ever I live. I know that some things just take a "leap of faith" but when you have a family to support you leap a lot more carefully. I have thought about teaching some English for a short while but my fiancee has stated, in no uncertain terms, that she doesn't want me too. But I have also considered other short term job possibilities until I find something. Just out of curiosity why do you say to mention to potential employers that I have a Japanese wife? What difference does that make?

Mike Cash,

A Google job? I wish.
From what I have heard they really like to hire specialists, I am far more rounded in my abilities and therefore suited to a smaller organization that needs an "all-in-one" type admin. I doubt I would even get an interview, and I would guess that they would be hiring only people who could speak Japanese fluently as well. But thanks for the tip and I will check it out all the same.

Thanks for all the responses guys!

Hmm... You finacee doesn't want you to teach English ever for a short time? Now this is a tricky one.

What "I" would do is move to Japan and get a part time teaching job to start, just to get some money coming in. At the same time "I" should start some Japanese classes and start hunting for the IT job.

Another option, if you have a lot of money in the bank, is to move to Japan and study Japanese full time and then look for the IT job. Last option is to stay where you are and call it a day.

PS. I agree with Hellokitty. You almost always have to be in Japan to find an IT job or almost any other "good" job. Bring as much money as possible! It makes life a lot easier.

Petaris said:

The hold up is that I need to be able to support my family (wife and future kids) where ever I live. I know that some things just take a "leap of faith" but when you have a family to support you leap a lot more carefully. I have thought about teaching some English for a short while but my fiancee has stated, in no uncertain terms, that she doesn't want me too. But I have also considered other short term job possibilities until I find something. Just out of curiosity why do you say to mention to potential employers that I have a Japanese wife? What difference does that make?

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I can't guarantee you that you will find a job, since I don't know you personally. But there are IT jobs in Japan, and if you work hard at learning the language and have a positive, yet realistic, outlook, then I think you will be fine in the long run. As far as making enough money to support your future family, you should be aware that there are English teachers who are supporting their spouse and children in Japan (although I believe most of them will tell you not to do what they are doing!) Will it be tough for you in the beginning? Yes, of course. But your attitude will be everything in such a situation. Realize that you are in Japan, not the USA. So yes, to address your question, having a Japanese wife will make a difference in the hiring process. It tells potential employers that you are more likely to stick around and they will ask you about your martial status. There are other factors in the hiring process that are unheard of in the USA. I would HIGHLY suggest you research it before going to your first job interview in Japan. Don't just ask your wife for advice about interviews and try to wing it. Pick up a book or two.
Getting back to the money question: You can likely make a lot more money in the USA and save more for your retirement since you already have a work history (social security, 401K, etc) in the States. That's something you need to research and consider. I don't know if you can contribute to a Roth IRA if you live and work outside the country. Anyway, I know, that for me, I would be considering how my life would be enriched by living in Japan. (Of course, I am a little biased.) Seriously, though, you should consider the positive things about learning and living in a different culture. Not everyone has that opportunity.

ET_Fukuoka,

I am not sure why she is so against me temporarily teaching English. She just said she doesn't want me to. I also am aware that most IT jobs are going to want me to be already residing in Japan or even that specific city.

HelloKyoto,

I am not trying to be a naysayer about living and working in Japan, I am trying to be realistic and trying to get a good overview of what I would be walking into. I have responsibilities to my wife to be and our future family and I just want to know all the information that I can so I can be prepared. That is what this thread is all about.

I have considered how my life would be changed by living in Japan as well. It brings some apprehension about being so completely different then the US but also seems like it might be a bit exciting as well.

I know it will be tough starting out, when isn't it? Thanks for explaining about the Japanese wife thing, I wouldn't have thought of that. Do you know of any good references about the hiring process in Japan? I know my fiancee has done a good number of interviews (as the interviewer) but having more then one opinion on the subject (and perhaps a less biased one) would be a good idea.

Does anyone know what the state of the IT industry is in the Osaka/Kyoto/Nara area is? Is it over saturated or are there positions to be found? Also are there many American or other English speaking companies in the area?

Thanks,

I'll go out on a limb here and guess that she doesn't want you to teach English because she knows that there is a certain sub-element of the female students that is on the prowl for some gaijin strange, if you know what I mean, and she doesn't want you around it.

Mike Cash,

She has said that she doesn't think that I would like teaching English and she wants me to do something I will enjoy. But there seems to be more too it then that, I almost think that she feels I will be sacrificing my happiness to be able to support her and she doesn't want me to do that. But whatever the reason it is what she asked of me and so I will obey her wishes.

Also, I have heard of what you are talking about but from what I have read around the internet it is not very prevalent, or am I wrong about that?

Thanks for your comment.

How prevalent does it in have to be in actuality for a woman to feel hinky about her man being in proximity to it?

Of course you make sacrifices to support her, whether of your happiness or of other things, all the more so if you move here to do it. Tell her the only way to ensure you don't have to make any sacrifices to be with and support her is for her to kiss you goodbye and watch you get smaller in the rear view mirror. Being as that is (I presume) not an acceptable alternative she should just let her man be her man.

Perhaps another reason she doesn't want you teaching English is the negative image we teachers often have, especially at the entry level of eikaiwa or ALT jobs. It puts money on the table, though, and puts you physically here to look for work and practice Japanese until you can find that other job. A spouse visa lets you work at practically any sort of work, but you still have to be qualified for the work, and that often means having fairly high Japanese skills. You could always take on private lessons at home, too.

I realize that IT jobs will often require high level of Japanese. I've been saying that for a long time. That doesn't mean they all do, though. Keep looking, but be smart and keep studying, too. Good luck.

Look what I found in Osaka. Seem like most IT jobs I have searched require at least Level 2 business japanese skills.

http://systemsgo.co.jp/db/recruiting/jb_Jobsview_candidate.asp?key=893

http://systemsgo.co.jp/db/recruiting/jb_Jobsview_candidate.asp?key=891

http://systemsgo.co.jp/db/recruiting/jb_Jobsview_candidate.asp?key=655

Actually it just occured to me now....what about being an IT for an American consulate. Is there one in Osaka?

Mike Cash,

Mike Cash said:

How prevalent does it in have to be in actuality for a woman to feel hinky about her man being in proximity to it?

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True enough.

Glenski,

Thanks for the advice.
I plan to keep studying Japanese no matter what happens as we want our kids to be bi-lingual and also because her family does not speak English and I want to be able to talk with them as well. Also I just want to be able to talk to her in Japanese.

-Rudel-,

Yes, I have also noticed that business level Japanese is _usually_ the minimum for IT (or any) jobs. I checked the consulate a while back and they don't even have an IT person, that position is only at the Embassy in Tokyo from what I can tell and it isn't open.

Thanks for the responses guys!

I agree with the idea of stepping your feet in Japan first by doing an English-related job first then looking for IT jobs you really want to do. I work in IT field, but small company that provides outsourcing support for big ones. So far, all the interviews asked for Japanese language skills, but not necessary to be business level though.
My friend in Tokyo told me that in big IT companies, all the employees use English to communicate. Well, I am in Osaka, and based on my experience, I really doubt it a little bit... but who knows until you give it a try.
By the way, I believe job opportunities in IT field are pretty good, but I also think there is age dicrimination to some degree in this field, so that does gives you some kind of time limit to study japanese...

Ashley,

I have found a couple that didn't require any Japanese but most that I have seen, even in Tokyo, seem to require some level. I find it interesting that the few companies (outsourcing) that I have found that don't require Japanese could find customers, wouldn't you still need Japanese to communicate with the clients? Maybe there is a manager or someone who goes with you that can translate but I just find it a little odd.

I have heard of the age discrimination as well, right now I think I would be ok as I am just nearing 26. Do you know if this still applies to someone who has been working in the field? I have been working in IT since before I finished college and I would have thought that, especially in Japan, those with experience would still beat out a younger candidate without so much experience.

Thanks for your reply!

@Petaris: I am just going to throw something out there:

Have you thought of doing something more global that doesn't require you to actually be in any one place? We live in a global economy so why do we have to be anywhere specific? This is what I am trying to do now. I love the internet and almost anything related to it, and I hate working a 9-5 job. I would love to go back to Japan, but I am not sure I want to teach English full time for the rest of my life. So, I have been trying to figure out a way to set something up that brings in money and doesn't actually require me to hold a "job". I haven't really nailed it yet, but I have been trying a little bit of everything so see which could be a potential winner. Here are some ideas and things I have been messing with that might give you an idea:

*Online Store/eCommerce site (Been doing it for about 4-5 months now and it's starting to bring in some money, but no where near what it would take for me to quit the 9-5. I haven't really advertised it but
suprisingly it's getting a good amount of hits and Google seems to like it. The store I am doing now is Hawaii specific so I wouldn't be able to move to Japan without having at least one employee here to fill orders. It's kind of a proof of concept for myself. Any item or service could be sold, you just have to find something.)

*Import/Export (I only have a domain for this one, but haven't figured out a market to go after. I did car parts about 6 years ago but the market full now.)

*Web Hosting (Just started this a couple months ago and it brings in little money but again not even close, yet. I get most of my customers by helping them "understand" the internet. Most of them are clueless. If they get hosting from my company I help them learn the ropes, if they want, or I install blogs, stores, forums, etc. for them).

*A web start up. (Lots of ideas but no time right now and my coding skills are a little lacking and/or very slow).

*A Tech support company (Seems like you know what you are doing. Not sure how you would impliment this but you could do some Googling to find out how other people are.)

*A Tech staffing company. (Your wife can run the phones for now until you either have employee's or improve your language skills.)

*An IT/English School. (Teach IT in English. Might just work??? (^_^) )

*Become a landlord. (Get several cheap apartments and rent them out to Gaijin. Takes a lot more capital than most ideas I have but would be easy.)

*.....Anyone else feel free to add their ideas.


PS. If you take one of these ideas and some how you get rich, please dont forget about me!!

Petaris,

Some companies do have translators to help English-speaking programmers, like indians in most cases. Japanese skills are required for communications between you and your co-workers, like understanding the design, being able to discuss about tech problems.. there are management-level people to take care of the communication with the clients. thats what I mean by "not necessary business level" in my previous post.

I guess you dont need to worry about age discrimination at all, but it is very true that it exists. I have actually seen a contract worker in my company cannot pass project interviews because of his age, and often I can hear phone conversations of my boss with other projects leaders, saying something like, "he is in his 30's so I think he is ok for this job...". When I go to interviews, I need to carry hard-copies of my resume, on which a lot of personal information is listed, like age, marital status... for a woman even if she is in her late 20's, there will be some hesitation as she might get married soon, well, it can be another thread on this topic...

Age discrimination doesnt only apply for IT business but all... I have a friend who is 33, in medical/chemical sales business, and thinking about quitting her current job. She went to a job search agency for advice, and they told her directly that if she really wanted to quit, make the move right now, because it will be hard for people above 35 years old, becuase when reviewing their applicants, a lot of companies just dont even look at people who are above 35 years old.

I was surprised when she told me this, and I questioned it with the same reason, why experienced people cant beat out new graduates? Well, I got an answer fairly sound to explain it, it is a cultural thing. For people bove/around 35, they are probably on a management-level in their old companies, so they probably have their own ways of handling business/dealing with things. When they start in a new company, it might be hard to ask them to cut their individualities and adapt to the new company's way, not like new graduates who never question the authorities and just do whatever they say.

Silly system but thats just the way it is. I am always stoked to hear of people that make it to the top not follow the normal system in Japan. It's rare though.

Sorry I wasn't able to reply back to you guys right away, I have been super busy getting things all ready for the new school year to begin.

ET_Fukuoka and Ashleybb,

Thank you for your insights on this topic, especially your "inside" insights Ashleybb. I have thought about starting my own company or doing "online only" type of work. While that would work right now I am not sure if we live here (in the US) for a while and then move back if it would still work as there would be no company to get a work visa from (remember she wouldn't have a job and thus could not sponsor my marriage visa at that time). Still some good ideas there ET_Fukuoka.

Right now it is looking more like we will live in the US for the time being, but we are in no way ruling out living in Japan in the future. Perhaps after my Japanese skills advance and possibly for our children's benefits.

I thank all of you who have responded to this thread with constructive comments and ideas and I want you to know that I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you!

I read HelloKyoto's post again about the money question, and had some thoughts.

I heard IT business is going up in the States, I know my friends in college who work for IT companies are making a lot more than I do(we are about the same level, and I have more experience since I started working earlier than them), though it took them quite a while to find the job since at the time when we graduated the IT business was not in a good shape... but now it is different.

In Japan, IT job is really demanding, a lot of overtime, often unpaid. From your post I can tell you really care about your family, I guess working in IT in Japan is going to reduce your time spent with your family... you have to deal with it, together with a lot of stress... (oh god, i am complaining again...lol)

anyway, good luck to you.

In Japan, IT job is really demanding, a lot of overtime, often unpaid.

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What industry are you working in?