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[leojg]

Hello, do you know if is possible to work in the software industry being a foreigner in Japan?
Things like, developers, consultants, proyects manager, etc.
Rigth now I work as a developer in my country but in a couple of years I want to go abroad, and Japan is one of the places where I really would like to go.
Of course I need to learn japanese first XD
Thanks!

 

[Glenski]

Yes, it is possible to work as a software designer/programmer/developer in Japan. That's the simplest answer.

You need to be hired first, then apply for a work visa, probably the Engineer work visa. Immigration Procedures Guidebook

Yes, you will need to know some Japanese. How much will depend on the employer, but you should expect to know how to talk about your work updates in Japanese, and read/write office memos in Japanese.

 

[edogaijin]

Some companies (usually startups, finance or so forth) do have an English work environment. There are international teams at large companies like Rakuten or Uniqlo that will not require Japanese for you to work there. However such positions are quite rare. It's difficult to get work here (other than English teaching) without speaking Japanese.

Whatever rumors you've read about the Japanese being bad at speaking English, they are almost universally true.

 

[nice gaijin]

Whatever rumors you've read about the Japanese being bad at speaking English, they are almost universally true.

when you answer in universal terms, you are "almost universally" wrong.

 

[edogaijin]

when you answer in universal terms, you are "almost universally" wrong.

Notice the inclusion of the word almost. I'm telling the OP they'll have a tough time finding a job in software development without being conversational in Japanese language. I know from personal experience. The jobs are out there, but they're rather rare. Recruiters have told me that maybe 90-95% of software development jobs require at least conversational Japanese. The vast majority require business level.

The Japanese might like many foreign things and the idea of English is very popular, but actual English speaking Japanese are still quite rare even in Tokyo. I'd say it's 5% or less of the population probably.

 

[nice gaijin]

funny how you can "almost" never be wrong so long as you technically avoid speaking in absolute terms. I met a whole enclave of foreigners who worked for social gaming companies in Roppongi that barely spoke any Japanese, they seemed to be getting along just fine. But that's just one anecdote in a sea of them.

we all speak from our own experience, but I don't present myself as an authority on these matters.

 

[edogaijin]

funny how you can "almost" never be wrong so long as you technically avoid speaking in absolute terms. I met a whole enclave of foreigners who worked for social gaming companies in Roppongi that barely spoke any Japanese, they seemed to be getting along just fine. But that's just one anecdote in a sea of them.

we all speak from our own experience, but I don't present myself as an authority on these matters.

The vast majority of Japanese companies use Japanese language in their officeplace. Most jobs require N2 Japanese or above. This is Japan, and people speak Japanese. Not English. Roppongi is a microcosm of Tokyo, which is itself a microcosm of Japan. OP deserves the truth.

This is Japan, and 90% of jobs require Japanese language proficiency (it's probably more). The exception are some gaishikei startup companies and English teaching positions.

None of this should come as a shock to you if you live in the same Japan that I do.

 

[Mike Cash]

The people doing the hiring for most jobs in Japan have no idea what "N2" is and have never heard of the JLPT.

 

[edogaijin]

The people doing the hiring for most jobs in Japan have no idea what "N2" is and have never heard of the JLPT.

Sure, just the same it's a metric many recruiters are familiar with. If you cannot speak Japanese well or read Japanese text, working in Japan is difficult. That's all I'm trying to tell the OP. I'm starting to get the idea most JREF users don't actually live in Japan..

 

[biscuit00]

Have to agree with edogaijin here.
You need NATIVE level japanese to get a good job in Japan.
Now, they may not ask you for a JLPT exam, in fact, I think they rarely ask for it.
If you can't speak at a native level, it is unlikely you'll be happy with your job even if you are hired (likely low paying too!)

 

[nice gaijin]

how exactly do you envision the OP looking for work in Japan?

 

[Glenski]

Go here.
Bilingual Jobs in Japan : CareerCross

Search for IT jobs. If you can't even read the ads, you're stuck with finding jobs that are advertised only in English.
The first ones in English that I looked for say this about "minimum Japanese level" needed:

5 said "native"
3 said "fluent"
2 said "business level"
1 said "daily conversation" (EIRE Systems KK, with half the employees non-Japanese)

How they assess "fluent" status is probably in an interview plus listening to how you wrote certain documents to apply. Realize that being fluent means understanding what people say in weekly meetings (where they use a different level of the language than just casual talking) and what is written in daily memos and email (and probably writing back in Japanese).

There is also the matter of having the right amount of experience they want, too.