u/m1L35dY50N

Hi everyone,

I’m a SOC Analyst from Germany with 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity/Blue Team, mainly SOC, Incident Response, Threat Hunting, EDR/XDR and Microsoft Sentinel/Defender.

My long-term goal is to move to Japan by 2028, ideally working for a gaishikei in Tokyo. I’m currently building my network, learning Japanese and trying to get a realistic picture of the market rather than going into this blind.

I’d really like to hear from people who have already made a similar move, or are currently working toward it.

A few things I’m particularly interested in:

• How is the cybersecurity job market in Japan right now, especially at gaishikei companies?
• How important is Japanese language ability in technical SOC/IR/DFIR roles in practice?
• What are realistic salary ranges for experienced positions such as:
  • L2/L3 SOC Analyst
  • Incident Response / DFIR
  • Cyber Threat Hunting
  • Detection Engineering
• For those who moved to Japan from Europe, the US or elsewhere: how difficult was it to get your first cybersecurity position in Japan?
• Did you secure the job before moving to Japan, or did you search after arriving?
• Are there any companies, recruiters or job platforms you would particularly recommend for gaishikei cybersecurity roles?
• What do you wish you had known before starting the process?
• Which challenges are unique to japan, which are the same as in the country you lived before?

Not looking for job offers, mainly hoping to hear real experiences, salary insights and advice from people who have actually gone through the process.

Thanks for any experiences or advice!

Hi everyone,

I’m a SOC Analyst from Germany with 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity/Blue Team, mainly SOC, Incident Response, Threat Hunting, EDR/XDR and Microsoft Sentinel/Defender.

My long-term goal is to move to Japan by 2028, ideally working for a gaishikei in Tokyo. I’m currently building my network, learning Japanese and trying to get a realistic picture of the market rather than going into this blind.

I’d really like to hear from people who have already made a similar move, or are currently working toward it.

A few things I’m particularly interested in:

• How is the cybersecurity job market in Japan right now, especially at gaishikei companies?
• How important is Japanese language ability in technical SOC/IR/DFIR roles in practice?
• What are realistic salary ranges for experienced positions such as:
  • L2/L3 SOC Analyst
  • Incident Response / DFIR
  • Cyber Threat Hunting
  • Detection Engineering
• For those who moved to Japan from Europe, the US or elsewhere: how difficult was it to get your first cybersecurity position in Japan?
• Did you secure the job before moving to Japan, or did you search after arriving?
• Are there any companies, recruiters or job platforms you would particularly recommend for gaishikei cybersecurity roles?
• What do you wish you had known before starting the process?
• Which challenges are unique to japan, which are the same as in the country you lived before?

Not looking for job offers, mainly hoping to hear real experiences, salary insights and advice from people who have actually gone through the process.

Thanks for any experiences or advice!

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to move to Japan in a few years and I'm trying to learn more about everyday life and work culture before I get there.

I've found a few books that look interesting:

• The Japanese Mind
• The Culture Map
• A Geek in Japan
• Japan: A Guide to Traditions, Customs and Etiquette

Are these still worth reading or are some of them outdated?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who have lived or worked in Japan. If you have other book or resource recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks!