r/JapanDev

Hey everyone,

Looking for a grounded reality check from people currently working in tech or hiring in Japan.

To be blunt, the entry-level tech job market in my home country (Indonesia) is completely cooked right now. For virtually every junior developer or IT opening, there are literally 1,000+ applicants. You can have a solid portfolio, pass every single technical round and behavioral interview, and still get rejected at the finish line simply because there's always someone with 2+ internships willing to take base pay. It feels like pure RNG at this point.

Because of this, I'm exploring the option of breaking into Japan's IT market as a fresh grad.

My background:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science (eligible for the Engineer visa on paper).
• Japanese proficiency: JLPT N2 certified, with actual spoken business Japanese (comfortable doing technical and HR interviews in Japanese, not just a paper test-passer).
• Technical skills: Solid CS fundamentals, hands-on projects in software development and applied machine learning / deep learning.
• Location: Applying directly from Indonesia, so I would require visa sponsorship.

A few specific questions for folks in the industry:

1. How viable is landing an entry-level role directly from abroad? Is the foreign new-grad (shinsotsu) pipeline still actively hiring from overseas, or has the global tech cooling tightened things up significantly?
2. Does N2 + business Japanese actually give an edge? I know English-first tech giants (Mercari, Rakuten, Line/Yahoo) are hyper-competitive. Does being able to work in Japanese open doors at mid-tier domestic tech companies, in-house development teams, or traditional SIers?
3. Which hiring channels actually work for overseas candidates? Should I stick to programs tailored for Asian grads (e.g., FAST OFFER / Asia to Japan, Connect Job), or apply directly through platforms like Wantedly, Daijob, Green, or LinkedIn?
4. Is the competition more reasonable than Southeast Asia? I know entry-level Japanese salaries aren't massive, but given the domestic IT labor shortage, is the interview-to-offer ratio more merit-based compared to the hyper-saturated junior market back home?

Would really appreciate any brutally honest advice, warnings about "black companies" or dispatch traps to steer clear of, or tips on how to position my profile. Thanks in advance!

M(28), I’m a software engineer in Japan with **2.5 YOE** — about 1 year outside Japan and 1.5 years here.

Currently making around **¥4.4M gross/year including rent subsidy**. My take-home is around **¥300k/month**, and with \~10 hours of overtime, I usually get around **¥320k/month**.

I live in **Tokyo**, and my monthly expenses are roughly:

* Rent: \~¥80k
* Everything else (food, utilities, transportation, eating out, travel, etc.): \~¥90k
* I usually manage to save around **¥150k/month**
* I don’t currently have any major financial responsibilities or need to support family back home.

I’m currently working more on **AWS/infrastructure/cloud**. My Japanese language level is N3 and studying for N2.

The reason I’m asking is that I’ve been getting quite a few recruiter/interview requests on LinkedIn, and many positions are offering around **¥5–6M**. **Of course, getting through the interview process and actually landing one of those offers is a different story 😂.**

The dilemma is that my current job is actually pretty good:

* Great work-life balance
* Very supportive seniors/team (100% Japanese)
* Valuable cloud/infra experience
* I’m genuinely happy with my life and have time to enjoy things outside work too

I’ve heard that staying around 3 years with one company can also look better on a Japanese resume, so I’m wondering whether I should stay another year, improve my skills + pass N2, and then aim for **¥6–8M**, or switch now for the money.

I’m single, and honestly, **¥4.4M already lets me live fairly comfortably and save a decent amount**. But knowing I could potentially earn more is making me a little greedy 😂

**What would you do in my situation? Is ¥4.4M reasonable for 2.5 YOE, or am I leaving too much money on the table?**

For example, what's realistic for a hybrid or remote role with 10 years of experience in Platform Engineering, specialized in highly regulated environments with a focus on Cloud, DevOps and SRE and more recently in Data, ML and AI Platform. I know US salaries aren't that common in Japan due to the weak yen, but wondering how close it can get?

How often companies put an end to haken contracts ?

I just had an interview with a haken company that offers relocation. I don’t have any offer yet, it was just an introduction. Still, they told me they were mainly doing reconductible 6 months-long contracts.

The recruiter told me that the company putting an end to a contract was pretty rare, but I would mike some other input just to be sure. I have a family to support, I can’t really afford to move to a new country to be unemployed 6 months later.

Again, no offer yet, bur I would like to think about it in advance.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a DevOps Engineer based outside Japan, and Japan is one of the countries I'm seriously considering for my next career move.

I've already passed JLPT N5 and I'm currently studying for N4. My long-term plan is to continue studying Japanese up to at least N2 while building more experience in DevOps/Cloud/Platform Engineering.

My sister is also currently in Japan for higher studies, so I already have some familiarity with the country, although I understand that this doesn't really provide any advantage when it comes to getting a work visa or finding a job.

I wanted to ask those who have successfully applied for tech jobs in Japan from overseas:

1. Is a normal Western-style CV/resume enough for DevOps/Cloud roles, or should I prepare a Japanese-style 履歴書 (rirekisho) / 職務経歴書 (shokumukeirekisho) as well?

2. Does it matter if the CV was created in MS Word as long as it's professionally formatted and submitted as a PDF?

3. How difficult is it to get interviews while applying from overseas compared with already being in Japan?

4. For DevOps/Cloud/Platform Engineering positions, how important is Japanese ability compared with technical experience?

5. Is N2 generally enough to significantly increase the number of opportunities available?

6. Are there any Japan-specific things I should be aware of when applying, CV expectations, visa sponsorship, recruiters, interviews, salary negotiation, etc.?

7. Are there particular job boards or recruitment agencies you'd recommend for overseas DevOps/Cloud candidates?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through a similar path, especially people who applied from overseas and relocated to Japan for a DevOps, SRE, Cloud or Platform Engineering role.

Thanks!

hey guys, im a web dev student in japan

and i've been working on my projects, actually a real project that in my opinion its reliable to put on my portfolio.

but i didn't finished it yet, but i want to hear everyones opnion on how can i build my portfolio

and my first language isn't english btw, so feel free to give me some advice !

your opinion can help me a lot, and thanks !

I have around 1.5 before I graduate but you can round that to about 2 years. Being a Pakistani I probably don't have many chances but I'm currently learning Japanese and would say I'm around N5 rn and in the future, by the time I graduate from uni, I'll probably be at least N4. My English skills are also decent as you can probably tell from reading this.

I don't really have any prior experience, I only had a single 6 week game dev internship before this which didn't teach me anything really and I am currently not interested in game dev. I'm learning Python Backend. What would I need before I start applying, experience vise, skill wise and of course interview prep wise.

Edit: I would also love to know about hennge, and how I could prep for those internships and possibly get an offer from that.

I'm being approached by, and am in late interview with 2 different possible employers. Both came to me about the role.

Company 1: Office in Tokyo. well funded startup in IT. I'll be working directly with the C-suite. Work is comfortable and doesn't push my limits. Pay is quite good for the senior role. I'll be working remote, so I will have a chance to live anywhere in Japan.

Company 2: Japanese mega conglomerate. Well funded company in electronics. I'll be a standing up a major program with a projected lifespan of decades. Workload is a collection of bullet points that point to wishing for an unrealistic unicorn. I happen to be that unicorn. Pay scale is the same as Company 1, and would be way below what I feel Senior Unicorn would be worth, as I'd be doing 2.3 to 2.6 people's jobs. But my career could advance? or not. A company with history and tradition it could go either way. I'm see they've had the req open for nearly a year, and been struggling to find anyone who is the right combination of bullet points. and in that year, they bumped the top end of the pay scale 1Mil JPY. I'm seriously afraid of being exploited and burning out on this one. But the role makes use of my unicorn abilities, and that is exciting...

What should I be looking out for, and be evaluating assuming I get an offer from both? I might be able to negotiate a higher rate from company 1, but probably not from company 2, as they're a big traditional place. What would you choose, and why?

Thanks!

Happy Friday! Have questions about tech careers in Japan? Looking to hire (or get hired)? Just want to brag? Post it here and let's discuss!

Hi everyone,

Hi, 22M from India. Done with my college degree this month in CSE, and worked for 5.5 months (april to september 2025) as a Python AI Developer. Skilled in Python, AI, and ML.

Now I want to work in Japan if someone provides visa sponsorship. Please let me know if someone is looking for an AI Engineer, and please suggest what job sites work in Japan which have jobs that provide sponsorship.

If someone is looking for an AI Engineer in Japan, DM me, and I can share my GitHub or portfolio site.

Thanks!

Hey everyone so I(23M) am working in Tokyo currently as an AI engineer in a dispatch company but my client company is good…I have jlpt n4 but tbh I think I am low n2 lvl rn and am confident I can get N2 by this december or by next year…

My doubt is that since I’m a haken dispatch employee do I also start building a profile side by side for masters application idk maybe for Waseda since I think UTokyo has its own exam and I don’t wanna prepare separately for any sorta exam…

Or I should continue and grind it out in my dispatch company for 3 years and then try for a switch? I graduated last year and this is my first job so I don’t have experience…My only intention for masters is so that I can get access to good companies through the fresh graduate hiring pipeline and by then I will have some japanese work ex and N2…If that sounds dumb do I just grind it out in my current company and try for international gaishikei but nobody will hire a guy with 1 yoe…I have a 5 year work visa for now so switching to a student visa again would also not be a good idea

Hi everyone, posting this on behalf of my wife — hoping to get some honest, practical advice from people who've navigated something similar.

A bit of background: She's an Indian national, 25F, living in Kanagawa on a dependent visa. She has a Bachelor's in Computer Science and Engineering from India (2023), and worked as a Frontend Engineer at Capgemini Bangalore for about 8 months, followed by ~6 months at a startup. She left that job when we got married and moved to Japan in 2025.

Her technical background: solid HTML5/CSS3, and working familiarity with React, TypeScript, JavaScript, and Bootstrap (used on the job with senior guidance, not deeply independent yet).

She's been job hunting for entry-level frontend roles in Tokyo and Kanagawa, and the recurring feedback has been "we can teach the programming side, but we need you to know Japanese first." So since December 2025 she's been studying seriously — sat the JLPT N5 in July 2026 (feeling good about it) and is now working toward N4. In the meantime she's also working part-time as an English teacher at an Eiken school in the Kanagawa area.

We'd really appreciate any perspective on a few things:

1. How realistic is entry-level frontend hiring right now? From what we've seen, entry-level frontend roles seem to be getting more competitive generally (AI-assisted coding tools seem to be part of this), and smaller companies/startups often expect N2–N1 level Japanese even for junior roles. Is that read on the market accurate, or are we missing something?
2. Would pivoting toward AI-adjacent skills help? Her husband (me) has been encouraging her to look into Agentic AI, RAG, and LLM-related skills, though she's largely new to this area beyond watching some intro videos. Is there realistic demand in Tokyo/Kanagawa for entry-level candidates who combine conversational Japanese with foundational AI knowledge and a portfolio of projects/certifications? If so, which specific skills or tools would actually move the needle for a beginner, and where would people recommend learning them? She's also been considering other adjacent paths — for example, UI/UX Engineering with tools like Figma — as something that might be more approachable to break into and still build on her frontend background. Would love thoughts on whether that's a reasonable direction too, or if there are other roles worth considering.
3. Part-time work has also been surprisingly hard to break into. Even for English teaching positions, a lot of postings ask for prior teaching experience or certifications from the home country. Given that, she's weighing a plan to focus on Japanese up to N2 before job hunting seriously again — but that likely means another 1–1.5 years, during which she'd also want to keep her programming/AI skills current so she isn't starting from scratch. Naturally, we're a bit concerned about how a 3–4 year gap (Japanese study + part-time work) might read to employers down the line. Any advice on how to frame that gap, or ways to minimize it?

If anyone has been through something similar — or has hired junior engineers in Japan and can share what actually matters on a resume — we'd really value your perspective. Thanks in advance!

I am currently looking to apply to Japanese tech companies. At my current company(FAANG) I’m a senior software engineer. However I only have 2.5 YOE. Will companies like Rakuten or paypay level me at senior or will I get downleveled? I ask because I really want to move to Japan but I don’t want to take a title demotion or too big of a pay cut relative to cost of living.

Edit:
Why so many downvotes? An honest question

I'm a 27-year-old Full Stack / Backend Engineer currently based in India. I'm thinking of moving to Japan, get a PR and settle down (may be).

I've around 4 years of exp. Recently started learning japanese, expected to learn till N3 in 1 - 1.5 years.

Need some guidance on how to move, is it hard to get a job there, hows the market situation, is it a good choice etc.... and salary expectation

Looking to get a reality check from expats/engineers currently living in Japan

Hi everyone,

I'm an international student in Japan and I want to build a long-term career in IT here.

With AI changing the industry so fast, I'm confused about what I should focus on learning.

Which skills are currently in demand in Japan, and which ones do you think will still be valuable over the next 5–10 years?

Should I focus on software development (Python, JavaScript/Node.js, SQL), cloud (AWS), AI, cybersecurity, data engineering, or something else?

I'd really appreciate advice from people working in the Japanese IT industry. Thanks!

Is there any chnace of getting a SRE or Devops related fullyremote job opportunity . If im having N3 or N4 (currently learning )+ BSC(hons) Software engineering .

Is there any shortage of fullyremote jobs in japan market . Cant i get one ? For some reason i cant leave my parents actually

Happy Friday! Have questions about tech careers in Japan? Looking to hire (or get hired)? Just want to brag? Post it here and let's discuss!