r/teachinginjapan

Good day, hope everyone is well.

I got some questions about how to proceed with my career into the next stage. I am a Non native English speaker who speak native English. (been educated in English for over 10 years) I have a BA from UK and have lived in Japan for over 20 years now. I have a N2 certification but I speak like an N1. Currently I only have 1 year of working as an online eikaiwa school teacher (who teaches kids mostly) but I want to move on to a better paying part time job soon (aiming for part time due to health issues). Things like the ECC corporate relations divisions have caught my eyes and I think I want to go for it. Before I do apply however I was wondering if should get a teaching qualifications such as CELTA or DELTA before I move on. I thought these would be important from my career going ahead so I thought it to be a good idea to have one of these before moving into a business English instructed role.
Also would it be a good idea to officially get N1 as well?
What does everyone think about my situation? Any advice or headers would be much appreciated.

I'm an upper elementary teacher and I'd like to explore the idea of setting up a penpal program with a Japanese classroom. To protect children's safety, I would be looking at paper/pencil only, and a planned time for letter exchanges (say, three exchanges per year). Since the teacher would bundle letters together into a single envelope, he/she can review them first (incoming and outgoing) to make everything's above-board. Anyone in Japan interested in considering this for the upcoming school year?

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has gone through the Japanese labor system, whether with the Labor Standards Inspection Office (LSIO), Labor Bureau, Labor Tribunal, or the courts.

How did your real experience compare with what you found online or what the law says?

For some background, I've worked for a number of companies in Japan over the years and almost all of them had questionable contracts. I'd always read that statutory law overrides illegal contract terms, so I assumed there were protections if things went wrong.

In this case, I worked for the same company for two years.

During the first year I was employed on a part-time employment contract. The company split my wages into two payment channels, only recorded one set of hours, and, according to the manager at the time, this was done to avoid paying social insurance contributions. They also failed to provide complete payslips and tax documents covering all of the hours worked.

In the second year they changed my contract to an outsourcing agreement. There was no real negotiation about how this business-to-business relationship would work. However, the actual work didn't change. The company still controlled my schedule, classes, work, invoices and pay. They even calculated and prepared invoices in my name each month, meaning they were effectively self-billing in my name.

Eventually the owner started paying different rates from what the contract specified. They also deducted consumption tax and withholding tax from my transportation reimbursement. I refused to sign invoices that didn't match the contract, and shortly afterwards the company ended the relationship after I insisted that the invoices comply with the contract.

I spent months reading the Labor Standards Act, Fair Trade rules, government guidance, court cases, and even used ChatGPT and Gemini to help understand and translate the law. Everything I found suggested there were legal protections if an employer operated this way, and that at least some aspects of the company's systems could raise issues under both labor and fair trade laws.

So I gathered evidence, organized contracts, payment records, reports and timelines, and approached the relevant government departments.

My experience, however, has been much more difficult than I expected. The very first response I received from the LSIO was essentially, "Why do you care if you got paid?" That immediately made me question whether my concerns were being taken seriously. While some officials—particularly at the tax office—have been helpful, I found that investigations move slowly, responsibilities overlap between agencies, and departments often refer you somewhere else. Actually getting problems corrected has been far more difficult than simply identifying them.

I'm curious whether anyone else has had a similar experience.

• Did the system work for you?
• Did you find a lawyer willing to take your case?
• Were you able to successfully challenge a black company?
• Did the Labor Standards Inspection Office or Labor Tribunal actually resolve your problem?
• If you could do it again, what would you do differently?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have actually been through the process.

hi everyone, this is my first post so bare with me. i've looked all over trying to find an answer to my sort of specific situation and haven't had much luck. for context, im half japanese with citizenship currently in school in the us pursuing a degree in both english and anthropology to eventually teach in japan. i plan on teaching english literature or comparative literature to international or military high schools or hopefully into higher education in a uni. i grew up with japanese customs and understand the taboo around tattoos, and as someone who expresses myself through my appearance, its something i've been dying to get. my concern is, because i want to get into a more "prestigious" (not the right word) position in teaching in japan, its become a mental back and forth. obviously, if i were to get a tattoo, it would be somewhere that can be easily covered up, and i wouldn't go around telling my colleagues about it, but im curious to know what others may think, is it a bad idea? i know if i were to end up at a DOD school i should be fine, but international? and especially as a professor, which would be my ultimate goal, im nervous, or on the other hand could they be more lenient? i feel like if i was a foreigner it can be brushed off but i am japanese so im afraid id be under more pressure? but also at the same time i look like a foreigner so im so confused and don't know what to think help please 😭

I just got an email with the next steps for the ALT position application, and later on get an interview with them. I have experience teaching kids, I'm fluent in Japanese (N4/N3) and have my English Certification (C1). I just read some comments here that say it's the worst company. Any opinions?

So I work at Aeon and unfortunately ive landed in a well bad branch of the school. Students are nice in general. Kids are sensitive but okay. Manager is sweet and helps with so many things. Its the head Japanese teacher with whom just 1 month into my contract , I had a blow up with.

Im Half Indian and Half South European from but very clearly brown. Ive noticed this particular Japanese teachers attitude with me has been strange. She often starts banging things almost deliberately around me and constantly clearing her throat. Also muttering stuff like " Kuroi " when passing me or "kowaii" .

Today I got annoyed during a meeting. She mentioned complaints about me which I understood. She claims I dont do things in my class that im meant to but she hasn't even sat in any classes. I then said im sure the kids know im a new teacher. Then she rudely say " nononono, we've NEVER had a complaint about a new teacher. Keep in mind im a fresh new teacher about a month in Aeon.

Sad thing is Im starting to love the city in. Its in Kyushuu but I wont dox myself as to where. I really in my 4 total years in Japan dont understand why people are still being treated badly based on color and looks. . And the messed up thing is my life at school and outside school is different. I dont want to have to now search for a new job in a whole new city. But yeah this particular teacher has been here for 20 and it doesnt look like shes leaving.

How do you all deal with aggressive , micromanaging coworkers ? And who else has experienced racism at work ?

Hi I’m going Japan with interac in September and they sent an email about a month ago wanting me to complete an emergency contact form and asked for it to be complete by 12th of June however I missed the email somehow and now I’m wondering if I’m in a bit of trouble ?

Hey, I'm visiting Japan from Israel soon for the very first time. I have two years experience teaching elementary and middle school as well as my own curriculum.

I worked through a private company due to much higher pay and so I never got an official teaching license nor any kind of college degree.

I speak English as a second language so I doubt I'd manage to score an opening in this field. Well my writing and reading skills are quite advanced, I've been cursed with a heavy thick Israeli accent and a terrible pronunciation.

I can understand Japanese around N2 level I'd say. But I don't know much kanji and I speak kinda like a 3 year old.

What should I do and what are my chances?

I recently handed in my notice to my company and received an email in response stating that my resignation date would have to be either the end of the current month or the 31st of the following month. I had requested for my final working day to be the 24th of August, but I was told that I would not be allowed to resign mid-month.

I replied to that email asking whether any accommodation could be made in my situation, as it would be greatly appreciated. Today I received a response saying that, unfortunately, head office had not approved my request and that a new member of staff will be starting on the 1st of August to take over my schedule.

The part I'm confused about is that I never agreed to either of the dates they suggested, yet it now seems as though I have been given an end date that I never accepted.

I'm looking for advice on how to move forward. I need the income I would earn from working through August, but it now appears they are treating my employment as ending in July, despite no resignation date ever being mutually agreed upon.

For context, my contract states that I am required to give two calendar months' notice and that leaving with less than two months' notice would be considered a breach of contract. It then refers to Article 8 (Termination) and Article 9 (Notice of Dismissal) of the company work regulations, which may allow the company to terminate the contract under certain circumstances.

Has anyone experienced something similar or have any advice on what my options might be? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I’m curious about a few things over at AEON and i’d love to speak to a current teacher there!

lmk if anyone is open for discussion

I've been working at Kids Duo for a few months now and it's definitely not what I want, I've made up my mind about it and me and my partner (who's also working at an eikaiwa) have decided to go back home and pursue other things. We were planning on leaving our respective jobs towards the end of August.

After putting his resignation letter in, though, my partner has been informed that he's not allowed to leave mid month, and he can either work till the end of July or until the end of August. But that sadly wouldn't work for us, due to flights and needing to sort things out, and also due to needing some of the money from working 3/ 4 weeks in August. Is this common or something that can be enforced? It is very different in the UK, and we were able to decide our last working days at all jobs prior to these.

I am nervous about the procedure of resigning from Kids Duo. Would anyone who has gone through this be able to tell me more? What would be the steps, and how did the School Directors react to/manage your resignation?

I think Reddit, in general, is biased towards negative posts/stories for organic reasons (you're less likely to make a thread when things are going well, more likely to complain about things, it's just human). This sub is no exception.

I came to Japan due to life circumstances. I did not come to Japan because I wanted to be in Japan. I had an, at best, neutral opinion of the country before coming here.

When I got here, I looked at my options (not many), and decided to try working at an eikaiwa. I had never taught before and never worked with kids before. I discovered that I really enjoy both teaching and working with children. I would have never known that had I never come here and tried it.

Now, a year later, I'm a direct hire ALT and loving that, and I'm still doing some eikaiwa work as a side gig.

If I want to make a career of this, I've got a lot of work to do, and that's another topic entirely, but I just wanted to say that, although I'm working harder than I've ever worked before, I'm loving it. I really enjoy what I do. It's funny to think that doing this would have never occurred to me had I not come to Japan.

Being a positive role model for and encouraging children and youth in their growth and development is such an amazing experience and I'm so glad I get to do it. Even if I end up doing something else in the future, I will always cherish these memories.

I have applied to borderlink and have read some good and bad stuff however I really think I might be overthinking it a bit. When I was 16 and started working my dad made me open up a vanguard account and I have been working ever since and shove all of the money I make into that. I did the math and the interest that I make is enough to cover rent for an apartment. I am thinking that could really come in handy in August when they don't work. I loved Japan (and rural japan) when I went for a few weeks in 2024 and have always wanted to go back. Are alot of the complaints about esl teaching in Japan coming from 20 somethings who just graduated college, might have a decent amount of student debt and are broke?

I'm trying to research the general direction that a third year highschooler in Japan goes through, specifically during the third term around university entrance exams. Does anyone have any perspective or knowledge about how that term looks? Did you go to school during the entrance exam period (as i have seen some say that it is not compulsory for third years around this time, is that equivalent to study leave in the uk?). How your time was filled before graduation and after exams were finished - was it just preparing for university or did you get a well earned break? Any first person/third person knowledge on the period as a whole is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

There is often talk about how negative the teaching-in-Japan subreddits can be, but I do not think talking honestly about frustrating parts of ALT work is automatically negativity.

Last year, I worked with a JTE who had me read the same long third-year New Horizon passages repeatedly in class. Not the short dialogues, but the long readings about environmental issues, Gandhi, and so on.

I would read it normally, then at different speeds, then read it together with individual students. I suggested ways to make the activity more engaging, such as comprehension games, reading relay races, pair work, or splitting the passage into roles, but nothing ever came of it. As an ALT, you can suggest things, but it is ultimately their class.

The teacher also regularly made grammar mistakes that could hurt students on high school entrance exams. I would point them out afterward, but it was usually brushed off as “Whoopsie, I made a mistake,” and then similar mistakes would happen again later.

Today was another example. I had five first-year JHS classes doing speaking tests, so I spoke with roughly 180 students. Each student had one minute and thirty seconds to answer around thirteen questions. For example.

“How are you?”
“What day is it?”
“How is the weather?”
“What sports do you like?”

Because they are first-years, there was not much room to turn it into a real conversation. It was the same short questions and answers for five classes straight. By the end of the second class, I was already mentally exhausted.

The teachers seemed aware that it was tiring, but I still do not understand why the test had to involve so many questions in such a short time. Why not five questions, with students given a little more time to respond naturally? It would have been easier on everyone and probably a better speaking assessment. There was no discussion with me and it was all decided prior. But it's not like the teachers would consult with me anyway.

I am not saying every ALT job is "bad", or that all JTEs are incompetent. But I do think it is fair to talk about situations where activities are poorly planned, repetitive, or make little sense for either the students or the ALT.

Is that really negativity, or is it just being honest about the job?

Hi everyone,

I am currently looking into my options for moving to Japan in the future and wanted to get some realistic advice regarding visa pathways. I do not hold a 4-year bachelor's degree.

I am open to exploring different fields, industries, or alternative routes (like language schools first, etc.). I’d highly appreciate any insights, personal experiences, or honest advice on what the realistic options look like for my situation.

Thank you!

I’m at a small eikaiwa, and we desperately need a projector for our classrooms.
The boss doesn’t understand why. But it’ll help make the classes more interactive and interesting. Currently it’s whatever I can fit on a worksheet or draw (i.e. not much).
So wondered if anyone had any good projector suggestions.
Needs to work in a bright classroom (without turning the lights off).
Preferably portable so we can move it between classrooms.
Needs to have speakers, for watching videos.
Needs to connect to a variety of devices (preferably wirelessly), like iOS, android, Mac, and windows.
Under 50,000 yen if possible as boss is a cheapskate.
We aren’t looking for the ultimate visual quality. But sound needs to be decent.

Thanks in advance.

I’m currently an ALT in Japan. I need to relocate to Nagoya by spring 2027 to be near my fiancé’s company’s headquarters.

I’m considering applying for Eikawas like ECC or AEON. My fiancé wants me to be free on the weekends, however I’ve heard it’s very unlikely to have weekends free for people working for those companies. Is that true?

I’ve read many negative things about Nagoya’s English teaching positions as a dispatch ALT.

The salary doesn’t have to be high (I’m already living on a very low salary) , but I would like to have Shakai Hoken, if possible.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: I also had a question: How can I apply for ECC? All of the recruitment options on their website are overseas but I’m already living in Japan. When I started my application on the English website, it wouldn’t let me proceed unless I chose an overseas location for recruitment. Thank you!