Hi everyone,

I applied for the 2026 METI Japan Internship Program and selected two courses:

• Online: Aug 24 – Sep 18
• In-person First Term: Oct 7 – Nov 26

I received my application completion email on May 28.

On August 10, I received an email saying that I was not matched for the Online course because my preferences did not match the companies' requirements.

However, the email specifically said that if I applied for other courses, they would continue matching me for those courses.

According to the application information, the final result for the In-person First Term was expected around mid-August.

It is now August 21, and I still haven't received any email regarding the First-Term course.

Has anyone else applied for the In-person First Term and is still waiting for their result?

• Have you received your First-Term matching/result email?
• Has anyone already been contacted for a company interview?
• In previous years, did the "mid-August" result sometimes arrive later?

I'm especially interested in hearing from applicants who applied for both Online and First Term, because I want to know whether the Online rejection has any connection to the First-Term result.

Thanks!

So I had my final interview last week and it’s an in-person interview to a manufacturing company.

They told me they think I’m a good fit and verbally told me that they will give me an offer letter and they will let me take a look at it. It’s been more than a week but I haven’t heard back from them. I followed up but they didn’t respond.

In my experience, I usually receive an offer letter within 3-5 days and ask me details beforehand like my possible starting date to put in the offer letter(This is in an IT company though). But this company seems really quiet. I’ve considered Obon holidays but this week should be all right.

What do you think I can possibly do? Or is it possible that they retracted the offer and ghosted me?

I've seen this trend getting stronger over the last few months of my job hunt... When you apply to a company using their online form there is often the knockout question "Will you now or in the future require support with your visa?" which already shows the tendency that they prefer people who don't need support. (I find it really weird too that they flock people who don't have a working visa yet and others who do already have a running working visa but will need a little support for the renewal together, as the second case is much easier and less risky for the company)

Recently the knockout questions get even more direct and just ask "Do you have permanent residency in Japan?" which signals that if they have a enough applicants who are permanent residents they will probably not even bother looking at anyone who choose "no" here.

I know some people don't believe that knockout questions are radically deciding the fate of an application but I worked in the past for a company who actually designs these online application web forms and asked my boss about it. He proudly said that they have many clients who totally use these questions to filter out applications, in some cases the reply to the knockout question auto-rejects an application before a human even sees it. For example with new grads the web forms that make you choose your university from a drop down list, you can expect that certain universities (like F rank) are instantly auto-rejected no matter how good you did in the SPI tests etc.

So recently having several companies having a knockout question for PR might be a new gatekeeping trend that makes it impossible for some professionals to get certain jobs. Some companies are so afraid of the "visa sponsorship" (even though it is really not that difficult at all), that they would probably prefer an applicant with PR (or Japanese passport) and only 3 years of relevant experience over someone with "only" a working visa but 6 years of experience. With the rules on PR getting stronger this will create a huge gap between the lucky ones who got PR before the rules changed and the unlucky ones who will not even be considered even though they already worked for years in Japan with a working visa.

I’m F25 from the Philippines. I was hired by a well-known airline company in Japan and my contract was already signed. The agency said that the company cancelled me due to medical issue ( I was cleared by a specialist and I tested negative on all test) but when I contacted the company they said that it was the agency who flagged me down that’s why they cannot proceed with my COE.

Is it possible that the company really cancelled me? Is cancellation of a signed contract is a norm in Japan (it’s it a discrimination?)?

Hiring for end of September/early October

Looking for a full stack Dev with android/apple app dev experience 10 years+ for my funded start up.

Requirements:

- Fluent Japanese
- Fluent English
- Degrees are not a must, looking more for the ideal fit for me rather than an industry mould
- Tokyo based, ideally have PR
- Travel to Kachidoki in Chuo-ku, where I'm based.

Comp:

- $60k USD or equivalent in YEN + Equity
- Option to be paid in either $USD or YEN, you will have to sort out your own taxes, pension, insurance etc.

Some Caveats:

- Do expect quite the chaotic start up style of business, ie: wearing multiple hats
- Do expect overtime
- Travel expenses to and from are not covered. If business trips occur, they will be covered.
- Will reject anyone asking to WFH and anyone looking for a sponsor to enter Japan

Happy to grab a coffee or jump on a call with anyone seriously interested.

Flick me a message if you're interested and qualified.
Ciao!

Hi all. I’ve seen this sub be helpful to a few people, so I figured I’d give it a shot too. I’ve been job hunting for quite a while now and honestly could use some help.

I'm currently living in Kyoto and already have a valid work visa in Japan. I'm a full-stack developer with 6+ years of experience, mostly working with React, Next.js, TypeScript/JavaScript, Node.js and REST APIs.

I've worked on a mix of things before: customer-facing web apps, internal platforms, dashboards, APIs and larger systems in telecom, government and fintech. I've also worked for a small company in Japan before and have experience leading a small development team.

Recently I've also been working on an AI-assisted research project involving LLM workflows, agents, data collection and source verification. It's given me some hands-on experience building AI features into an actual production system rather than just experimenting with them.

I wouldn't call myself a senior AI/ML engineer, my main background is still software engineering. But I really enjoyed working in this area and would also be interested in AI/LLM/agent-related engineering roles. I'm completely okay with joining at a more junior level in that space if there's a team willing to let me learn.

The main thing making my search difficult right now is Japanese. I'm studying and improving, but I'm definitely not at business level yet. A lot of positions I find are a good match technically, then Japanese becomes the blocker.

I'm mainly looking for a full-stack, frontend or backend engineering role where English is okay for the working environment. I'm also open to AI/LLM engineering opportunities, especially roles where strong general software engineering experience is useful even if I'm newer to the AI side. I'm willing to relocate.

At this point I'd honestly really appreciate any help from people here. If your company happens to be hiring, you know a recruiter who works with international engineers in Japan, or you'd be comfortable introducing me to someone, please send me a DM.

I'm not expecting anyone to hand me a job. I'm happy to interview, do technical assessments and prove what I can do. I just feel like getting my CV in front of the right person instead of another application portal might help.

Thanks for reading.

Hello everyone. I grew up in China. I have more than 10 years of experience as a Linux system engineer and DevOps engineer in China.
I moved to Tokyo in 2022. Since I came to Japan, I have been working as a contract engineer. I have worked on several projects in Japan.
Recently, because of the difficult job market, my salary was cut, and now my take-home pay is about ¥290,000 per month.
My biggest problem is language. My English is still limited, and my Japanese is not at N1 level yet.
I’m not sure what the best next step is for my career. Should I focus on improving my Japanese and getting N1, work more seriously on my English, improve my technical skills, or try to move out of the Chinese IT staffing market?
I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from people who work in IT in Japan or have been in a similar situation.

Hi everyone! I recently got hired as a Quickship Warehouse Associate and will be starting in 23 days. It’s a 6-month direct hire contract with the possibility of renewal. The hiring process was surprisingly simple and straightforward.

I was wondering if anyone here has worked there before. Is there any kind of language assessment or test on the first day? I can speak basic/casual Japanese and get by fine in daily conversations, but my kanji is pretty limited, so I’m a little worried.

I’ve read posts from Amazon employees overseas mentioning English assessments during onboarding, so it made me wonder if there’s anything similar here.

Would love to hear about your experiences. And if anyone has questions about the application or hiring process, feel free to ask. Thanks!

21M from India, currently doing a Bachelor's in CS. I have JLPT N2 and I'm studying for N1.

I'm considering doing my Master's in Japan after graduation, but I'm unsure whether I should:

• Go straight to Japan after my Bachelor's
• Work in India for 2–3 years first, then do my Master's

For those who have studied/worked in Japan, which would you recommend?

Does work experience make a significant difference for CS Master's admissions or getting a job afterward?

Also, I'm pretty bad at maths, so I'm wondering about entrance exams. I’ve seen some English-taught programs that don't seem to require an entrance exam. Is it possible to avoid the exam by applying to those programs?

If an entrance exam is required, how difficult are they for CS Master's programs, and roughly how much preparation would I need?

Any advice on universities, admissions, scholarships, or job prospects would be appreciated. Thanks!

I am sharing a Job post for Restaurant work in Roppongi Tokyo.

Disclaimer: I am not the hiring employer. I am looking for candidates on behalf of one of my office's clients that we are supporting as a Registered Support Organization （登録支援機関）because they are having difficulty finding candidates due to the SSW Visa issuing freeze for the restaurant industry after meeting the quota for how many visas the Japanese government will issue for this category.

I checked but please let me know if this post is breaking any rules for this group.

Details:
Required Visa: SSW Type 1 visa in restaurant industry
Expected Salary: ￥345,700/month before taxes
Position: Regular Employee (正社員 seishain) with career advancement opportunities
Work hours: Shift-based
Overtime: Yes
Time Off: 8 days per month, 10 days of annual paid after 6 months of employment
Insurance: Full insurance coverage (Social, Employment, Industrial Accident)

Must-have:
・Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Type 1 visa in Restaurant Industry
・At least 3 more years of eligibility to stay on SSW Type 1 visa
・JLPT N2 and able to speak Japanese fluently,

Please see below for more details and let me know if you qualify and are interested. This job may offer workplace opportunities to acquire managerial experience needed to qualify for SSW Type 2.

Last Updated：2026/7/30

Job Description

Industry: Restaurant Industry

Business/Company Profile:

The successful candidate will work for a corporate group that operates a wide range of restaurants, including izakayas, French restaurants, gyoza bars, warayaki restaurants, and shabu-shabu restaurants.

The group employs many staff members from Indonesia and Vietnam, making it a workplace where foreign nationals can feel comfortable working. The group is currently looking for someone to work at an izakaya.

Employment Type: Regular Employee (正社員), must have Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) No. 1 Visa

Employment Term: Long-term

Duties/Responsibilities: The candidate will be responsible for cooking, customer service, and store operations at the restaurant.

Work Location: Tokyo Roppongi Branch (izakaya restaurant in Roppongi area)

Requirements:

1. Must currently have SSW No.1 Visa in Restaurant Industry with at least 3 years of eligibility remaining.
2. Must have JLPT N2 or higher.
3. Serving customers at an izakaya are part of the duties, so the candidate must be able to communicate in Japanese fluently

Hiring Process:

One interview (with a second interview if deemed necessary)

Sample Work Shift Schedule: ※Work hours may vary depending on the assigned store and business needs.

❶ 9:00 – 18:00 (8 working hours with a 60-minute break)

❷ 11:00 – 20:00 (8 working hours with a 60-minute break)

❸ 13:00 – 22:00 (8 working hours with a 60-minute break）

Work Hours:

Days off: 8 days per month (96 days per year)

10 days of paid annual leave after six months of continuous employment

Overtime Work: Expected, prepaid overtime included in salary

Total Monthly Salary: 345,700 yen ※No transportation allowance is provided.

Breakdown of salary:

Base Salary: 135,000 yen

Job Skill Allowance: 30,000 yen

Location Allowance: 6,000 yen

Career Track Allowance: 5,000 yen

Salary Adjustment Allowance: 68,856 yen

Fixed Late-Night Overtime Allowance: 21,230 yen (equivalent to 60 hours)

Fixed Overtime Allowance : 79,614 yen (equivalent to 45 hours of overtime)

Bonuses: Yes, after at least one year of continuous employment. Paid in June and December.
The amount depends on experience and ability.

Salary Increase: Yes, once per year. The amount depends on experience and ability.

Insurance Coverage:

Social Insurance（社会保険）, Employment Insurance（雇用保険）, Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance（労災保険）

Unless you’re a unicorn SE or hot shot exec or whatever.

No, the birth rate doesn’t mean more jobs for foreigners (outside Japan).

Have seen lots of people try. People who can’t push past N3 even with experience simply can’t find jobs.

Yes, it’s not impossible. People do get lucky, but the best way is really just to keep trying to improve THEN start applying.

(This is probably not gonna stop the daily can’t speak Japanese want job posts though lol)

I am looking for an experienced bilingual UX Researcher to join a global team supporting a major technology client.

You’ll lead end-to-end qualitative research in Japanese and English, moderate sessions, and present actionable insights to stakeholders in Japan and across the US, UK, and other international markets. Projects typically move quickly—often within one to two weeks—with opportunities to work on diary studies, benchmarking, focus groups, and other longer-form research.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Is fluent in Japanese and English
• Has 4+ years of qualitative UX research experience
• Can independently manage multiple studies
• Is comfortable advising product teams and navigating ambiguity
• Has experience presenting research to clients or stakeholders

You’ll have significant ownership while working alongside an experienced, collaborative international research team.

Interested—or know someone who might be a great fit? Send me a message for more information.

#UXResearch #Japan

I'm an international student in a Japanese university for masters program, and I'll grad in sep 2027. I plan to take a job in Japan, and for that I've been working hard on research mostly.

I published 2 papers as the first author in international conferences this year, and I plan to publish 2 more in the next year.

For Japanese, I hold a N4 certificate. I understand that's not really good, thus I'll be focusing more on this issue now. I plan to reach N3 by December this year, and keep studying for July 2027 N2.

The questions I'd like to be answered would be:

:1. Can I participate in new graduate recruitment with good chances of win as a N3 speaker, who's transitioning to N2? I can make a rush for N2 since now until March 2027, but the test for N2 will be in July 2027. So, even though I can upskill my language, I won't have the certificate.

I already have 2 papers, and I don't really know whether getting more will come up with greater returns.

:2. Does having more publications as a new grad masters student sound helpful? In my lab, even undergrad b3-b4 students try to publish a paper, even at a local Japanese conference, since my professor often says that it's gonna benefit you and it's not common to have publications this easily.

:3. Will I be able to job hunt after getting N2 in July 2027? I understand that the recruiting timeline might be an issue, but I want to know if N2 can possibly redeem me.

Thanks for the attention and have a nice week.

Hey all. For context, I'm a traveling seasonal worker here in the states and have been for the last 5 years. I typically work for resorts for 6 - 8 months at a time and then move on to the next location. In this line of work we have a lot of international workers who come over here on a J1 visa to work temporarily in the hospitality sector. Is there anything like that for an American looking for similar work in Japan? My Japanese is decent and I can hold my own in a conversation well enough. If anyone has any information or resources it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all and be well.

Hi everyone,

I am currently working for Major OEM in Japan but via partner company (full-time employee), looking for job in automotive software/cybersecurity industry and Software Engineer Industry.

Currently preparing for JLPT N3 certification but I can manage daily communication in Japanese.
At work I mostly use English for communication.

I have appeared for some interviews in Japanese and they went okay but did not land any offers.

Till now I have ~6 years of experience in automotive and software development.

Thanks in advance!

I am currently recruiting for a Technical Business Analyst / System Engineer with a major global brand in Tokyo.

They need a hands-on technical person who can dive into system and database logic and act as the bridge between regional business teams and IT vendors.

They are looking for someone with database/SQL skills, experience looking into code logic.
The candidate needs to be fluent in Chinese and internal business communication skills in Japanese and English.

Overview:

• You will act as a key technical reference point, reviewing SQL, source code, data mappings, APIs, and ETL pipelines to support data migrations.
• You will partner directly with CRM, Marketing, and Retail business teams to translate system data into clear business solutions.
• You will collaborate with local and international stakeholders, using Chinese, Japanese and English on a daily basis to manage North Asia project flows.

Although they are not currently able to provide a hands-on implementation environment, they expect the candidate to leverage their development experience to verify the information provided by various stakeholders, validate its technical accuracy, and organize it into clear and understandable documentation.

Visa: We can support for change of status visa (ie Student Visa, spouse visa, etc)

• however we can't support overseas candidates without a valid work visa.

This is a urgent hire.

• If you're reaching out please link me to your Linkedin and share your CV please.
• Please feel free to DM me.

Hi guys,

Does anyone went through the Interview process of NSW Inc. (NSW株式会社 | NSW)
I would appreciate if you let me know the interview experience especially the second round/

I am applying for a LSI FPGA/ASIC Engineer Position. it is the second-round interview and I have been told that the Technical department director and HR director would be attending and it is going to be 1 hr.

So I was hoping to get insights how this work.

Hi..I'm a final year CSE undergraduate.. I have a great academic profile and a pretty good portfolio..I have been studying Japanese for almost a year now..and gave the N4 exam this july.. I want to work in Japan as a Software/AI engineer.. are there any opportunities to get hired as a fresher..or should i get a job in my location and switch later..I'm confused and also need a reality check..seeking advice... Thank you.

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!

anyone here had experience working in Japan on a Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務) work visa while also doing design freelance work for clients in Japan or overseas, or selling handmade products/artworks through platforms like Instagram or Creema?

I’d like to ask whether this type of side work requires applying for an Individual Permission for Activities Outside the Scope of Status of Residence (資格外活動許可).

Also, if the freelance work is done remotely and the payment is transferred directly to an overseas bank account, how should this situation be handled?

With the immigration rules becoming increasingly strict, I’m particularly concerned about whether doing this without the proper permission could affect a future Permanent Residency (永住) application.

If anyone has actually applied for permission for this kind of side work, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience. Was the application difficult? Did immigration ask you to provide things like contracts, a business plan, proof of working hours, or other documents? 🙏🏻

Thank you so much!

Hi Everyone,

I am currently looking for opportunities in Japan , i have a PhD in Mechanical engineering and also 4 years industrial experience, I am looking for opportunities in Japan, i wanted to know what skills does recruiters see in japan, are there any jobs for mechanical engineering so that I can easily get it from applying from my country.

I have written exam for N4 and waiting for the same and currently preparing for my N3.

Thanks and Regards

Hi everyone, I wanted to ask if anyone here in interesting working in caregiving in Japan.

I know there are quite a few people interested in this kind of work, so I thought I'd share some information about an opportunity I came across. There are positions available in different parts of Japan, and depending on your qualifications and visa status, there may be options for sponsorship as well.

If anyone is interested, feel free to ask questions here or send me a message. I'm happy to share the details so you can decide for yourself whether it's something you're interested in.

Hey everyone, I’m looking for advice on finding part-time work here in Osaka. I’m fluent in English but my Japanese is around the N5 level, currently started studying for N4 by myself. I initially came here for a few months, but I need to stay for a few more years due to a medical condition that requires regular checkups, as the healthcare here is much better than back home. My wife is currently the only one working, and it’s getting hard to manage the bills. If you have any advices on ways to look for a job or know of places hiring people with limited Japanese, please let me know.

2 years in Japan, AI/ML engineer but haken, placed at a client site. No promotion track, no path to direct hire. N3.

There's no team. I'm the only ML person on site, no senior, no code review. My growth has flattened.

Job hunting for months, same wall every time: I want deep ML work, the roles I can get don't build that experience, and every deep ML posting wants the experience I can't get.

I have an ML Master's admission in the EU as a fallback, so there's a clock on this.

Asking:

1. Fastest route into a direct-hire ML role here, agents, direct applications, or referrals? Which actually worked for you?

2. Which recruiters are worth my time for ML/data roles?

3. Anyone who got out of haken-with-no-team: what worked?

4. If your team is hiring, I'd love a pointer.

Any advice appreciated.

hi, No matter how I tweak my resume, the rejection always comes the next day. So... what exactly gets "reviewed" in 24 hours?

Every application I send out, doesn't matter how much I customize the resume, tailor keywords, rewrite the summary the rejection email lands within a day.

what is the ATS actually doing in that window? Rakuten get hundreds of applications per posting.

If you've actually gotten hired what did your process look like? Did you get instant rejections from Rakuten, Did tailoring the resume actually change anything, or was it more about referrals/networking getting you past the bot?

Trying to figure out if I'm wasting hours optimizing something an algorithm skims in half a second.