Working in Tokyo
Expats working in Tokyo will find themselves in the hustling, bustling epicentre of the world's third largest economy.
A host of foreign businesses and many multi-national corporations, both Japanese and international, have opened up shop in the massive metropolis due to its reputation as the traditional trading and banking hub of the nation.
Finance firms abound, and recent deregulation has enticed securities and banking companies to increase their activity in new markets and to even assume control of assets formerly belonging to smaller, local firms. As a result, job opportunities for foreign nationals certainly exist in this sector; but it is vital to have an appropriate qualification and valuable work experience.
Japanese finance firms, in particular, tend to hire expats with degrees from only the most respected institutions, and who have had positions in the past with top-tiered companies.
Tokyo is also home to a prolific electronics industry; the city claims global giants like Sony, Canon, Sharp and Hitachi. It follows that expats who possess professional IT skills will find there's a good deal of opportunity to work in Tokyo. Expats in these industries tend to be high wage earners, a necessity in a city that ranks among the those with the highest cost of living in the world.
Otherwise, Tokyo has typically been a haven for the young and adventurous looking to teach English in a foreign nation. As of late, it has become a requirement for children to learn English in schools, and many companies are also looking to employ English as the primary language of the workplace. Thus, there's still plenty of options, both through large organisations like JET and through individual institutions to find work in Tokyo in this field.
In many cases, no teaching qualifications are necessary, merely an undergraduate degree of some sort.
It is always beneficial to have some knowledge of the Japanese language, but is not necessary to obtain a job - especially with a western organisation. It is looked upon favourably to make efforts to learn the language, however.
A host of foreign businesses and many multi-national corporations, both Japanese and international, have opened up shop in the massive metropolis due to its reputation as the traditional trading and banking hub of the nation.Finance firms abound, and recent deregulation has enticed securities and banking companies to increase their activity in new markets and to even assume control of assets formerly belonging to smaller, local firms. As a result, job opportunities for foreign nationals certainly exist in this sector; but it is vital to have an appropriate qualification and valuable work experience.
Japanese finance firms, in particular, tend to hire expats with degrees from only the most respected institutions, and who have had positions in the past with top-tiered companies.
Tokyo is also home to a prolific electronics industry; the city claims global giants like Sony, Canon, Sharp and Hitachi. It follows that expats who possess professional IT skills will find there's a good deal of opportunity to work in Tokyo. Expats in these industries tend to be high wage earners, a necessity in a city that ranks among the those with the highest cost of living in the world.
Otherwise, Tokyo has typically been a haven for the young and adventurous looking to teach English in a foreign nation. As of late, it has become a requirement for children to learn English in schools, and many companies are also looking to employ English as the primary language of the workplace. Thus, there's still plenty of options, both through large organisations like JET and through individual institutions to find work in Tokyo in this field.
In many cases, no teaching qualifications are necessary, merely an undergraduate degree of some sort.
It is always beneficial to have some knowledge of the Japanese language, but is not necessary to obtain a job - especially with a western organisation. It is looked upon favourably to make efforts to learn the language, however.
Business etiquette in Tokyo
Though Tokyo is an incredibly modern city with many bits and pieces of pop culture pointing westward, business etiquette still largely follows tradition.
Expats working in Tokyo should familiarize themselves with basic parts of this complex code:
- Business cards (meishi) are always exchanged at first meetings, and should be offered with both hands
- It is customary to bow after a business card exchange
- Drinking sessions that last into the early hours of the morning are customary, especially after a successful deal
- Long office hours are the norm, many employees will stay even if they have no work to do to display their devotion to the business
