6 Cool Jobs in Japan if You Have Better-Than Average Japanese

If you’re dreaming of a career in Japan that’ll allow you to leverage your hard-earned Japanese skills, this list of jobs is for you.

It’s split between jobs with a very tight candidate pool that would benefit from more exposure and those that more of us might apply for regardless of our current positions. Nevertheless, there are some neat gigs in here this month, so let’s get to it.

Car yard assistant

Are you good with cars or enjoy machines more than people? If you’ve got a penchant for driving and are handy when it comes to light automobile repair, this job might be for you.

In this entry-level position, you’ll put your fancy driving and mechanic chops to good use as a yard assistant with Japan Partner, one of Japan’s largest internet-based automotive export enterprises. Located in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, this job is ideal for anyone yearning to resettle.

If you have better-than-average Japanese language skills, a Japanese driver’s license, are open to overtime and love working outside, you should apply. Temporary housing and visa assistance are also available while you’re searching for an apartment in Aichi to help kickstart your move.

Car Yard Assistant

Must have valid work/spouse/study visa
Physically fit
Preferable simple car repairs or dismantling experience

Environmental health and safety manager

Pinkerton Tokyo is seeking an environmental health and safety expert living in Japan. It’s an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to ally with a global and historic brand in Japan’s corporate risk management space.

You’ll need Japanese fluency as well as knowledge of government safety regulations and industry practices. In addition, you’ll manage people and partnerships throughout the Pinkerton landscape and emergency preparedness in commercial facilities.

Experience required includes:

Environment Health and Safety Manager

Bilingual taxi driver

I don’t know about you, but I like the look of taxis in Japan. They have this cool vintage look to them. Also, they’re all super clean inside (lace seat covers on more than a few).

I used to joke about having my own taxi, but the famous Japanese taxi company, Hinomaru Kotsu, is looking for bilingual drivers in Tokyo. Full-time positions are available for foreign residents with conversational English and Japanese.

Drivers at Hinomaru Kotsu seem to be entirely satisfied with the work, noting their freedom and work schedule as the number one benefit. Job security and high pay are also a plus. Hinomaru Kotsu currently has around 100 bilingual drivers.

Winning candidates get two months of paid training, a special driver’s license and an annual salary that often exceeds ¥7,8000,000! Even better is 233 days off. No, that is not a typo. Wow! I’m moving to Tokyo!

Recruiting Consultant

1-3 years working in a Japanese environment (school, company, etc.)
Familiar with common business systems (Windows, Google Workplace, Office)
Experience in HR or recruiting
Familiarity with the education industry in Japan

Recruiting consultant

Let’s jump into the world of suits, Cool Biz and recruiting. Link Japan primarily works in the education sector, placing assistant language teachers (ALTs) with Link Interac. You’ll communicate with their North American and European offices, as well as partner companies in Southeast Asia, to help find candidates for open teaching roles.

More than 15,000 applications stream through Linc Interact annually. To help manage this workflow, you’ll come to the table with plenty of tenacity, selling skills and at least an intermediate level of Japanese.

If you have a background in education or human resources (HR) and would like to take home a healthy salary and benefits package with a bustling recruiting firm, consider joining Japan Link Careers.

Recruiting Consultant

1-3 years working in a Japanese environment (school, company, etc.)
Familiar with common business systems (Windows, Google Workplace, Office)
Experience in HR or recruiting
Familiarity with the education industry in Japan

Nagoya University science writer

Do you dream of physics and chemistry, oceanography and atmospheric science (what even is that?) or transportation science and mechanical engineering? Would you like to share discoveries through eye-catching press releases with the world?

Nagoya University is looking for a unique writer to help flesh out a new international team of five to seven people whose goal will be to communicate the successes of the institution’s vibrant science community.

To join this extraordinary team, you’ll need to be a blend of scientist and journalist, or at least scientist and PR pro. Native-level English proficiency is a must. And, if you possess a STEM-focused degree or experience, you can do this job without having Japanese language skills.

You’ll mingle among Japan’s rising and established science superstars. You’ll also have the opportunity to work at Nagoya University’s scenic Higashiyama Campus, parked within walking distance of Higashiyama Botanical Gardens and Higashiyama Zoo. A daycare center and after-school care facility for elementary school children are also on campus.

Nagoya University Science Writer

IT and software engineer

Are you interested in an IT career in Japan?

The CEO for IT Jobs in Japan comes from a full-stack engineering background and supports others wanting to do the same. You’ll be an excellent candidate if you have three or more years of engineering experience for system development using any of the following programming languages:

As with most tech jobs in Japan, the salary is competitive. So, practice your negotiation skills, my friends! Remote work is available, but if you wish to work in the office, you can do so at either the Yokohama headquarters or the Tokyo office.

Visa support, training, pension, transportation and all the other regular benefits are on the docket as well, not to mention a flexible eight-hour working schedule.

[Remote work available] IT Engineer/Software Engineer: Visa Sponsorship

Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. They’re important to us—and finding one that fits our personality and interest is essential for a productive work relationship.

Don’t despair if you can’t apply to any of these jobs because of a language or experience limitation. I remain continually amazed at how quickly people can pick up Japanese while living in the country. I’m even more amazed to see and hear about people completely transitioning to tech from education and all sorts of non-techy careers.

Here’s to wishing you the best close to the year possible, and I look forward to seeing you all again in 2022.