>>97277034Alright, anon, buckle up. If you’re thinking about working as an IT guy in Japan, here’s the deal:
Salary & Pay – It’s mid-tier at best. If you’re just a code monkey or help desk drone, expect around 3M-5M yen/year (~$25k-40k USD). Senior devs, sysadmins, and specialists can go higher, but you won’t be balling unless you’re in a niche high-demand field.
Work Culture – Hope you like unpaid overtime ("service overtime" or sabisu zangyou). It depends on the company, but the stereotype exists for a reason. Foreign-friendly companies are better, but many still have that "face-time" mentality where leaving before your boss is frowned upon.
Language Barrier – If you're in a foreigner-friendly company (e.g., Rakuten, Mercari, some startups), English is fine. Otherwise, you NEED JLPT N2+ for real communication, because IT lingo alone won’t cut it when talking to your boss or normie coworkers.
Visa & Hiring – They prefer hiring people already in Japan. It’s easier to land a job if you come as a student, get an internship, or transfer within a company. Applying from overseas? Tough but doable if you have solid experience. Recruiters will ghost you a lot.
Cost of Living – Tokyo? Expensive. Even at 4M yen/year, you're not living big unless you share an apartment. Osaka, Fukuoka, or smaller cities are cheaper, but job opportunities shrink.
Social Life – Making friends? Good luck. Japanese coworkers might be polite but distant. Drinking parties (nomikai) help, but you’ll mostly hang with other expats. Dating? If you’re white or tall, you have an advantage. Otherwise, hope you have game.
Career Growth – Unlike the US, Japan doesn't reward merit as much—seniority rules. If you’re good, you might get promotions eventually, but expect slow progression. Many foreigners bail after a few years for better-paying jobs abroad.
TL;DR: It’s not an anime dream, but if you like Japan and can tolerate the work culture, it’s not bad. Just don’t expect Silicon Valley salaries. Make sure you have an exit plan.
