Advice about job searching from abroad

Context:

I'm mid-career with a decent (if slightly patchy during the pandemic) work history in data science/IT/physics with graduate degrees. I previously lived briefly in Japan but it was during grad school so the experience was not really representative. I'm N3 level, hopefully about to be N2 – working very hard to get my speaking up to a similar level as my reading, but currently it's not great. Coming from Canada.

What I am looking for:

Tech or semiconductor company in the tokyo area, ideally for not awful salary. Specifically looking for a more uhhh open minded company, as I am a bit "gender diverse" so to speak.

Questions:

  1. Do people recommend using direct recruiting companies? With my CV, they _may_ be interested I think..

  2. How can I verify if a company is "black" or not? I see mixed signals on actual overtime hours being worked, and I'm worried that I might end up in a company which claims to be very good about that, but is perhaps just not reporting them for example. I have a friend who is literally leaving Japan just as I am trying to move over for this reason.

  3. For people that have made the move in the last year, are you happy with how it turned out?

by Use-Useful