Is it realistic for a foreign PhD graduate to work as a researcher in Japan?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some perspective from people who have experience working or doing research in Japan.

I am currently a PhD student in agriculture and sustainability at a top research university in the United States. Long term, I am interested in the possibility of working as a researcher in Japan, ideally at a university or national research institute.

I am aware that research culture, language expectations, and hiring pathways in Japan can be very different from the US, which is why I want to ask about feasibility rather than assume anything. I am actively studying Japanese, but I understand that only a subset of universities and research groups operate primarily in English, and functional Japanese is still important for long-term integration.

I have started reaching out to potential contacts in Japan and have received some interest at the lab level. I also plan to pursue the Highly Skilled Professional visa, and based on the point system, I expect to qualify by the time I graduate with my PhD.

My questions are:

• How realistic is it for a non-Japanese PhD graduate to obtain a research position in Japan?
• Are most opportunities limited to postdoc or fixed-term research roles?
• How important is Japanese fluency versus publication record and research fit?
• How common or feasible is it to use the Highly Skilled Professional visa for these roles?

I am treating this as a long-term goal rather than a guaranteed outcome, and I am very open to adjusting plans if it turns out not to be practical. Any insight or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.