Hi all! I (21M) have recently been selected through my college campus placement drive to work in Japan. I’m currently in my third year of a Computer Engineering course. The company has offered a monthly salary of 300,000–350,000 yen along with accommodation. They are also providing a free 2-year Japanese language course, with the only requirement being that we clear JLPT N2 and have some basic skills in any Computer/IT domain. At first, I was really excited and happy about this opportunity. My parents also believe this is a good deal. Coming from a third-world country, I’ve always dreamed of working in Japan, so this felt like a dream come true. However, recently some of my friends started sharing concerns that made me second-guess myself. They mentioned that work-life balance in Japan can be tough, income growth is slow, and changing jobs is difficult. They also brought up the possibility of facing racism.
For context, I don’t really enjoy programming or IT that much—it’s something I pursued due to personal circumstances, and it has already taken a toll on my mental health. The main thing motivating me right now is the thought of moving to Japan and changing my life. But after hearing all these things from my friends, I’m starting to feel uncertain.
I’d really appreciate any advice or insights from people with experience.
by Aert_341
11 comments
Your friends aren’t wrong. If you already don’t like the work, doing 12+ a day plus a drinking shift with your boss this probably isn’t going to be good for you.
I hate to say it this way, but even whites are feeling anti-immigration sentiment. A lot of people are going to disagree with the comment or say that it’s racist but if white professionals, once the “approved” minority to bring in, are facing open racism on the street, you know it’s going to be way worse for other denominations. This is doubly true for South Asians, who are seeing a huge rise in hate across the globe, but particularly in Canada, Japan and Korea.
It’s ultimately up to you. A 2 year commitment feels like forever but coming from an old fogie it’s really not. 300k yen/ month + accommodation is a really good deal.
It’s something to think about.
You’re 21. That is quite possibly the best age to go and do this sort of thing and see if it’s for you long-term. Yes, Japan has its own kind of problems, just like every other country but since you seemingly had excitement going for this move before your friends put the worm of it being a bad idea in your head, I fail to see why you wouldn’t just give it a shot. If you were older, I’d say it’s a bit different but at 21… you really do not have _much_ to lose. You get a salary and accommodation paid for AND a free 2 year language course? That’s a pretty decent deal.
This is the sort of thing you can look back on in a few decades saying one of the following things:
– “Man, that was a great time, I made some good memories but long-term it wasn’t my kind of thing.”
– “Thank god I did this back then, my life in Japan is incredible.”
– “It was pretty shit all things considered and I am glad I am somewhere else but at least I tried it, I guess.”
– “Fuck…maybe I should have taken the chance and tried it out back then, I regret not doing it.”
The 4th one is the one that might be in the back of your head forever while the other two are pretty good all things considered.
But maybe I am just too positive thinking when it comes to this sort of stuff. I’ve never had the opportunity to do what you could do right now. I went on a WHV and used it as a sabbatical just before I turned 30 and I quit a very comfy job at the time to do it and I’d do it again, a billion times if I could.
While I have not been in this situation, I would definitely go for it, unless you feel like it is really going to put your mental health at risk.
You are still really young and I think this is a great offer, specifically the language learning course if you consider how expensive going to language school here can be. If nothing else, this can be a great opportunity that’s going to look good on your CV as well. Even if you decide to leave Japan after those 2 years, you will (ideally) still come out of it speaking an additional language. I know there’s some people who believe it is pointless to learn a language if you don’t stay in the country it is spoken in long-term, but I actually couldn’t disagree any more with that.
Is there a chance you will run into problems such as xenophobia, discrimination, toxic work culture etc? Absolutely, unfortunately most people here do. But it could also be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will allow you to make great experiences and memories. And even if you decide to return home and go into a different direction career-wise afterwards, there is still time. Very few people have their life fully figured out in their early 20s, and that’s perfectly okay.
I would recommend going ahead and accepting.
More than a decade ago I was in a similar situation, I had taken a leap of faith then and I haven’t regretted it till date. Japan was the best thing that happened to me. This experience was subjective and personal because half of my campus recruited batchmates had the opposite experience than the mine. Either you fall in love or you despise Japan.
Your company seems to be well established and their policies to onboard and make you feel home are likely to be very robust. Accommodation, food, and language training are very crucial and will reduce so much friction. And I am certain there will be a lot of unsaid things where they will support you e.g. opening a bank account or getting a mobile phone.
I was positively surprised after looking at my in-hand salary vs my estimate. Annual bonus and yearly growth don’t work as per usual western norms but it was more than my anticipation and I was pleasantly surprised. By the end of third year I was close to 4.5M in a Saitama kinda prefecture.
Racism in Japan exists but most of us are also racist towards our own nationals back home so I expected the worst and received the best. Anyways, it will take 3-4 years for you to enter into their skin and realise nuances of racism beyond Japanese warmth and smile. If you can find a couple of sponsors or champions that want you to succeed within the company, then they can help you transit cross-border and cross-functional.
If not, with JLPT N2 and no visa restrictions, you will be in demand with non-Japanese companies, and can switch.
Regardless, if you can imagine 5 years of life then you should be closer to what you have imagined, having a better life.
I’d kill to be in your position sooo….. take your chances.
> They are also providing a free 2-year Japanese language course, with the only requirement being that we clear JLPT N2
Do you speak Japanese already? Learning Japanese from zero to N2 in 2 years while working is impossible, this is a red flag.
In this sub most people want to move to Japan for different reasons and have rose tinted glasses, so their opinion is skewed. Take their advice with a grain of salt.
The work-life balance, discrimination and life-sucking concerns your friends raised are all valid points. Unfortunately in Japan, Japanese are first, there’s a lot of racism and nationalism, and not speaking the language fluently makes everything even worse. Most people in Japan end up feeling lonely and depressed. Even in a crowded city where you’re part of a daily scramble of millions of people moving throughout trains and streets, it can be very lonely and soul crushing.
I’ve been living in Japan for many years and unfortunately I can’t leave anymore due to personal circumstances, but if I could go back in time and tell myself not to go to Japan, I would. And I also came from a 3rd world country.
>They mentioned that work-life balance in Japan can be tough
This is very much employer dependent, and even team dependent within employers. Some employers are great and have a great balance. Some are truly awful. You’ll find out where you employer falls when you get here I suppose. Just remember you’re not a slave to your work. Workers rights here are pretty good and your status of residence is yours and is not tied to any specific employer (with a few specific exceptions). If you get here and find you hate your job, you can quit without much drama.
> income growth is slow
Again, it depends on employers. But by and large yeah, salaries in Japan are much lower than in other developed countries. This used to be counterbalanced by overall much lower cost of living, but things are changing (everywhere from what I here). Its definitely getting tougher to scratch out a living out there.
>changing jobs is difficult
Finding work can be difficult if your Japanese isn’t great. There aren’t a lot of opportunities for people who need ‘handlers’ so to speak. If you’re able to function in a pure Japanese environment and you’ve got skills & experience, there are plenty of opportunities. Aim for at least JLPT N2 (but don’t stop there). Also, I see people in the chat complaining about nomikais (the frequency of which again will vary wildly between teams), but they’re a great way to bone up on conversational Japanese in a low stakes environment.
>They also brought up the possibility of facing racism
Meh, don’t live your life in the fear that some assholes may not like you. Yes, Japan has some assholes who are racist. By and large though you can ignore them. You won’t have to worry so much about random acts of violence or active harassment. Racism here tends to be more passive. Like landlords who don’t rent to foreigners. It sucks when you butt your head against it, but its a part of your day to day life.
>For context, I don’t really enjoy programming or IT that much
Honestly, this is the part that is the biggest red flag for me. Moving to a new country and learning a new language can be incredibly stressful. If you’re also doing something you hate all day long, on top of those other stressors, it may not end well. Just remember that you’re young and this is an adventure. If things don’t work out, you can walk away. You’re not a slave here and you’re not trapped here. There is no shame in trying it out and deciding its not for you. But I’d say at least give it a try.
OP, you only live once and you have the opportunity of a lifetime here. Since you said you’re from a third world country, I’m gonna assume your southeast Asian. Yes there will be time when you will face some sort of disc discrimination. It’s just part of life here as a especially for people with darker skin tones but, the deal they are offering you is to insane to pass up. The. fact that they’re willing to pay you to work and then go to a language school is great. Even if you end up hating Japan, at least you will being bilingual and have an interesting resume out of it. I’ve been here for almost a decade.a decade, basically there giving you the means to support yourself while learning the language to further yourself. I would’ve killed for a chance like that when I first arrived here. I’d say you should go for it.
“I don’t really like programming or IT” neither did I but now I love it. The job can be very different than school
I moved to Japan at 22 to take a job in a high school, so I never had to deal with the corporate drinking culture, but it was undoubtedly the most influential decision of my life. After two years I was at the expat/go back fork in the road and chose to return and go to graduate school. If you are confident and comfortable, go! Do beware the alcohol, though.
I don’t know which third-world country you’re from, but I also lived in one for a while. So I can tell you that any first-world country, compared to a third-world one, doesn’t even come close when it comes to work-related stress, especially because of the long hours and low wages. As for racism, as a Caucasian person, I can tell you it happens everywhere, no matter how you look
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