Hey everyone,
I’m exploring MSP/cloud/SOC/NOC opportunities in Japan and I’m trying to separate myth from reality about what IT work culture is actually like.
If you’re currently in these roles or have experience:
• Is the work culture really as tough as people say?
• How demanding are on-call rotations in MSP/cloud environments?
• Are you ever expected to be out drinking late (nomikai) and still be on-call the next morning?
• Do foreign engineers get treated differently when it comes to overtime, expectations, or workload?
• How crucial is Japanese proficiency for this kind of work? Is conversational Japanese enough, or do companies expect business-level fluency?
Basically, I’m trying to understand what working IT inside Japan’s famously rigorous corporate culture is really like for foreigners.
Any insights, stories, advice, or warnings would be massively appreciated.
by savannah950