Working in Japan
Fresh Ideas
Foreigners can bring new ideas and fresh techniques, but if the company is going to invest in that person it is important that those members of staff stay for a long time. So a foreigner coming to Japan needs to be able to make a creditable case that they are worth the investment.
Moving to Japan
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| Typical Japanese apartment building |
There are also a number of upfront costs associated with living in Japan. It can be harder for foreigners to find accommodation; most Japanese apartments are not available for rent to foreigners. Upfront non-refundable payments may be necessary, and guarantors may also be necessary. New starters should expect friction when looking for a place to live.
Corporate Culture in Japan
Starting at a Japanese company can be confusing. It isn’t always clear what you are going to work on; initially your job may simply be to learn how the company works, although there isn’t necessarily a formal training programme. You also have to learn to speak (and read) Japanese and, after a while, you may start to figure out how the company works. Then, once you have made some connections, and begun to understand the processes, you can start to do some work. And, hopefully, that work will be useful to the company.
The Language Barrier
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| Learn to speak (and read) Japanese |
Amedeo explained the importance of learning to speak Japanese fluently – a difficult task, but necessary to be able to communicate successfully with colleagues. Amedeo said that his own mastery of Japanese was very limited (“just the basics”), but he is constantly striving to improve.
Creative Freedom
