Here's My Take of Tech Working Culture in Tokyo
Also busting some major myths and stereotypes
Japan is always a place people consider to travel to, but not live in. There are many stereotypes about Japanese working culture. However, with more and more foreigners working in Japan, things are slowly changing. Not as fast as the rise of AI, but it might have been already different from what you imagine.
If you are interested in working in Tokyo as a Software Engineer or any position in tech, this post is for you.
First of all, let’s start with the basics.
Tech Company Landscape in Tokyo
Due to Tokyo's international position, there are various types of working environments. The above is a simplified chart of how tech companies are categorized in Tokyo. The actual category is more diversified, but it gives you a rough idea.
There are four highlights for foreign talents:
FAANG companies provide the best salary and international environment. You expect zero culture gap.
Most foreigners start with local international companies. They are the easiest to get in, while the benefits are at a good level.
Avoid traditional Japanese companies at all cost. They have all the negative stereotypes that you know, such as long working hours, etc.
Some small startups have potentials. It’s worth taking a look.
Based on the information above, let’s bust some myths 👊
Myth #1: You need to know Japanese to work in Japan
Truth: Not in tech.
Tech is one of the few industries where you don't need to know any Japanese to work in. If you are software engineers, it's not too hard to find a position that requires only English proficiency.
Actually, language is one deciding factor of the environment. Due to Tokyo's international position, there are various types of working environments. Based on the graph in the above section, the more English required, the more international the environment is.
If you have the skills, joining FAANG companies is the easiest option. It has everything you know about them: good environment, work-life balance, and mature organizations.
However, not everyone prefers FAANG. If you are not good at grinding LeetCode like I do, local international companies are usually where we start. Here are some Japan-specific job searching websites that include language information, such as:
You can see a lot of foreigners start their journey in companies like Rakuten, PayPay, and Mercari. These companies are actively hiring from overseas, and it’s a lot easier to get you started in Japan.
But one thing about the language: knowing Japanese would give you more opportunities. Many companies are undergoing cultural transformation, especially in senior positions. Roles such as directors are designed to be the bridge between Japanese & international members.
Myth #2: Most people working in Japan are Japanese
Truth: In tech, there are more foreigners than local Japanese.
If you don't speak Japanese, it's possible that you work in Japan but your team is all foreigners. Based on statistics, the most common nationalities among foreign workers are China, Vietnam, and South Korea. Tech is the same.
Reasons for this:
📉 Low birth rate: Japan has been suffering from the low birth rate issue for a long time. It's challenging to find local talents.
🗣️ Language barrier: Japan's English proficiency isn't the best among Asian countries. English-speaking environment likely has less local Japanese members.
Thus, no worries if you are concerned about fitting in. Your workplace likely has more foreigner than local Japanese, especially in tech.
Myth #3: Tech salary in Tokyo is low
Truth: It really depends.
We’ve seen enough complaints about how salary is low in Japan (myself included).
Here are my takes:
1. 💰 Salary is not a primary strength in Tokyo
If money is your top priority, I would recommend relocating to the U.S., Switzerland, or Israel. Statistically, salary in these countries are distinctively higher.
What Tokyo can offer is comfort and convenience. You get the same premium experience at a much cheaper price. All the tourists who have visited Tokyo recently will agree.
2. 📉 "Low" is relative
Salary in Tokyo is lower than its counterparts in Singapore, Berlin, London, etc. However, it's one of the top among Asian cities.
If you are from Asia and are considering relocating to somewhere not too far from your home country, Japan is a good choice.
3. 💡 Personal experience varies
Based on data, salary in Australia is a lot higher than in Japan.
However, when one of my friends relocated from Sydney to Tokyo, their salary actually went up.
Our value differs from company to company, and even country to country.
If you are considering relocating, I would encourage you get some interviews and see what the offers look like. Don't jump to conclusions before you start.
Myth #4: There is a glass ceiling for foreigners
Truth: There is, but not in the way you imagine.
Most people think that language barriers can create language minorities in the workplace. However, most workplaces actively create a language-inclusive environment, and are very successful.
The actual glass ceiling often comes from degraded performance 📉.
(1) 🧠 Cognitive energy drain
If you communicate in a language you are still learning, you spend some of your cognitive energy on processing the language. This leads to a degraded performance of the actual tasks.
(2) ❓ Missing contexts
You might miss nuances and contexts when communicating in a second language. You often spend some cognitive energy understanding/confirming them. This can degrade your actual performance, too.
—
The truth is, if you need to speak a different language in the workplace, you need to work harder to reach the same level of performance as native speakers.
This is where the glass ceiling comes from. It is an issue in Japanese workplaces, but it is not unique to Japan. It is the same for all non-native English speakers working in an English-speaking workplace.
Other Myths
Here are some myths that are no longer true in international environments:
Long working hours 🔴 Myth
Standard working hours are typically 8 hours (excluding lunch). Mandatory overtime is rare these days.
That said, if you're at an early-stage startup, you will need to burn the midnight oil to fight for your next round of funding.
Strict hierarchy 🔴 Myth
Age and tenure don't determine one's rank in the company.
Many managers are young and talented.
After-work drinking obligations (飲み会) 🔴 Myth
It's mostly optional. People respect your personal life and boundaries.
Job-hopping discrimination 🟢 True
While they don't pursue lifetime employment anymore, they still value stability.
Frequent job changes are often brought up during interviews, and even mortgage applications. It’s not my favorite in Japan.
Limited work-life balance 🔴 Myth
Annual leave starts from 10 days. Plus, Japan has 16 public holidays a year, one of the highest in the world.
It's common for people to take 1-2 week off for vacation. Parental leave is common as well.
Formal business etiquette 🔴 Myth
Yes, formal etiquette still applies when dealing with clients. But internal communication is much more relaxed.
You’ll survive just fine without using keigo (敬語).
Resources
If you are interested in working in tech in Tokyo, here are some resources for you:
For Tokyo-specific job search:
About relocation & general job search:
You might be interested in some of my previous posts as well:
Last Words
Thank you for reading the post!
❤️ Click the like button if you like this article.
🔁 Share this post to help others find it.
Resources
Tokyo Tech Lead is a blog/newsletter for engineering leaders. Check out this overview guide for all the resources it provides.
Guest Post Opportunities
If you are interested in writing for Tokyo Tech Lead, check this guideline post, and let’s build something together!
Contact
You can find me on LinkedIn or Substack.
If you want more content like this, consider subscribing to my newsletter.
See you in the next post!
Thanks Adler, this was an interesting read. The reasons for the "glass ceiling" you describe sound very valid, and I experienced the degraded performance and inefficiency in other non-Japanese English-speaking organizations. (I'm not a native English speaker neither, to make things more complicated, though working in English in the last 15 or so years makes me more comfortable professionally than on my mother tongue! :D)