Moving to Japan
 

Hi,

I have a Japanese spouse visa which entitles to work for anyone on Japan. I am currently looking to move and settle in Japan but do not know much in terms of how to find the right jobs. I am an IT Professional specialising in Vignette, JAVA, Web Technologies (there is a big list). I tried doing a search and there is limited options in terms of applying for a job in Japan. I am mainly looking to work in hte Tokyo or Osaka region. I am paid quite well in the UK but want to know how much i need for a good living - 2 adults and 2 kids.

I am looking for help from fellow expats regarding the right techniques, sites, compaines, agents through which i can land up interviews and then a job. I would really appreciate leads, contacts or opportunities to find decent jobs in Japan.

Regards
Srini

Re: Moving to Japan
 

Four main plus points when applying for an IT job in Japan:

Spouse Visa (check)
Verifiable Experience
Being in Japan already
Japanese Language Ability (certified)

The more of those you have the better. Gaijinpot forums have an IT jobs thread where you can pick up tips and find a few leads.

Good Luck!

Re: Moving to Japan
 

The Japanese Language Ability is often JLPT Level 1. And going through Kanji is a real nightmare. Just imagine before the days of Blackberries and word processors when you actually had to manually write the characters out by hand. I know Japanese do not expect Gaijin Foreigners to learn kanji with respects to day to day interactions, and a nihongo wakarimasen will work.
The JLPT level one is really hard, and it often majority of the foreigners that succeed in passing that JLPT exam to Level 1 are the Chinese who start with an unfair advantage of getting the kanji down pact. Even with their simplified characters as their backgrounds, their learning curve is such that your typical English Oxford University student will not necessarily be able to keep up with a Chinese of average intelligence when it comes to learning Japanese.

The Japanese expect the Chinese to eventualy learn their language fully, but they will never expect any Caucasian to learn it--ever. It is a sterotype, but in a monocultural society as Japan, this mentality will never go away.

Re: Moving to Japan
 

If you are thinking of living costs you need about 200 000 yen a month.

Also consider that if you work in a Japanese company you will work long hours so will not be able to see your family as much as when you were in the u.k.