With its powerhouse economy, abundant teaching jobs, and high rates of pay, Japan has long been attracting a large number of young Westerners in search of a different experience. Perhaps more than any other Asian nation, it has a smooth veneer of Western order and regularity. For some this veneer can be deceiving; under the surface Japan is radically different.

Perched on Asia’s eastern flank it may be, but the Japanese instinctively look to North America and Europe as their equals on the world stage. While many have traveled to Australia, the United States, or Europe, few Japanese have visited the countries that share their hemisphere, such as Korea, China, or Taiwan.

Learning English is the national obsession. It is the way their country can ‘internationalise,’ and thus compete in the future. Most Japanese have studied English for six years in school, and perhaps another four in university. They then continue at private language schools, on television, and radio, in the train, on the station platform, before and after work. It is this fact that makes Japan such a lucrative place to spend a few years working. A country of one hundred and thirty million with a highly educated and prosperous people. The demand for teachers can only be described as huge, although it is has slackened a little from the boom years of the late eighties.

For the majority of Westerners, teaching English is the best option. The complexities of written Japanese and the breakneck pace of the working environment put paid to most foreigner’s ambitions to enter mainstream business. There are foreigners working in business, but many of them are either self-employed, are employees of foreign companies sent over, or are filling the few positions Japanese companies reserve for ‘token’ foreigners, with little real work to do. Things are changing, but slowly. Belatedly the large Japanese corporations are waking up to the realisation that foreigners can bring new ideas and new experience. Foreigners with relevant degrees and good Japanese are being hired, but the numbers are still small. It’s a far cry from Hong King or Singapore. The truth is they’re just not interested in someone who is only going to be around for a couple of years.
Small businesses like bars and clubs will hire one or two gaijin (foreigners) for the novelty value, and some English teachers do this as a supplement to their income. However, when you consider the short hours, hire rates of pay, flexibility, and the fact that the language schools are specifically geared toward people only staying a year or two, teaching definitely comes out on top for most people.

Recently Japan has been much in the news with its financial problems. This stems from a lack of financial regulation, and the boom years of the late eighties when banks loaned vast sums unsecured to clients. Many of these loans became unrecoverable in the following economic slowdown, and the banks are now in trouble.

A series of embarrassing scandals at top trading houses and corporations has added to the gloom. Japan’s economy is in many ways still very strong, but people are scared, and the Japanese populace is a conservative lot. Many private schools are going through tough times, and there have been layoffs of foreign teachers. The flip side is that word of this soon gets around, and fewer foreigners come looking for work. Things seem to balance out, and there are usually always jobs to be had. While this is true in the major cities, work may be harder to find in rural areas where the spread of schools is much thinner.

Another effect of the economic slump is the fall in value of the Yen. It has lost nearly half of its value compared to the US Dollar in the past two years, falling from a high of ¥78 to US$1 to a current ¥140. This means that any earnings you bring back will be worth less, in effect ¥300,000 in 1996 was worth US$3850, now it is only worth US$2150. This will effect you when sending money home, or travelling outside of Japan on your Yen earnings. The converse is that Japan is once more again affordable as a destination for overseas visitors, and the money you bring with you when you first come will last a good deal longer.

Before you go

Before you come, it is wise to do a little research. What part of Japan do you want to live in? Do you want to have big city excitement or rural seclusion? Do you want to be able to travel around? How much free time do you want? Do you want to study the language or some aspect of the culture?

Tokyo is a sprawling metropolis of unimaginable size; close to fifty million people live in the Kanto Plain that surrounds the Tokyo area. It can take two hours to get out of the city. Think perhaps about the Kansai area, which includes the cities of Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and Nara; or Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu. They’re each considerably sized cities, but on a more manageable scale. Rural Japan is beautiful, but the lack of other English speakers can be daunting. If possible, travel a little before you decide. Don’t be in a hurry to accept your first job offer. Bring enough money to see you through the first few months. You might not see a paycheck until you have been there for two months or longer.

Visas

The good news is that Australians can get Working Holiday Visas at any Japanese consulate in Australia. These are usually issued to people up to the age of 27 for six months, and are then extendible in periods of six months up to a maximum of two, and in some cases, three years. (Check with your nearest Japanese consulate for details.)

Looking for work

English teaching

The next decision is whether to try and look for work before you go to Japan, or wait until you are there. Some large schools do hire oversees, but the deal you get will probably not be as good. You also have no way of comparing salary, conditions etc. Perhaps ninety percent of people do come to Japan without work. This gives them the advantage of seeing the schools, their location, nearby housing and transport for themselves.

As far as schools are concerned, there are two main choices; public junior or senior high schools and private language schools. In the last few years a huge number of regular junior or senior high schools have hired native English speakers as ‘Assistant English Teachers (AET’s). Their job is primarily to ‘assist’ a Japanese English teacher with teaching spoken English. The conditions are good; a salary averaging ¥300,000 a month, good holidays, and a five-day workweek. The downside is it can be difficult to get in. Most schools don’t hire by themselves, but rather leave it to the local board of education, or some third party. The easy way is with JET, the Japan Exchange Teaching programme, which brings hundreds of foreigners in each year, run by the government. Apply at your nearest Japanese consulate. It’s a good deal, but you have no choice of location, and the likelihood is of some rural village in the middle of nowhere. The private language schools, on the other hand, are much easier. They cater to people of all ages, most often studying English merely as a hobby. Hours are usually in the region of fifteen or twenty per week, averaging ¥2,500 per hour, with most classes in the early morning or evening. This gives you lots of time to pursue other things.

The last option is teaching privately, at your home or the student’s. This can be difficult unless you can arrange to take over the classes of a departing teacher. Some people even sell their classes! Teaching privately is the most financially lucrative, as teachers usually charge ¥5000 per hour for a ‘one-on-one’ class, less for groups. Don’t forget though, that you are likely to have to travel between each class, which can take a considerable amount of time.

With all these jobs, it is really only necessary to have a four year university degree. Without one you might be restricted to smaller language schools and privates. Any teaching experience or special training will certainly not hurt, but it won’t necessarily get you a better salary. Real teachers with Masters degrees usually teach in universities.

Other jobs

If teaching really isn’t your thing, then there are a few alternatives. If you have excellent Japanese, then translation is a lucrative trade. A technical background such as engineering or medicine will get you very high rates, as technical translators are always much in demand. Needless to say, your kanji must be up to scratch! Many people start in teaching, study Japanese and then move onto translation. It’ll give you a very comfortable living.

In season many ski resorts hire foreigners for ski instruction and patrol positions. Nightclubs that employ hostesses to sit and talk with customers also hire foreign women, but usually require basic Japanese ability. There are also some opportunities with English language publications such as newspapers and magazines, if you have training in journalism.

One final word. In Japan, image is everything. Go to an interview dressed for business, and if the person interviewing you is Japanese, then a little knowledge of Japanese etiquette will stand you in good stead.

Terms and conditions/ salary

The boom years of the late eighties are legendary for the exorbitant rates that teachers could charge. The bubble has burst, but it is still possible to make a very decent living teaching, and save a nice bundle for the return home. Teachers make anything from ¥200,000 to ¥500,000 per month, but salaried instructors at language schools average around ¥300,000. Normal Japanese companies give a ‘bonus’ twice a year, in July and December. Most teaching jobs don’t include this, but high school jobs might. Also, most transportation expenses should be reimbursed. Your school will pay your journey to and from work, and to company classes, although not with private students.

Living in Japan

People come to Japan for many reasons. For some it’s simply a way to repay university loans and see a different country, for others an interest in the culture or language. Whatever your reason, and however the country may appear to you at first glance, in reality it’s a nation with a radically different ideology from ours. Don’t try to compare it. And don’t take it upon yourself to ‘enlighten’ the locals about the inadequacy of their ways. Japan isn’t everyone’s ‘cup of tea,’ but those who are willing to put some effort into getting to know it will come away with a rich and rewarding experience.

Living in Japan will probably give you more insight into this complex nation than any university course. From the tightly packed houses and Orwellian suburbs to the enchanting countryside with its mountains, rivers, volcanoes, hot springs, temples, and villages, there are few countries with such contrasts. In a country the size of California where a hundred and thirty million people live in only ten percent of the area, efficiency is everything. From colour-coded rubbish bags to bank machines that talk to you while they clean your bank notes, to the ultra-efficient trains, Japan has made the humdrum of daily life a science.

The language

For the newcomer, the main worry will probably be their lack of the language. The Japanese, however, recognise that their language is difficult. Signs, station names, many announcements, and most packaging are in English as well as Japanese. It is quite possible to spend several years in Japan without ever speaking a word of the language. You will be greatly rewarded, however, both in your relationships with Japanese people and what you learn about the culture, if you at least make an attempt to learn it. Surprisingly, it isn’t as difficult as the Japanese would like to believe. Pronunciation is easy, and while the grammar is unlike anything in English, it is very logical and straightforward. (The writing is another story!)

Accommodation

Looking for somewhere to live can be tricky. The two main problems are ‘key money,’ a kind of deposit, and a guarantor. Key money ranges from 3 to 10 months rent, depending where you are in Japan. In most cases it is partially refundable. It includes the first and last month’s rent, the agent’s commission, and a ‘cleaning fee’ supposedly for removing and cleaning the tatami matting, but since they still apply it in newer wooden floored apartments, that argument runs rather thin. The guarantor is usually your employer. If you are self-employed, then you will need a ‘reputable’ Japanese person willing to guarantee you. Don’t complain, the Japanese face these problems all through life! In central Tokyo, expect to pay exorbitant rents for a tiny room. In rural Japan, it may be cheaper than your home town. For Japanese people, the main priorities are location, location, and location! Rents fall the farther you get from a train station, so you’ll get a good deal if you don’t mind a long walk every day.

More mature travellers

Job prospects in Japan differ for those travellers more advanced in their years. The majority of private language schools prefer people in the 22-35 age range, and won’t be shy of telling you. Advertisements routinely show age, sex, and nationality requirements. This is dictated by what the students want. Part of the attraction for many Japanese learning English as a hobby is the

opportunity of meeting a young (good-looking) Westerner. The fact that a more senior teacher has experience and is probably a much better at the job doesn’t come into the equation. The situation in public high schools isn’t much better. The government seems keen to have lots of graduates fresh out of college come over and spend a year or two in the country. They’re not likely to put down roots, and will be good ambassadors for Japan when they go home. Ironically, ability as teachers is often ignored, potentially frustrating for a ‘real’ teacher. If you are a qualified teacher, then there are thousands of universities and junior colleges where you can apply. The Japanese school year begins in April, so starting in November or December would be a good time. Many of these schools advertise overseas, on the Internet especially. Publications such as 'Ohayo Sensei' can be good sources, and many jobs are advertised on the Internet.

Have a great time, good luck and itte-irashai!