Mapenzi ya Mungu
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- Feb 22, 2025
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Many foreign students in Japan seek jobs but face language barriers, lack of support
February 25, 2025 (Mainichi Japan)
Attendees listen to a company's recruiter at a job fair for foreign students, in Tokyo's Minato Ward in this photo provided by Vein Global Inc.
Numerous foreign students in Japan want to work here, but they face various challenges such as a lack of employment support, a unique hiring system, and language barriers even for those fluent in Japanese.
The number of international students studying in Japan, which had decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, is once again on the rise. Among these students, many express a desire to work in the country. How do they navigate the job-hunting process? This Japanese student reporter visited a job forum exclusively for foreign students to understand their thoughts and challenges in seeking employment here.
A job fair for foreign students was held in Tokyo on Dec. 14 last year, attracting 123 people studying in Japan. While students from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea made up 70% of the attendees, there were also many from Southeast Asia, such as Myanmar and Indonesia.
Eleven companies from a wide range of industries, including trading firms and manufacturers, participated. International students, dressed in suits for interviews like Japanese job seekers, visited participating businesses' booths and listened intently to their explanations. A third-year university student from China, 24, shared his thoughts in fluent Japanese, "There was a detailed explanation about language support after joining the company, which clarified my image of working there. My anxiety about the Japanese language was dispelled."
Support Still Lacking
Vein Global Inc., the event's organizer based in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, has been providing job-hunting support exclusively for foreign students for 18 years. However, such support services remain scarce. According to the company's president, Ai Osawa, 40, the small market size and Japan's unique employment methods—such as job hunting while still in school and simultaneous recruitment of new graduates—are contributing factors. "We have to explain Japan's new graduate recruitment style, which takes quite a bit of time and effort," she said.
However, none of the foreign students I spoke to at the job fair expressed discomfort with the country's simultaneous recruitment of new graduates; in fact, they viewed it positively. In countries outside Japan, it is common to begin seeking employment after graduation, and the unstable state of not having a job may last for several years. Moreover, students are judged based on their current abilities and social experiences rather than future potential, as is often the case in Japan.
A second-year graduate school student from Lithuania, 25, commented, "In my home country, you only have a chance to apply when there is an opening. In Japan, due to simultaneous recruitment, companies hire students regardless of vacancies."
In countries like China and South Korea, where academic achievement is crucial for securing employment at major firms, the competition is fierce. "Companies in China seek graduates from prestigious universities. With my academic background, I can hardly apply to large firms or those with high salaries," said a third-year university student from China, 25, explaining his decision to seek employment in Japan.
While there were various reasons for wanting to work in Japan, the most frequently mentioned were the kindness of the people and the relaxed atmosphere of society in Japan, which contribute to its livability.
'Self-Promotion is the Most Difficult'
However, Japan is not necessarily an easy country for foreign students to find employment. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, fewer than half of the approximately 54,000 foreign students who graduated from higher education institutions in the country in the 2021 academic year (excluding those who continued their studies domestically) found employment in Japan. Osawa commented, "Many students want to work in Japan but cannot find a place to be accepted and are forced to return home. It's a real waste."
One difficulty foreign students face in finding work is a lack of knowledge about Japan's unique recruitment system. A student with roots in both Indonesia and Japan, studying at a university in Oita Prefecture, said, "I knew about Japanese-style job hunting to some extent because one of my parents is Japanese, but many of my fellow international students do not."
The language barrier is also significant. Even at firms where language skills such as English and Chinese can be utilized, communication within the company is often conducted in Japanese. A considerable level of Japanese proficiency is required before joining.
When asked about the most challenging aspect of job hunting, the foreign students I spoke to at the event most frequently cited language issues. Since Japanese is used in all situations, such as company information sessions, internships, and interviews, both listening and speaking are difficult. Even a Chinese student attending a university in Tokyo, 24, who possesses high Japanese language proficiency, said, "Self-promotion is the most difficult. I can't express my characteristics in Japanese, and what I want to say doesn't get across."
Opportunities Gradually Expanding
According to Osawa, while the number of firms open to hiring foreigners has increased drastically since the start of her business, few companies have established and clearly indicated recruitment slots for them. On the other hand, some companies participating in the recent event have diversified their selection processes and appointed foreign employees as recruiters to make it easier for international students to apply. Additionally, some companies individually assess the results of aptitude tests for foreign students rather than measure them against the same standards as Japanese students. The system for accepting them is slowly but steadily changing.
The need for foreign talent in Japan is expected to increase in the future. It is hoped that employment support and opportunities for international students who love Japan will continue to expand.
Campal
A portmanteau of "campus" and "pal." The official name is "Mainichi Shimbun Campal Editorial Department." The first article from Campal was published on Feb. 4, 1989, and now appears in various publications, including the Mainichi Shimbun's news site and its Tokyo morning edition. About 20 student reporters, mainly from Tokyo metropolitan area universities, are engaged in its activities. The department's mission is "to convey things students want to know." Students do everything from planning to reporting and writing. It has expanded to nine areas nationwide.
February 25, 2025 (Mainichi Japan)
Attendees listen to a company's recruiter at a job fair for foreign students, in Tokyo's Minato Ward in this photo provided by Vein Global Inc.
Numerous foreign students in Japan want to work here, but they face various challenges such as a lack of employment support, a unique hiring system, and language barriers even for those fluent in Japanese.
The number of international students studying in Japan, which had decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, is once again on the rise. Among these students, many express a desire to work in the country. How do they navigate the job-hunting process? This Japanese student reporter visited a job forum exclusively for foreign students to understand their thoughts and challenges in seeking employment here.
A job fair for foreign students was held in Tokyo on Dec. 14 last year, attracting 123 people studying in Japan. While students from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea made up 70% of the attendees, there were also many from Southeast Asia, such as Myanmar and Indonesia.
Eleven companies from a wide range of industries, including trading firms and manufacturers, participated. International students, dressed in suits for interviews like Japanese job seekers, visited participating businesses' booths and listened intently to their explanations. A third-year university student from China, 24, shared his thoughts in fluent Japanese, "There was a detailed explanation about language support after joining the company, which clarified my image of working there. My anxiety about the Japanese language was dispelled."
Support Still Lacking
Vein Global Inc., the event's organizer based in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, has been providing job-hunting support exclusively for foreign students for 18 years. However, such support services remain scarce. According to the company's president, Ai Osawa, 40, the small market size and Japan's unique employment methods—such as job hunting while still in school and simultaneous recruitment of new graduates—are contributing factors. "We have to explain Japan's new graduate recruitment style, which takes quite a bit of time and effort," she said.
However, none of the foreign students I spoke to at the job fair expressed discomfort with the country's simultaneous recruitment of new graduates; in fact, they viewed it positively. In countries outside Japan, it is common to begin seeking employment after graduation, and the unstable state of not having a job may last for several years. Moreover, students are judged based on their current abilities and social experiences rather than future potential, as is often the case in Japan.
A second-year graduate school student from Lithuania, 25, commented, "In my home country, you only have a chance to apply when there is an opening. In Japan, due to simultaneous recruitment, companies hire students regardless of vacancies."
In countries like China and South Korea, where academic achievement is crucial for securing employment at major firms, the competition is fierce. "Companies in China seek graduates from prestigious universities. With my academic background, I can hardly apply to large firms or those with high salaries," said a third-year university student from China, 25, explaining his decision to seek employment in Japan.
While there were various reasons for wanting to work in Japan, the most frequently mentioned were the kindness of the people and the relaxed atmosphere of society in Japan, which contribute to its livability.
'Self-Promotion is the Most Difficult'
However, Japan is not necessarily an easy country for foreign students to find employment. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, fewer than half of the approximately 54,000 foreign students who graduated from higher education institutions in the country in the 2021 academic year (excluding those who continued their studies domestically) found employment in Japan. Osawa commented, "Many students want to work in Japan but cannot find a place to be accepted and are forced to return home. It's a real waste."
One difficulty foreign students face in finding work is a lack of knowledge about Japan's unique recruitment system. A student with roots in both Indonesia and Japan, studying at a university in Oita Prefecture, said, "I knew about Japanese-style job hunting to some extent because one of my parents is Japanese, but many of my fellow international students do not."
The language barrier is also significant. Even at firms where language skills such as English and Chinese can be utilized, communication within the company is often conducted in Japanese. A considerable level of Japanese proficiency is required before joining.
When asked about the most challenging aspect of job hunting, the foreign students I spoke to at the event most frequently cited language issues. Since Japanese is used in all situations, such as company information sessions, internships, and interviews, both listening and speaking are difficult. Even a Chinese student attending a university in Tokyo, 24, who possesses high Japanese language proficiency, said, "Self-promotion is the most difficult. I can't express my characteristics in Japanese, and what I want to say doesn't get across."
Opportunities Gradually Expanding
According to Osawa, while the number of firms open to hiring foreigners has increased drastically since the start of her business, few companies have established and clearly indicated recruitment slots for them. On the other hand, some companies participating in the recent event have diversified their selection processes and appointed foreign employees as recruiters to make it easier for international students to apply. Additionally, some companies individually assess the results of aptitude tests for foreign students rather than measure them against the same standards as Japanese students. The system for accepting them is slowly but steadily changing.
The need for foreign talent in Japan is expected to increase in the future. It is hoped that employment support and opportunities for international students who love Japan will continue to expand.
Campal
A portmanteau of "campus" and "pal." The official name is "Mainichi Shimbun Campal Editorial Department." The first article from Campal was published on Feb. 4, 1989, and now appears in various publications, including the Mainichi Shimbun's news site and its Tokyo morning edition. About 20 student reporters, mainly from Tokyo metropolitan area universities, are engaged in its activities. The department's mission is "to convey things students want to know." Students do everything from planning to reporting and writing. It has expanded to nine areas nationwide.
