IT Jobs in Japan for Foreigners: Complete Guide
Salaries, visa requirements, and the best job boards. Everything you need to know to land a software engineering role in Tokyo.
Japan is facing a massive demographic crisis, and the IT sector is getting hit the hardest. With a severe shortage of domestic software engineers, data scientists, and infrastructure specialists, Japanese tech companies are aggressively hiring foreign talent. Here is everything you need to know about getting an IT job in Japan in 2026.
The State of the Market
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) projects a shortage of up to 790,000 IT professionals by 2030. Because of this, the traditional strict requirement for JLPT N1 or N2 is rapidly softening, particularly for backend and infrastructure roles.
Salary Expectations (Tokyo vs. Remote)
Salaries in Japan are historically lower than in the US or UK, but the cost of living (especially rent and healthcare) is also drastically lower.
| Role Level | Traditional Japanese Firm | Foreign/Modern Tech Startup |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0-2 YOE) | ¥3,500,000 - ¥4,500,000 | ¥4,500,000 - ¥6,000,000 |
| Mid-Level (3-5 YOE) | ¥5,000,000 - ¥7,000,000 | ¥7,000,000 - ¥10,000,000 |
| Senior (5+ YOE) | ¥7,000,000 - ¥9,000,000 | ¥10,000,000 - ¥15,000,000+ |
| Engineering Manager | ¥8,000,000 - ¥11,000,000 | ¥12,000,000 - ¥18,000,000+ |
The "Engineer Visa" (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services)
To work in IT in Japan, you need this visa. To qualify, you must meet ONE of the following criteria:
- A Bachelor's Degree (in any subject, though IT is preferred).
- 10+ years of demonstrable professional experience in the IT field.
- Passing a specific IT exam recognized by the Japanese government (like the ITPEC exam in Asian countries).
Where to Find IT Jobs
Japan Dev & TokyoDev
The best job boards for English-speaking developers. They only list modern companies with good engineering cultures and high salaries.
Recruiters in Tokyo heavily use LinkedIn to poach foreign talent. Change your location to "Tokyo" and set your status to "Open to Work".
Wantedly
A casual Japanese job board. You will need some Japanese reading ability, but it's the best place to find early-stage Tokyo startups.
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