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Public Holidays in Japan 2020 Compared with Overseas

It is often said that “Japanese people work too much,” but are there really fewer holidays apart weekends in Japan compared to overseas? In this article, we would like to explain the Japanese public holidays of 2020 to foreigners working or wanting to work in Japan. Many people have the impression that who works in Japan work a lot and often work overtime. But what is the actual situation? we will talk about Japanese holidays in comparison with the situation in other countries, so please refer to it. Countries with more Public Holidays around the World First, let’s look at the countries with the most amount of holidays around the world. Below are some of the most holiday-filled countries in the world, along with their representative names. Thailand (23 Public Holidays) In Thailand, consumption of alcohol is prohibited on Buddhist-related holidays and election days. for example, on March 6 the Buddha’s birthday is celebrated, therefore the consumption of alcohol on that day is not allowed. May 1st: National Labor Day May 4th: Coronation Day May 6th: Wisakha Bucha Day China (21 Public Holidays) In China per year, they have 3 consecutive holidays. In May they have consecutive holidays for up to 5 days. Also, they have 10 consecutive holidays from January 24 to February 2, which they call “spring festival”, there is also the “mid-autumn festival” which is made up of 8 consecutive holidays. Another well-known holiday is “Labor Day”, which lasts from May 1st to 5th of the same month. Korea (17 Public Holidays) Here are some well-known public holidays in Korea. April 30th: Budda’s Birthday May 1st: Labor Day May 5th: Children’s Day India (17 Public Holidays) April 6th: Mahavir Jayanti (Birth of Lord Mahavira, who’s the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism) April 10th: Good Friday (The day when Christians commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ) May 7th: Buddha Purnima (Buddha’s birthday) May 25th: Id-ul-Fitr (Also called the “Festival of Breaking the Fast”) Colombia (17 Public Holidays) April 5th: Palm Sunday (Celebration for honoring Jesus Christ’s victorious entry into Jerusalem) April 9th: Holy Thursday (The day when Christians commemorates the Washing of the Feet and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles) April 10th: Good Friday (The day when Christians commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ) April 12th: Easter also called Resurrection Day (Christian festival which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ) May 1st: Labor Day May 25th: The Ascension Day or Holy Thursday (The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ) Reference: Countries with the most Public Holidays around the World Translated from Japanese to English by Gtalent Thailand is the country with the most amount of holidays in the world with 23 holidays per year. Then, with just 2 days of difference, China takes second place. Korea, India, and Colombia, which have about 17 days of public holidays, follow in 3rd place, but Japan is also in 3rd place with the same number of holidays as these 3 countries. Also, when there are consecutive public holidays in China, such as the New Year holidays, the previous Saturday will be lost due to public holidays. Compared to this, Japan weekends are considered as rest despite consecutive holidays, so in fact, Japan has more holidays than other countries. Japan’s 2020 Public Holidays Do you know when Japanese public holidays are this year? From now on, we would like to explain about Japanese public holidays in 2020, including the meaning and origin of why that day became a holiday. Public Holidays in Spring (March to May) Let’s take a look at the public holidays on “Spring”, the season when cherry blossoms are famous in Japan. In Japan, there are consecutive holidays in early May. This holiday is called “Golden Week” because it is a long holiday due to consecutive weekends. Date Name of the Holiday Meaning of the Holiday 3/20 Vernal equinox day The day when the length of the night and the day are the same 4/29 Showa day The day when people honor the birthday of Emperor Hirohito, the reigning emperor before, during and after World War II 5/3 Constitution memorial day The day in which the 1947 enactment of the Constitution of Japan is commemorated 5/4 Greenery day The day when is celebrated the birthday of the emperor Showa 5/5 Children’s day The day set aside to respect children’s personalities and to celebrate their happiness 5/6 Observed Holiday Constitution memorial day observed Public Holidays in Summer (June to August) Next, let’s take a look at the Japanese public holidays in summer, where many fireworks festivals and festivals are held. Date Name of the Holiday Meaning of the Holiday 7/23 Marine day also know as Ocean day The day to show appreciation for the oceans 7/24 National Sports day (old name: Physical Education Day) A holiday commemorating the 1964 Tokyo Olympic games 8/10 Mountain day The day to honor and give thanks to the blessings of the mountains ※”Physical Education Day” has been the second Monday of October so far, and the day when it is celebrated will not change even after being renamed to “National Sports Day”. However, only due to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, July 24 will be the National Sports Day. ※Mountain Day was originally a holiday celebrated on August 11, but like the National Sports Day, this holiday has been moved to another day due to the Tokyo Olympics. But from 2021 the holiday will return to its previous date. Public Holidays in Autumn (September to November) “Autumn” in Japan is a climatically comfortable season. It is also recognized overseas as an owner of delicious seasonal food and beautiful scenery colorfully colored with autumn leaves. The public holidays of this season are listed below Public Holidays in Winter (December to February)It’s the last season, but it doesn’t mean they’re not public holidays in it. The table below summarizes public holidays in the “Winter” of Japan.Also, there is a website where the Cabinet Office provides information about Japanese holidays, so please check it out.ConclusionFrom an overseas perspective, the image of “Japanese people overworking” might be established, but this is not because there are not so many holidays. It might be because the number of used paid holidays in Japan are extremely low compared to other countries.In recent years, many companies have been able to use paid holidays and reduce overtime hours by promoting this work style. It is not so far till Japan reaches the point where the rate of using paid holidays became similar as overseas countries do, and Japan, which has many holidays, may become one of the countries with the most holidays in the world.It would be great if you could read the article about Japanese holidays that we introduced earlier this time and become more interested in Japanese culture. Date Name of the Holiday Meaning of the Holiday 9/21 Respect for the aged day A day celebrated annually to honor elderly citizens 9/22 Autumn equinox day The day when the length of the night and the day are the same 11/3 Culture day A public holiday held with the purpose to promote culture, arts, and academic endeavor 11/23 Labor Thanksgiving Day A public holiday held to commemorate labor and production and give one other thanks. Date Name of the Holiday Meaning of the Holiday 1/1 New Year’s Day The day when people celebrate the beginning of a new year 1/13 Coming of Age Day The day when Japanese youth officially become adults 2/11 National Foundation Day The day when is celebrated the mythological foundation of Japan and the accession of its first emperor, Emperor Jimmu 2/23 Emperor’s Birhtday The day when in celebrated the birthday of the Emperor Naruhito 2/24 Observed Holiday Emperor’s Birthday Observed

Job Hunting Knowledge

Let's Learn About Job Types in the Japanese IT Industry

In this article, we would like to briefly explain each type of job in the Japanese IT industry for foreigners who are interested in the Japanese IT industry and students who are about to start job hunting. If you want to understand the Japanese IT industry first, can check the article below explains the classification and structure of the Japanese IT Industry. Let’s Learn Easily About Japanese IT Industry Structure! Jobs Types in the Japanese IT Industry As is explained in the article above, in a survey conducted by Human Resociain March 2020 about the number of IT engineers around the globe, Japan was forth in it. IT engineers can be broadly divided into four categories: infrastructure engineers, system operations engineers, application engineers, and system consultants. From now we will briefly explain the occupations in each category. Infrastructure Engineer First of all, in the IT industry, infrastructure refers to the composite hardware, software, network resources and services required for the construction, design, operation, and management of an enterprise IT environment. An engineer who is responsible for “design,” “build,” “maintenance,” and “operation” of infrastructure is called an infrastructure engineer. An infrastructure engineer is made up of 5 types of engineers, which are server engineers, network engineers, storage engineers, database engineers, and cloud engineers. Server Engineer A server engineer is a technologist who designs and builds servers such as database server that stores information and internet server used generally internet. Network Engineer A network engineer is a technician who builds and maintains a computer network. Some specific tasks include designing network systems, building circuits and networks based on design documents, also managing and operating to maintain network systems. ※Recently, server engineers and network engineers called totally as an infrastructure engineers. Storage Engineer Storage engineer is literally an engineer who manages storage. With the advancement that IT technology has made in these days, data maintenance becomes a very important task. Depending on how the data is handled, it can be probably lead to serious troubles. One of the roles of a storage engineer is to prevent these cases. Also, when a company handles a large amount of data, it is the job of the storage engineer to make the data available in an efficient way. DataBase Engineer Database engineers mainly develop and create databases using MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, based on customer needs and opinions. After developing the database, its management and operation is also part of their work. Cloud Engineer Currently, the operation of services and data on the cloud is becoming mainstream. A cloud engineer is an engineer who develops a system for designing, building, operating and maintenance all on the cloud. Since most web applications started using cloud computing systems, the demand for cloud engineers will increase further in the future. System Operations Enigenner There are two types of system operations engineers, one is called DevOps engineer and the other one is SRE engineer. DevOps Engineer First of all, DevOps is a technical term created based on the idea that developers and operators work together to develop faster. Being a DevOps engineer means creat and operate infrastructure environments like the cloud or modifying applications to improve development and operations. Unlike the infrastructure engineer, the DevOps engineer has the feature that when something goes wrong, he or she can take actions such as modifying the application by himself. Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) The SRE is an engineer who aims to improve the performance, availability, expandability, security to secure the reliability of the IT system. Some works carried out by a SRE Engineer are: Design and Construction of an Infrastructure (Server or Network) Monitoring and alert designation Troubleshooting Operations Automation Application Engineer Application engineer is involved in the development of the system and applications on the PC that we normally use. When people generally talk about IT engineers, what people tend to imagine is an application engineer. However, the skills required for application engineers differ depending on the purpose, so this time we would like to introduce four types of application engineers. Embedded Engineer An embedded engineer is an engineer who creates programs used for familiar products such as automobiles and home appliances. Packaging Engineer A package software is a software developed by a software company for use by many customers. Engineers who are responsible for the additional development and maintenance of such packages (antivirus software, etc.) are called packaging engineers. Front-end Engineer Before we start talking about front-end engineers, let us explain what’s front-end means. The front-end is the part that operates on the client-side (where the user can interact with the product directly). Front-end engineers are engineers who design and implement front-end parts with using HTML, CSS, JavaScript (jQuery) according to the design created by web designer. Back-end Engineer Firstly, back-end means the part that operates on the server-side (where the client can not interact with the product directly). A back-end engineer is an engineer who performs coding of server-side in the building of Web services, EC sites, and also the construction of a database system on the back-end side. Furthermore, a back-end engineer is responsible for defining, designing, and constructing requirements for server-side processing such as Web services and EC sites. IT Consaltant IT consultant is someone who proposes a system to solve the problems that a company has after understanding the current situation of the client and carrying out an analysis on it. Conclusion We hope that this article will give international students and new graduates who are starting job hunting in Japan a better understanding of the types of jobs in the IT industry in Japan.

Job Hunting Knowledge

Let's Learn Easily About Japanese IT Industry Structure!

Japan’s manufacturing technology is well known in the world, but how much do you know about the Japanese IT industry? In this article, for foreigners who are interested in the Japanese IT industry, we would like to explain the structure of the Japanese IT industry with well-known companies in each field making it easy-to-understand. Basic Information about Japanese IT Industry Before classifying the IT industry, we would like to explain some basic information about the Japanese IT market. Market Size of Japanese IT Industry(2019): 12,493 billion yen Reference: Forecasting calculation conducted by Yano Research Institute Ltd Growth rate of Japanese IT Industry: 2018 increased 2.8%、2019 increased 3.4%、2020 increased 1.6% Reference: Forecasting calculation conducted by Yano Research Institute Ltd Areas where IT Investment will increase in the next 3 years in Japan: No.1 ERP, No.2 Security-related Software, No.3 SFA (SalesForce Automation) Reference: Questionnaire survey for corporates conducted by Yano Research Institute Ltd Number of IT engineers in the World and Japan: Japan ranks 4th in the world with an approx of 1.09 million engineers ※1st USA with 4.77 million, 2nd China with 2.72 million, 3rd India with 2.12 million engineers. Reference: Human Resocia/Number of IT engineers around the world (North & South America) Human Resocia/Number of IT engineers around the world (Asia & Oceania) Details are summarized in this article, so please have a look when you have some time. Japanese IT Industry Market Size Compared to the World Japanese IT Industry Structure From now on, we would like to explain the structure of the Japanese IT industry. The Japanese IT industry is generally divided into the 4 categories below. Internet/Web Industry Information Processing/Information and Communication Service Industry Software Industry Hardware Industry Now, we would like to explain about these four industries with their representative companies. Internet / Web Industry The Internet / WEB industry includes B2B companies that provide services for companies such as network construction, website production, Internet advertising, and B2C companies that provide services for individuals such as SNS, portal sites, and EC. We are going to explain below the 5 types of services in this industry. Web Portal The web portal serves as an entrance to the Internet and is a multi-purpose website that has varied services and useful pages for users such as obtaining online information, news, auctions, and shopping. Well-known Companies Google Yahoo!JAPAN, etc SNS SNS (Social Networking Service) is a service that allows you to build relationships and share information over the Internet. It is one of the typical services that has expanded with the spread of smartphones. Well-known Companies Facebook LINE LinkedIn, etc E-Commerce E-Commerce, also known as electronic commerce or internet commerce, is a service which allows you to shop online. Some representative e-commerce services easily to recognize are the web sites we use while online shopping, but e-commerce is more than “online shopping”. In addition to business-to-consumer transactions, it also includes business-to-business transactions, customer-to-customer transactions such as auctions and flea market sites. Well-known Companies Amazon Rakuten Mercari, etc Web Ads All services that provide agencies and systems that handle advertising on the Internet belongs to the WEB advertising industry. There are many types of ads, such as “listing ads”, “ad network ads”, “SNS ads”, “article ads”, “banner ads”, etc. Well-known Companies Cyber Agent OPT Adways, etc Curation site A curation site is a site that collects the necessary information and puts it together in an easy-to-read manner. Well-known Companies Gunosy Smart News, etc Information Processing / Information and Communication Service Industry Information Processing Industry A company of information processing services is responsible for the development and operation of information systems in a company and services used on the cloud, which is generally called “System Integrator (SIer)”. SIer receives an order from a customer, hears the customer’s needs, considers how to realize those needs as an information system, and outsources the system development and operation to cooperative enterprises. Also, there are cases when the SIer should advice client companies on how to use IT to do a better performance, working as a consultant too. Well-known Companies Fujitsu NTTData SCSK, etc Information and Communication Service Industry This industry is divided into two categories, “fixed communication” and, “mobile communication services”. Fixed communication is a communication service in fixed environments such as fixed-line phones, IP phones, and public phones. Mobile communication means a communication service represented by mobile phones. Well-known Companies NTT KDDI Soft Bank, etc Software Industry This industry is to develop ​​a software such as application software and operating system. And also engineers can also play an active role with wide range in the industry from the software package to the system construction that manages the infrastructure. Well-known Companies Oracle Japan Microsoft Cybozu, etc Hardware Industry Hardware means “machine, device, equipment”. This refers to physical objects such as electronic circuits and peripheral equipment that make up a computer, such as servers, storage, and mobile phones. Well-known Companies Apple NEC Sony, etc Conclusion In this article, we explained the main structure of the IT industry in Japan, but in the next article, we would like to explain the occupations in the IT industry in Japan.

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Japanese IT Industry Market Size Compared to the World

GTalent, a recruiting agency for global IT talents, summarized the market size of the Japanese IT industry based on information from various databases. It is a report based on information and data known in 2019 as of June 2020, such as the market size of the Japanese IT industry compared with the world, the number of IT engineers in Japan and the overseas, the IT field that will grow in the next three years, etc. If you are considering looking for a job in the IT industry in Japan, feel free to use it as a reference. IT Industry Market Size in Japan First, we would like to explain about the market size of the Japanese IT industry and the fields in which IT investment will expand in the next three years. It is estimated that the market size of the IT industry (including hardware, software, and services) of domestic private companies will increase by 2.8% year on year in 2018 to 12.493.0 billion yen. In 2019, it is calculated that the market size will be 12.918 trillion yen by 3.4% increase year on year. In 2020, it’s estimated that it will be 13.124 trillion yen by 1.6% increase year on year, and it will be 13.320 trillion yen by 1.5% increase year on year in 2021. Because the initiative on the reform of the work style remained firm in 2018, also the large-scale renewal of the system was also notable due to the increasing profitability of privates companies. There is also strong demand for replacement of Windows 10 by the end of support for Windows 7 scheduled in January 2020. These trends are expected to continue in 2019 as well. Reference: IT Investment by Domestic Companies 2019/Yano Research Institute Ltd Translated from Japanese to English by GTalent. As we can see, the market size of Japan IT industry is increasing year by year, and the market size in 2019 will be about 13 trillion yen which is about 122 billion US dollars by exchange rate as of June 2020. It’s one of the largest industry in Japanese economy. Areas where IT Investment will increase in the next 3 years in Japan In the next 3 years, ERP will become the most invested software in the IT industry for the first time in 8 years. According to the questionnaire survey for corporates survey conducted every year, it asked what will be a software that will increase in IT investment over the next three years. According to the results of the survey released in 2019 (482 respondents, Multiple selections up to 3), “ERP” obtained 41.9%, being the highest for the first time in 8 years, equaling “Security-related software” which held the first for a long time. The background information is update of core system with the same as the change of business environment, the progress of cloud ERP packages, SAP’s ERP maintenance support deadline of 2025 and so on. Reference: IT Investment by Domestic Companies 2019/Yano Research Institute Ltd Translated from Japanese to English by GTalent. Global IT Industry Market Size and Comparison with Japanese IT market Reference: Gartner Says Global IT Spending to Reach $3.8 Trillion in 2019 World IT spending forecast increased 3.2% year on year of in 2019, amounting to about 3.8 trillion dollars (about 400 trillion Japanese yen). All fields have grown from the previous years, especially corporate software increased a lot in that. It can be seen that there is a high need for investment in fields that can improve the business efficiency of companies, including changes of work styles. However, since this statistic was released in January 2019, it is thought that the market size estimation from 2020 will be significantly revised due to the spread of coronavirus infection from January 2019. However, the market size is not revised downward in all areas, and it is expected that the promotion of work style revolution will increase the growth rate in some areas. Looking at these market size data, the result is that Japan’s IT industry market size is about 3.3% of the world market. Given that Japan’s GDP share is about 5.7% of the world (2018), the percentage of the Japanese IT industry market share in the world is still lower than GDP’s. It may mean that Japanese IT industry has high growth potential in the future. Reference: Japan’s GDP was estimated the lowest “5.7%” in 2018/The Nihon Keizai Shinbun The Number of Japanese IT Engineers Compared With the World According to the results of a survey conducted by Human Resocia in March 2020 about the number of IT engineers around the globe, the first place was the United States (4.77 million), the second was China (2.72 million), the third was India (2.12 million) and the fourth was Japan (1.09 million). Japan is among the top five of the list, but compared with India which is in third, the number of engineers doubled Japanese IT engineers. When comparing the number of engineers, there seems to be a big difference between Japan and other IT advanced countries such as the United States, China, and India. However considering the population of each country, the ratio of the number of IT engineer per population might not be so different. Reference: Human Resocia /Number of IT engineers around the world (North and South America) Human Resocia /Number of IT engineers around the world (Asia and Oceania) Conclusion Considering that Japan’s IT industry is about 3.3% of the world, it can be said that it’s a very large market size. However, considering the GDP ratio, it can be said that the industry is expected to grow further. The IT industry is one of the few growth fields in the mature Japanese market, so if you are looking for a job in Japan in the future, why not consider the IT industry as one of your options? If you are looking for a job in the IT industry in Japan, please register with G Talent, a professional recruitment agency for global IT talents. Our professional consultants will help you with job changes and job hunting for free.

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A Workday in the Life of an Engineer in Japan

The IT industry in Japan is providing several opportunities for foreign IT engineers. Among all the engineers working in the country, 3 percent of those are foreigners. With the country facing a deficit of engineers by 2030, Japanese IT companies are looking for more It professionals offshore. Working as an engineer in the Land of the Rising Sun can be exciting but work-life balance hinders most foreign workers from sending their applications. To shake off this reputation, many companies are easing up on the schedules of IT engineers in an effort to encourage work-life balance. Working Hours An IT engineer typically starts working at 9:00 or 10:00 and ends the day after 8 hours of work. However, some stay at the office for an hour or two to avoid the rush hour. Flexible Working Hours Some companies still prefer engineers to work on the set working hours but more IT companies and engineering departments are adopting a flexible schedule nowadays. This is part of the efforts to reduce overtime among employees. In addition, the flexible working hours also allow engineers to avoid rush hour stress and crowds, and give them time to attend to other matters and conduct personal transactions like a doctor’s appointment. An Engineer’s Workday 9:00~12:30: Start of Work, Work Assembly or updates 12:30 ~ 13:00: Lunch 13:00 ~ 16:00: Continue working on projects and tasks 16:00 ~ 19:00: Going home, after-work parties This is the typical schedule of an IT engineer working in an office. For those working from home have flexible schedules, they may have different working hours and some may be shorter compared to the above sample. Day Schedule Companies in Japan have morning assemblies called chourei which takes about 15 minutes. The whole team comes together and shares information about work progress and their schedule or goals for the day. Sharing information provides everyone in a team an overview of their tasks to avoid delays and suggest improvements in projects. After the morning assembly, engineers also have to check on emails and answer queries from clients in the morning. This helps them know if new projects are given or if clients request for new details and functions in an ongoing project. Project Handling IT companies and departments received a handful of projects which are then assigned to different teams. Each member has his/her own responsibilities and those will affect how an IT engineer’s schedule would go. Planning Stage On an event when a new project is given, a team starts to plan, schedule, and research as part of their morning schedule. Members are assigned to handle project management, estimate cost, and plan the working hours needed for each task. Members research about technologies related to their tasks and inform the team. In their regular meetings, the team shares their ideas on how to proceed with their project. Development Stage In the late morning, engineers start working on the actual project after schedules and estimates have been approved. When a team’s already working on a project, this part of the process is usually done first thing after the morning assembly. The team begins designing algorithms and functions in this stage. This also takes days to complete depending on how big the project is. So a workweek of an engineer may comprise project development. Though research has been done in the planning stage, the team also conducts thorough research during the development of the project. This involves solving backlogs and issues in a program as some previously searched technologies and developments might not be compatible with the current project. Project Completion When everyone is done with their respective tasks in a project, team members conduct a series of tests to check for bugs and major issues. This review process can last for half a day or two depending on the size of the project. This stage also requires members to list down suggestions to improve the output. Afternoon Schedule Reviewing does not only happen when the project has been completed. Every step of the process of each member’s tasks is reviewed by themselves or by another engineer assigned. In this part of the day, engineers prepare a list of what they have accomplished within the day to report during the next day’s morning assembly. This also gives them time to organize and keep track of or set their daily, weekly, and even monthly goals. After Working Hours As mentioned above, people tend to leave work late to avoid the rush hour so some leave the office around 19:00. Some engineers continue working to have a headstart the next day or do overtime work to finish a project within the day. Nonetheless, overtime does not happen as frequently nowadays. Just like other businesses in Japan, IT companies and departments also go for drinks to celebrate a finished project, holidays, promotions, or just hang out with colleagues. In bigger companies, engineers can join club activities such as sports or take this time to study the Japanese language.  Days Off, Paid Leaves, and Holidays A few of the questions asked by IT engineers who don’t really know much about the country are the number of days off, holidays, vacations, and breaks. Employers must give 45 minutes to an hour worth of break in a workday. Companies should also let employees have one or two days off in a week. For vacation leaves, companies should grant a minimum of 10 days paid vacation leaves to new employees after working for six months. Some companies even give additional vacation leaves. Holidays also affect workdays. Japan has 16 national holidays and most of them fall on a workday. That means more time to explore the country and find new hobbies for IT engineers working in Japan. Conclusion As more foreign IT engineers pursue their careers in the country, the work environment continues to shape to provide more flexibility and promote great work-life balance. Though the rush hours remain, the reform efforts made by companies will relieve the stress coming from commuting and provide more opportunities for IT engineers to learn new skills and go for vacations in the country.   Sources:  https://blog.gaijinpot.com/working-past-the-time https://kimi.wiki/work/workday-japan-engineer https://medium.com/devjobs-jp/software-developer-in-japan-myths-work-life-balance-9a7a41315678 https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/setting_up/section4/page5.html

Job Hunting Knowledge

Recommended Destinations for IT Engineers

There are many reasons why Japan is one of the top choices for working foreigners who want a change of scene. The country’s rich culture, historical tourist attractions, delicious cuisine, excellent working environment, terrific people, and continued acceptance of outsiders have all persuaded foreigners to see how they would fare in the country. A large part of why many foreigners are interested in moving to Japan is because of the country’s national government exerting a lot of effort to bring in gaijin to join the workforce. One of the areas that the Japanese government is looking to fill in with foreigners is the IT engineer industry. By 2030, Japan is expected to have a massive software engineering deficit of close to 800,000. Japan’s need for foreign IT engineers has increased over the years, and the nation’s demand for these technology experts have somewhat been fulfilled. In fact, according to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, there are approximately 30,000 non-Japanese IT engineers residing in the country today, which equates to about 3% of Japan’s IT engineer population. Foreign IT engineers are scattered all over the Land of the Rising Sun, but some locations have shown to be more inviting and alluring to these in-demand professionals. Here are some of the best-recommended destinations for IT engineers in Japan. TOKYO This comes as no surprise, but Tokyo is perhaps the most popular choice for most non-Japanese professionals. The metropolis is known for its diverse international community, as Tokyo is currently the most populated area in the world.  The opportunities for IT engineers in Tokyo are endless because most of Japan’s major tech companies are located in the area. As a matter of fact, 9 out of the 10 largest Japanese tech companies positioned their headquarters in Tokyo. Tokyo is filled with some of the world’s leading tech brands such as Softbank, NTT Docomo, NTT Data Corporation, Sony, KDDI, Recruit Co., Ltd, Canon, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electronic, and many other internationally-recognized companies. The nation’s capital is also famous for its Akihabara district, which is filled with anime, electronics, manga, and video game companies heavily relying on the talents of IT and software engineers. OSAKA Osaka is perfect for IT professionals seeking high compensation but don’t want to deal with Tokyo’s busy atmosphere, crowdedness, and high living expenses. Osaka is home to globally-known tech brands including Panasonic, Sharp, and manufacturing giants such as Suntory and Nissin Food Products. Japan’s 3rd largest city is ideal for IT engineers who want to grow with their company. Currently, the city serves as the breeding ground for tech companies with over 1,000 developing startups. The famous British newspaper, The Guardian, referred to Osaka as Japan’s own Silicon Valley. Osaka even has a mall dedicated to newly-made technology. The Grand Front Osaka hosts programs that showcase developers and their high-tech inventions and innovations. Guests can try smartphone apps as it is being coded, operate drones, and use prototypes that are years from being released to the market. Aside from this, Osaka is also experiencing a surging development and tourism sector. So, apart from the opportunities available in tech and manufacturing companies, IT engineers can even venture into new fields and enhance their skills. KYOTO  Kyoto has always been admired for its incredible manufacturing industry. With more factories adapting to the ever-developing times by embracing automation techniques and artificial intelligence, IT engineers have become some of the most sought-after talents on this side of Japan. Luckily for IT engineers who are fans of iconic video games such as Pokémon, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario, the Nintendo main headquarters is positioned in Kyoto. This opportunity is ideal for IT engineers who want to work for a major company while embracing the inner-child in them. Kyoto is also known for its excellent educational reputation provided by the Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT). KIT is a superb place for IT engineers who want to expand their horizons and enhance their capabilities in new technology. Aside from the Kyoto Institute of Technology, there is also the Kyoto University, which has consistently ranked among the world’s best universities. What makes Japan’s historic capital unique from other technologically advanced locations is that it is known for its continued focus on the production of hardware technology, as opposed to the rest of the world’s fascination with software technology led by tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Uber, and several others. FUKUOKA  One of Japan’s most promising IT engineering spots is the city of Fukuoka. Much like Osaka, a lot of IT startup companies establish their reputations here. This city is an excellent place for IT engineers who are at the beginning of their careers.  Fukuoka, which has been dubbed “Japan’s most innovative city” by major news outlet BBC, made headlines for its mission of becoming Japan’s number 1 startup destination. Mayor Sōichirō Takashima is leading the way by requesting the national government to treat Fukuoka as a “national strategic special zone,” which cuts corporate taxes for tech companies and creates a special visa for non-Japanese entrepreneurs. Additionally, Fukuoka still maintains reasonable living expenses even though it has the country’s highest population growth and is also one of its many booming and developing technological cities. CONCLUSION  Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries on the planet and home to some of the most revered tech companies. With plenty of opportunities abound, IT engineers have no reason to worry about which companies they are potentially going to represent and lend their services to.  In the Land of the Rising Sun, there are multiple alluring destinations where IT engineers could sharpen their skills, practice their expertise, and successfully continue their careers. If you seek great IT engineering opportunities and more employment tips, feel free to visit our website below. Good luck with your future endeavors!   Sources: https://agency-star.co.jp/column/district-engineer https://www.atmarkit.co.jp/ait/articles/1803/12/news008_2.html

Career Development

How Will COVID-19 Impact IT Engineers in the Future?

The spread of coronavirus infection has led several businesses into a temporary halt, and some completely shut down. The work environment has also changed as the government encourages companies to make their employees work remotely. Moreover, businesses in Japan are moving their efforts to online marketing. Industries greatly affected by the pandemic are also creating new business strategies as the country plans to open its doors again for tourists to help kick-start the economy. As such, the number of IT-related projects continues to soar and Japan still needs more IT engineers to cope with the demand for workforce in the industry. Impact of Corona in the IT Industry According to IDC Japan, the ICT market in the country is forecast to decrease by 4.5%. This is due to the postponement of the 2020 Olympics, the sluggish service industry, and the supply-chain disruption. Despite the forecast, IDC believes that it will have less impact in the IT industry due to digital transformation and system updates for businesses which opens up a new market for the IT industry. Companies are expected to lose some revenue due to the pandemic but system support and maintenance are indispensable. They are necessary to stabilize business operations or help them transfer to digital marketing as consumer behaviors are seen to rise during the pandemic. Unlike other businesses, IT companies can work remotely which is shaping up to be the new normal. In-house services are also needed recently for digital transformation in businesses. Remote Work Companies are recommending a work from home or remote work setup to keep employees safe and businesses afloat. Remote working is not only limited to working at home but it also includes working in satellite offices. Remote work can reduce long travel hours and eliminate the stress from commuting. Transportation costs are also reduced for companies. This type of setting will also improve the work-life balance of IT engineers. However, remote work can also cause delays in confirmations and consultations which can easily be done face-to-face in an office-based setting. Recruitment The job market in Japan has seen a downward trend but the hiring of IT engineers has not decreased under these circumstances. IT companies in the country are still looking for new candidates and have adopted online applications into the interview and screening process. IT companies are motivated to continue hiring and training engineers in response to the implementation of system improvements for businesses to grow. Companies are expected to request system replacements and maintenance in 2020 which can potentially continue in the next year. IT Industries and Job Titles Needed in Japan The IT job market continues to look for IT engineers to fill in available job titles for remote and in-house work during these circumstances. Here are a few IT industries and job titles IT companies are looking for: Internet industry Companies in this industry deal with various web services and developments on the internet such as server management, site management, and internet advertisement. Most IT engineers working in this industry can work anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection. Web designers and programmers fall under this industry. Telecommunications industry They deal with maintenance and improvements in mobile phones, landlines, internet, and communication lines. Sales engineers and network engineers work for the telecommunications industry. They also do product planning and development. Software industry Companies under the software industry develop a wide range of operating systems of basic software and applications. The industry needs systems engineers, application engineers, and programmers. Hardware industry It is an industry that plans, designs, and develops hardware such as smartphones and PC peripherals. They also handle IoT which is currently included in home appliances. Sales engineers, systems engineers, and hardware engineers fall under this industry. Engineering Work Outlook IT Engineers in Japan are requested to work on various system-related services, contractual development projects, and in-house products and services. Here’s the outlook for the three working styles of IT engineers in Japan. System Engineering Service (SES) Engineers working in this field develop and maintain information systems of companies. An engineer is assigned to a company and stays resident there to get used to the system design of the company. During this period, engineers can work remotely and access the system environment with VPN but communication is less and it may be difficult to provide the service they need. Moving forward, SES contracts may change and will require engineers to learn new skills.  Contract Development Projects IT companies are responsible for the system development of companies. Multiple engineers are assigned and work together as project members along with the development team in the company office. Engineers working in this field can work remotely, but efficiency is expected to become lower due to work schedules risking the delivery time of the development system. In the future, there is a need for change in the working style of engineers involved in contract development projects. In-house Services Engineers belonging to the in-house services develop and maintain operations to improve company products. Development and maintenance are scheduled and contracts are based on the services needed. As engineers need to work remotely, requesting reviews and communication with leaders can be difficult and engineers need to learn skills to work around this. Skills Needed from IT Engineers in the Future The coronavirus has eliminated close contact work. As more IT engineers seek jobs in the industry, remote work is expected to continue even when the pandemic is over. Employers are also looking for qualities that will best fit IT talents while doing remote work. Here are two important skills that IT engineers need in the future. Great Time Management Compared to working in the office, there is less interruption when working remotely. IT engineers should utilize this opportunity to practice managing their tasks and setting clear goals such as finishing a part of a task within a day or scheduling a review of ongoing work once a week. Employers will be looking for candidates and trainees that are reliable and can balance their work and life while working remotely. Online Communication Unlike talking with your teammates in a conference room or meeting room, online meetings right now are moving in a systematic approach. Always listen to the host and write down everything you want to ask and make them simpler so when your turn comes, you can ask questions precisely and promptly to avoid delays in the meeting. For emails and other business communication platforms, explain all the things you need to convey in easy sentences or in precise sentences. Fillers are not needed in business communication as it will only cause problems. This will also give your employer your professionalism and respect for time.  Conclusion The IT job market is continuously looking for IT talents to fill the demand of the workforce in the country. The work-life balance is expected to improve among IT engineers now that companies are transitioning to remote work. With the current technology and problems related to remote work, IT engineers also need to improve their skills moving forward.   Sources: https://xtech.nikkei.com/atcl/nxt/column/18/00001/04125/?P=2 https://www.java-career.com/column/industry-knowledge/influence-of-coronavirus-to-it-industory/ https://arvo.showcase-tv.com/140081/ https://www.java-career.com/column/industry-knowledge/engineer-and-telework/

Others

Tips on Working From Home "Zaitaku" & Telework

The number of companies that introduced “Telework” or “Zaitaku-kinmu” increased rapidly due to the coronavirus. Since the state of emergency was lifted, we could observe how some employees were heading to their offices again. However, at the time this article was written(June 2020), the number of people on the streets was not the same as before. Therefore in this article, dedicated to people who continue working at home, we would like to explain some advice to work more comfortably from home or telework. Status of Zaitaku-kinmu and Telework in Japan after lifted the state of emergency Since the state of emergency in Japan was lifted (2020 May 25), the number of workers returning to their offices has been increasing, but actuality, how many people still working from home? According to the results of the research carried out on by Persol Institute from May 29th to June 2nd, the rate of implementation of telework after the state of emergency (2020/04/10th to 12th) was 27.9% and when the state of emergency was lifted, 25.7% of Japanese companies continued working from home. Of course, it depends on the industry and the occupation, but even after things get back to normal, approximately 70% of workers in Japan want to continue working from home. Also, considering the possibility of a second wave of infected, people expect to continue working from home. Reference: Survey conducted by Persol Institute Tips for a comfortable “Zaitaku-kinmu” and “Telework“ Now, we would like to share with you some tips for a comfortable Zaitaku-kinmu and Telework. Organization and Management of Working hours When you work from an office, it is easier to maintain the working hours range because the time you spend in the office is the same as your working hours. While working from home, be sure to arrange with the company or you superior regarding overtime and working hours in advance to prevent unnecessary overtime work. For example, if they contact you by email or any other communication tools at a late time and you respond, it should be included in the working hours in terms of labor low. When you work from home, the line between personal life and work becomes difficult to draw and it seems that many people who work at home work longer hours than when they worked from office. Originally the company is responsible to manage working hours, but many companies do not have good management methods for working hours while telework, which can increase your working hours unnecessarily, we recommend that at the end of the shift to shut down the PC to avoid this kind of troubles. This is an article made by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare / How to manage properly working time from home) to companies as a reference on how to manage properly working time from home. We believe this will deepen your understanding of the concept of working from home. ※The article above is written in Japanese Furthermore, it is necessary to manage properly working hours and at the same time design measures that do not reduce labor productivity. Working from home means being in a relaxed environment which can reduce your productivity by losing focus and prolonging your work hours. To prevent this situation, organizing tasks and schedules in advance is important. Recently, task management tools for various businesses can be used for free, so it would be better for you to strictly manage tasks and schedules at this opportunity. Make use of “Ho-Ren-Sou” First of all, do you know what is the meaning of “Ho-Ren-Sou”?. It’s an abbreviation word in Japanese for Houkoku(Report), Renraku(Communicate), Soudan(Consult) which is used in internal communication from long ago in Japan. It’s a so famous word as the most of Japanese have been said in the companies which they have worked for. It is common that when working from home, communication between members and bosses decreases. Due to the lack of understanding, the result of the work may be incorrect or the process of the project in which you have been part off cannot be understood. In the worst case, there is also a possibility that the results of your work will be downgraded. To avoid such “mistakes”, you should periodically report your work progress to your manager, make sure the results are correct, and at the same time make them understand the work process. Turn on the Work mode Introducing Telework and Zaitaku-kinmu, it is a great advantage to be able to reduce travel time and go to work without getting on a crowded train (Maiin-densha). On the other hand, being at home all day makes it difficult to turn on our “work mode”. How to turn on the Work mode Keep a clean appearance Perhaps some people start working in sleepwear or loungewear for reasons like “no one is going to see me” or “I am not going outside the house”. If you are a person who does this, there is a probability that you will not fully wake up to have a good performance at work. It could be a hassle having to dress up when you are at home, but it is recommended to dress presentably. By dressing differently as you usually wear at home, it will be easier to idealize that you will start working. Separate your workspace from your daily-life space This also makes it easier to switch to work by separating the work space and the living space in order to separate work from private. However, many people living alone have one room in Japan, so it may be difficult to work in a different room. In such a case, since it is good even in the same room, why not decide the work space and the private space by deciding the work space and not sitting in the work space in the private? Make short breaks Taking short breaks regularly could improve your concentration. It is helpful to leave the seat for 5 minutes every time you finish a task to stretch before starting a new one. Conclusion There are still many companies that continue working from home or using Telework even after the emergency declaration been lifted in Japan. Working from home has many advantages, but it also has some disadvantages. We hope this article helps you work from home with high productivity and comfort. If there is a foreign IT engineer who is interested in IT-related work that can be done at home or is even considering employment or job change at this opportunity, please come and join us! Please register with G Talent. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

Job Hunting Knowledge

Online Job Interviews: Can You Get Job Offers from Overseas?

The spread of the coronavirus has led to changes in the methods of job hunting and job changing activities. A particularly big change is the rise in the number of online interviews. In this article, We would like to explain in detail the introduction status of online interviews in Japan, their impact on job hunting activities and job changing activities, and also introduce some representative companies which already incorporate online job interviews. The Status of Online Job Interviews in Japan Do you know how many companies currently offer online job interviews in Japan? Looking at the results of a survey conducted by Recruit Career in March 2020, 29.8% of the Japanese companies have already adopted online job interviews for mid-career hires or have already decided to adopt online job interviews. Besides, including companies that are considering introducing online interviews, more than half of all Japanese companies are already involved in this new trend. Therefore, if you are going to start job bunting or job changing activities soon, we could say that more than half of your job interviews may be conducted online. Resosrces:Recruit Career / Online Recruitment Activity The Status of online job interviews in the USA It is said that the USA introduce the most online job interview in the hiring process in the world. What about the status of online job interviews in the USA when comparing the status of Japan? According to a survey by Ideal, a US provider of recruiting software found that 63% of HR managers in the United States use online video tools for job interviews. Resorces: The 38 Top Recruiting Software Tools Of 2020 Japan still behind in the introduction rate of online job interviews compared to advanced countries, but the influence of the coronavirus will surely accelerate online recruitment activity, and the number of online job interviews will continue increasing. Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Jobs Interviews Since the number of online job interviews still increasing, We would like to explain the advantages and disadvantages of online job interviews. Advantages of Online Jobs Inerviews Saving time and no need moving Relaxed environment Saving time and no need moving Since the interview is conducted by online, it’s unnecessary to go to the office of the company you’re applying to, saving you the travel time and energy. As you can save time, it will be easier to adjust the schedule and you will be able to smoothly participate in the selection process of the companies Relaxed environment There are a lot of people who can be relaxed when they meet with the interviewer and others who can not. When you go to a job interview while you are nervous, you may not be able to give the answers you want or you may even lose your chances. In the case of an online job interview, the environment will be easier to have a job interview without worrying about the ambiance of the place. Disadvantages of Online Jobs Interviews We would like to explain the disadvantages of online recruitment for job seekers below. The interviewer’s reactions are difficult to read Hard to catch the atmosphere of the office Internet connection troubles The interviewer’s reactions are difficult to read It’s hard to read the interviewer’s facial expression because you don’t meet him with face to face. In the case of an actual face-to-face interview, you can easily realize how the interviewer feel if see their reactions like nodding and facial expression. However, in the case of an online interview, it’s difficult to do that. And also it can be the same from the interviewer’s view. Especially, if the interviewer doesn’t understand how to deal with online job interviews, reading the reactions would be more difficult for you. Hard to catch the atmosphere of the office One of the major factors when you decide to join a company is the “office atmosphere”. In common hiring activities, the atmosphere of the company could be understood with the number of times the company is visited during job interviews. To change these disadvantages, some companies have been posting videos that show the atmosphere of the office so applicants could get it. Internet connection troubles In the case of online job interviews, the internet network environment would be trouble well. If you may not be able to connect well, you couldn’t listen the questions and the interviewer couldn’t listen your answer well. In the worst case, the interview time may end as it is. Therefore, be sure to check the internet connection before an online job interview. In the unlikely case, if you have sudden disconnection, freezing of the video and so on, you don’t panic and call the recruitment counter of the company directly and explain the situation with calm. Also, some companies use software that needs to be installed in advance, we recommended to install it in advance. Major Japanese companies that have adopted Online Recruitment We would like to introduce major Japanese companies that have already included online interviews and AI systems. TOYOTA: Embeds online interviews in hiring new graduates Softbank: Incorporating AI into job interviews, the time required in the interviews was reduced by 75% Mitsubishi Corporation:80% of recruitment activities are done from home, only the last interview is conducted face-to-face Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. :All interviews are executed online until the official offer ※All articles above are wrote in Japanese Even major Japanese companies are actively engaging in online job interviews. Those who are looking for a job will be easier to apply for the job that are more interested than ever. Conclusion What did you think about the article on the state of online job interviews in Japan this time? Although there is still a huge difference in online recruitment activities between developed countries and Japan, the spread of the coronavirus has Japan to introduce online job interviews more than before. Even if you do not live in Japan, finding a job in Japan will be easier than ever. If you are an IT engineer looking for a job in Japan, please register with G Talent, a recruitment agency specializing in foreign IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

VISA

Work Visa Application in Japan for Freelancers

The phrases “Work from home” and “remote work” has been introduced in many Japanese companies, and the talent acquisition is not always about hiring full-time employees(Seishain). The methods of hiring labor is diversified in each company such as contracting self-employed workers, freelancers in Japan. According to this situation, the number of opportunities to hire foreigners in the form of outsourcing increases progressively. In these days, We ,GTalent, receive many questions about work visas from many self-employed workers, freelancers and the companies hiring them. At this article, We would like to explain in detail about how to apply for a work visa in the case of the outsourcing contracts as a self-employed worker and a freelancer. Work visa application with an outsourcing contract You need to apply for a working visa even at the time of an outsourcing contract as a self-employed worker and a freelancer as well as the case of full-time employed(Seishain) . However, you should be careful when having several outsourcing contracts with several companies. If you have several outsourcing contracts with multiple companies, you must ask the company which you get the highest salary in the outsourcing contracts to apply for a working visa. Therefore, be sure to check which companies contracting with you pay the highest salary to you. Important Points when applying for a working visa with outsourcing contract If you execute an outsourcing contract with a Japanese company, the following points are essentials to obtain a working visa. Appropriate outsourcing contract under the Labor Law of Japan Long-term contract Do paying the tax, pension and social security procedures by yourself These important points are followings in details. Appropriate outsourcing contract under the Labor Law of Japan To apply for a working visa, you need to attach the outsourcing contract. If the content is inappropriate under Japan’s labor law, you may not be able to obtain a working visa application permission. Therefore, be sure to specify the appropriate remuneration and terms of the contract in the outsourcing contract. Long-term contract Even when outsourcing, you need to have a long-term contract as well as applying for a working visa under a full-time employment contract. If the contract period is only 1 to 2 months, you may not be able to get permission to apply for a working visa. However, even if the contract period is short, if the contract is automatically renewed unless there is a big problem, it may be possible to obtain a visa application permission. Do paying the tax, pension and social security procedures If you are a self-employed worker, you have to pay the tax, pension and social insurance by yourself as well as Japanese self-employed worker. If you don’t understand how to do so, be sure to check the website of National Tax Agency, Ministry of Finance Japan and so on. Conclusion Nowadays more and more people are starting to work as freelancers, and the tendency will increase from now on so that companies can hire a various talent through flexible employee tyme. Particularly in the IT/WEB industry, many engineers are increasingly outsourcing their work as freelancers. Also, the number of foreign IT engineers is currently increasing in the IT/WEB industry, and it is thought that not only Japanese IT engineers but also foreign IT engineers will start to work like freelances more and more. IT engineers who are looking for work or change jobs for a Japanese company, please register with G Talent ,a recruitment agency specializing in IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.