At present, the field of financial IT technology called Fintech is drawing attention around the world. In Japan as well, the government is supporting the use of IT in the financial field, and also the term Fintech is used every day in major financial industries and startups.In this article, for foreigners who are interested in Japan’s Fintech field, we will explain in an easy-to-understand manner the current status of Fintech in Japan and the featured companies in the field.What is Fintech?First of all, we would like to explain what Fintech is.Financial technology (abbreviated fintech or FinTech) is the technology and innovation that aims to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services. It is an emerging industry that uses technology to improve activities in finance.[2] The use of smartphones for mobile banking, investing, borrowing services[3], and cryptocurrency are examples of technologies aiming to make financial services more accessible to the general public. Financial technology companies consist of both startups and established financial institutions and technology companies trying to replace or enhance the usage of financial services provided by existing financial companies.Reference: The Free Encyclopedia “Wikipedia”In more simple words, it is about transforming existing financial services and creating new services using advanced IT technologies such as AI, big data, IoT, and blockchain. Some familiar examples are, remittance and payment using smartphones, virtual currency using blockchain technology, etc.Why Fintech gets attention from IT Engineers in Japan?Currently, the Fintech area is receiving a lot of attention from IT engineers in Japan, and the number of IT engineers who are changing jobs to the Fintech field is increasing. The reasons for this are “magnitude of social impact” and “acquisition and application of advanced IT technology”.The Magnitude of Social Impact“Money” is indispensable to establish the economy and people’s lives, by transforming financial services, there is a potential to significantly change the economy and people’s lives. Therefore, many entrepreneurs and IT engineers who want to make a big impact on society are challenging in the Fintech field, and the government is supporting it.As we will explain later, the business in the Fintech area is outstanding, also in financing Japanese startups. Major banks and insurance companies have also started CVC (Corporate Venture Capital) and various fintech-related businesses. The number of these cases are increasing by investing in startups, making capital and business alliances.Acquisition and Application of Advanced IT TechnologyIn the Fintech field, there are opportunities to use advanced IT technologies, and we can say that it is an attractive career development environment for IT engineers who want to hone their technical skills. Related technologies that are important in FinTech include big data, AI, blockchain, and IoT.If you are interested in those technologies, please refer to the following article for related technologies in Fintech and their recruitment demand.Fintech Key Advanced Technologies and Job Demand in Japan11 Fields of Fintech and their Representative ServicesCurrently, the “Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry” and Japanese consulting firms are frequently researching the trends of Fintech around the world and Japan. As the segment used at that time, fintech is divided into 11 fields.Smart PaymentInvestment/Asset management/Robot-advisorVirtual currencyHousehold Management and Advice (PMF: Personal Financial Management)Social LendingCrowdfundingInsuranceLoans/LoansAccounting/FinanceRemittance & Split BillsFinancial InformationFrom now, we would like to explain each field and its representative services.Smart PaymentSmart payments are electronic payment methods that does not require cash or financial institution procedures. Using smart payment eliminates the need for cash management, procedures time at financial institutions, and also reduce the fee. Smart payments can broaden the range of payment methods for consumers.There are roughly two types of smart payments currently used in Japan, card payments and QR code payments are often used.Credit card payments and debit card payments are the most common examples of payment using a card. Payment is performed by entering card information online or displaying a card at a store. Recently, not only credit cards but also prepaid cards have been attracting attention. For example, LINE pay cards.Prepaid cards can be issued without a screening, they can be used for payment only as much as you charged them at a convenience store. It is a card that can be used by young people who couldn’t have a credit card until now.Regarding QR code payment, many major IT companies such as PayPay, Merpay, Rakuten Pay have entered the market, the settlement is completed by reading the QR code via a smartphone. QR code payments have already become mainstream in China and other countries. PayPay used China’s Alipay technology and features as a reference.Representative Services of Smart PaymentPayPay (In Japanese), Merpay (In Japanse), Paidy (In Japanese), etc.Investment/Asset Management/Robot-advisorThis is a service that selects and manages financial merchandise using analysis by AI in asset management such as stocks. Since AI learns data daily, it is said that asset management and investment by AI will be more accurate than human prediction in the future.A Robot-advisor means that an AI robot manages personal assets. In Japan, there are two types of Robot-advisors: the discretionary investment type, that manages and sells based on investment algorithms and, advice type that diagnoses and advises asset management.Representative Services for Investment/Asset Management and Robo-advisorWealthNavi (In Japanese), THEO (In Japanese), etc.Virtual CurrencyBy utilizing blockchain technology, virtual currency is a currency that can store transaction records such as deposits and withdrawals even if there is no centralized management agency such as banks. Unlike fiat currencies such as yen and dollars, it is a new currency that doesn’t have the form of bills or coins.Previously, it was reported in the news that the number of people holding a virtual currency for investment purposes increased, and the value of virtual currency rose and fell sharply. Also, there was a case in which the virtual currency leaked due to hacking because the security management of the virtual currency vendor was weak.Thereby, the public image of virtual currencies has become temporarily deteriorated, but as of July 2020, the virtual currency market has been stable, and it is expected that the market will expand steadily in the future.Representative Services of Virtual Currency (Virtual Currency Business Operator)bitFlyer, Coincheck, etc.Household Management and Advice (PMF: Personal Financial Management)One of the most familiar fields of Fintech is PMF. The main function of this is to manage daily spendings and incomes. In a nutshell, it plays the role of a household account book application. Unlike the household account book softwares and apps that have been used up to now, it is possible to manage accounts of various financial institutions with one service. Furthermore, bank account information, but you can also get information about payments by credit card and other payment methods.Representative Services of PMFMoney ForwardIt is one of the Japanese companies that provide PMF services. This app allows you to check the electronic money used at convenience stores, credit cards used for shopping, bank accounts with salaries transferred. Japan’s top household account book application with more than 8 million people.Dr. Wallet (In Japanese)It is the second most popular household account book application after money forward with more than 1 million users.Social LendingSocial lending, also known as “lending-type crowdfunding,” is a service that connects borrowers (mainly companies) and investors who want to invest money through financial products. Companies that provide social lending services perform, borrower screening, investor recruitment, loans, repayments, and also performs distribution management.The difference with mutual funds is that investors find the lenders, and the price is not affected by the market price.Representative services for social lendingSBI Social Lending, CROWD CREDIT, etc.CrowdfundingCrowdfunding is a service that allows you to raise a small amount of money from an unspecified number of people via Internet. In the case of financing, generally, there are loans from banks and investment by venture capital. But unlike traditional funding, crowdfunding is getting attention as a new funding mechanism for been “Easy”, “High diffusivity” and “Implementing test marketing”.Anyone who has an idea or wants to solve a social problem or launch a new product can become a “drafter”, and anyone who wants to support it or want to help try to a new product is a “supporter”. in this way, in crowdfunding, It is to raise money by recruiting people on the Internet to fund the project that the creator wants to do.Representative Services for CrowdfundingCamp-Fire, Makuake, Ready For, etc.InsuranceUntil now, it was supposed to take out insurance through an insurance salesman or an agent, but in recent years, online insurance services have grown now till you can take out insurance with just one smartphone. With LINE insurance you can take out insurance in as little as 60 seconds using a smartphone.There is also a system that uses IT for car insurance, to acquire and analyze driver data such as mileage and driving characteristics, determining insurance premiums based on that data.Representative Services for InsuranceLINE Hoken, Sony Assurance / Good Drive (In Japanese), etc.Financing/LoansFintech is being utilized for the financing of banks and loan companies. This technology has been used in mortgage comparison, mortgage refinancing services, the examination of borrowers using big data, the limit of lending, determination of loan interest rate, etc.Representative Services Financing and LoanJ.Score (In Japanese), WhatzMoney (In Japanese), etc.Accounting/FinanceVarious cloud services are being offered in the fields of corporate accounting and financial management. In the past accounting process, there were many human errors and wasted time, but with the advent of cloud services, the accounting process time is shortened, human errors are reduced. Now, it is possible to visualize the accounting status of the company.Accounting/Finance Representative Servicesfreee, Yayoi-kaikei, etc.Remittance & Split BillsServices that allow people to share payments, receive money, and pay for drinking parties (Nomikai) through smartphone apps are becoming popular. When carrying out split bills, it was very troublesome to calculate by 1 yen and collect cash, but due to this technology, it turns possible to easily split bills without cash.Representative Services for Remittance and Split BillsKyash (In Japanese), YoroPay (In Japanese), etc.Financial InformationFinancial and economic data needs to be collected efficiently when an investor manages an asset or when a corporate business planning department makes a strategy. In response to such needs, using IT technology to analyze huge amounts of financial and economic data, a service that can obtain high-quality information in a short time has been created.Representative services for financial informationZUU, SPEEDA, etc.Fintech Chaos Map of JapanLastly, we would like to introduce the Japanese Fintech service landscape map announced by MA STAND.In addition to the services mentioned above, various companies provide services.Reference:【Fintech Industry Landscape Map 2019】Top 50 FinTech Companies in Japan / MA STANDConclusionMany fintech services have been created in Japan, and considering the magnitude of social impact and the acquisition of advanced technology for IT engineers, the fintech field is a very rewarding environment for them.If you are a foreign IT engineer who wants to work in the Japanese fintech industry, please register with GTalnet, a recruitment agency specialized in foreign IT engineers. A professional consultant will help you to find a job in the field of fintech for free.

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 IndustryAs 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 EngineerFirst 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 EngineerA server engineer is a technologist who designs and builds servers such as database server that stores information and internet server used generally internet.Network EngineerA 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 EngineerStorage 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 EngineerDatabase 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 EngineerCurrently, 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 EnigennerThere are two types of system operations engineers, one is called DevOps engineer and the other one is SRE engineer.DevOps EngineerFirst 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 designationTroubleshootingOperations AutomationApplication EngineerApplication 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 EngineerAn embedded engineer is an engineer who creates programs used for familiar products such as automobiles and home appliances.Packaging EngineerA 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 EngineerBefore 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 EngineerFirstly, 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 ConsaltantIT 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.ConclusionWe 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.

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 WorldFirst, 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 DayMay 4th: Coronation DayMay 6th: Wisakha Bucha DayChina (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 BirthdayMay 1st: Labor DayMay 5th: Children’s DayIndia (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 DayMay 25th: The Ascension Day or Holy Thursday (The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ)Reference: Countries with the most Public Holidays around the WorldTranslated from Japanese to English by GtalentThailand 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 HolidaysDo 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.DateName of the HolidayMeaning of the Holiday3/20Vernal equinox dayThe day when the length of the night and the day are the same4/29Showa dayThe day when people honor the birthday of Emperor Hirohito, the reigning emperor before, during and after World War II5/3Constitution memorial dayThe day in which the 1947 enactment of the Constitution of Japan is commemorated5/4Greenery dayThe day when is celebrated the birthday of the emperor Showa5/5Children’s dayThe day set aside to respect children’s personalities and to celebrate their happiness5/6Observed HolidayConstitution memorial day observedPublic 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.DateName of the HolidayMeaning of the Holiday7/23Marine day also know as Ocean dayThe day to show appreciation for the oceans7/24National Sports day (old name: Physical Education Day)A holiday commemorating the 1964 Tokyo Olympic games8/10Mountain dayThe 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 belowPublic 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.DateName of the HolidayMeaning of the HolidayDateName of the HolidayMeaning of the Holiday9/21Respect for the aged dayA day celebrated annually to honor elderly citizens9/22Autumn equinox dayThe day when the length of the night and the day are the same11/3Culture dayA public holiday held with the purpose to promote culture, arts, and academic endeavor11/23Labor Thanksgiving DayA public holiday held to commemorate labor and production and give one other thanks.1/1New Year’s DayThe day when people celebrate the beginning of a new year1/13Coming of Age DayThe day when Japanese youth officially become adults2/11National Foundation DayThe day when is celebrated the mythological foundation of Japan and the accession of its first emperor, Emperor Jimmu2/23Emperor’s BirhtdayThe day when in celebrated the birthday of the Emperor Naruhito2/24Observed HolidayEmperor’s Birthday Observed

When a foreigner finds a job in the land of the rising sun and begins to live there, there are some difficult situations that they might face, such as finding a place to live or applying for a visa. Among them opening a bank account too.Therefore, in this article, we would like to introduce you how to open a bank account in Japan, the necessary documentation, recommended banks, etc.There are cases where part-timers receive salaries by hand, but when working as a full-time employee (Seishain), it is common to transfer the salary to a bank account. In addition to receiving the salary, the payment of public services such as rent, the electricity bill, and the water bill is generally withdrawn from a bank account too. Also, depending on the bank where you have opened an account, some ATMs are able to send money abroad.We hope this article will help those living in Japan to open a bank account that suits them better.Conditions for Foreigners to Open Bank Accounts in JapanWhen foreigners open a bank account in Japan, need a residence card “Zairyu-card” and residence certificate “Zyuminhyo“. If you are a foreigner whose visa expiration is less than 90 days such as tourist visa and your stay period is less than 90 days, you can’t obtain a residence card or a residence certificate. Therefore, if you have a residence period of less than 3 months and a residence card is not issued, you will not able to open a bank account in Japan.Besides, people with a period of stay is fewer than 6 months are considered to be non-residents, so they can create non-resident yen deposit accounts “Hi-kyojusha-yen-yokin-kouza“, but cannot create normal saving accounts “Futsuu-yokin-kouza“ that can be remitted to foreign countries.* Some banks, such as Japan Post Bank, may create a normal saving account even if the stay period is 3 months to less than 6 months.Difference between “Hi-kyojusha-yen-yokin-kouza” and “Futsuu-yokin-kouza“Different from normal saving accounts “Futsuu-yokin-kouza“, overseas remittances are restricted for non-resident Yen deposit accounts “Hi-kyojusha-yen-yokin-kouza“. Also, when you pay rent or pay the amount you used with a credit card, these payments are normally withdrawn from a normal saving account. Non-resident Yen deposit account can’t do that. Non-resident Yen deposit accounts have only the minimum functionality of depositing money and withdrawing money from ATMs.What you need to open a Bank AccountA foreigner can legally open a bank account if he/she matches the requirements mentioned above.From now on, we would like to introduce to you what is generally needed when applying to open a bank account in Japan.Nevertheless, some banks ask for additional requirements, so be sure to confirm them before opening an account by yourself.Documents Proving the AddressAs a foreigner, you need to prove your permission to stay in Japan, so please bring your valid residence card and passport. Also, it is recommended to bring your health insurance card, special permanent resident certificate, driver’s license (if you have one), student ID, and employee ID just in case.Address ConfirmationIt is necessary to show your residence certificate “Zyuminhyo” or a utility bill (gas, electricity, water, NHK, landline, etc.) to demonstrate that you live at the address indicated in the documents presented.※Generally, mobile phones, and smartphones invoices cannot be used as certificates.Personal Seal (Inkan)Inkan is one of the oldest cultures in Japan. In overseas, it’s common to write a signature by hand at important contracts, but in Japan, the use of seals is the most traditional way to do it than writing a signature.Recently, some banks, such as Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and Resona Bank, have removed the seal from their requirements to open a bank account, but many banks still require a seal to open an account.Since there are many cases where you need an Inkan not only when opening a bank account but also when signing an important contract like a housing contract, we recommend you should make your Inkan with Katakana or Alphabet.Phone number that can be contactedThe bank will need a phone number to keep in touch with you. You can tell them your cell phone number.Recommended Banks for ForeignersWe would like to introduce some recommended banks for foreigners who want to open a bank account in Japan. Apart from these, there are still many banks in Japan, but this time we will focus on some of the major banks in Japan.Major banks in Japan tend to have ATMs across the country, which is very convenient for the consumer.Name of BankReason for RecommendationBank’s WebsiteJapan Post BankIt is a bank with about 24,000 bank tellers and 32,000 ATMs nationwide.If you stayed in Japan for more than 3 months, you can open a savings account.Using Japan Post Bank’s ATM, no fee will be charged even on Saturdays and Sundays.Japan Post BankMUFG BankBeing one of the major banks in Japan, it is a bank with high credibility and stability.No inkan required when opening an account.As of 2017, there are about 77,000 ATMs nationwide. (the number include alliance financial institutions, Seven Bank, and Lawson Bank ATM)MUFG BankMizuho BankRemittances to foreign countries, domestic denominated foreign currency remittances, and non-resident yen remittances are possible.It is one of the major banks in Japan and has approximately 800 branches and 50,000 ATMs nationwide. (the number of units includes affiliates financial institutions, Seven Bank, Lawson Bank ATM)There are 120 bases in about 40 countries and regions.Mizuho BankResona BankNo inkan required when opening an account.It takes 1-2 weeks to open an account if the solicitation was sent by post and about 30 minutes at the bank tellers.There are about 5,000 ATMs in Japan.ATM fees for Resona Holdings banks (Resona Bank, Saitama Resona Bank, Kansai Mirai Bank, Minato Bank) are free.Resona BankIn most cases, the homepage of each bank contains the documents necessary for opening an account, so if there is a bank of interest, please check the information on the homepage.ConclusionAs mentioned above, in Japan, most payments such as salaries, rents, utility bills, etc. are made to or withdrawn from a bank account. Possession of a bank account is important for living in Japan, so check the website of the bank that you are interested in beforehand and prepare the necessary requirements in advance.

海外と比べて日本企業は給与以外の福利厚生が充実していると言われています。この記事では、これから日本企業で働きたいと思っている留学生など外国人の方向けに、日本企業が社員に提供する一般的な福利厚生の種類についてご説明をしていきたいと思います。※この記事を英語でご覧になりたい方は、こちら（English Here!）になります。福利厚生とはそもそも福利厚生とは、従業員やその家族に対して健康面や生活面でのサポートを目的とする様々な取り組みを意味します。そして、日本の福利厚生には、法律上で企業側が雇用契約を結んでいるモノに対して提供をしなければならない法定福利厚生と、企業側が自主的に（法律とは無関係）従業員に提供しているものの２種類が存在します。福利厚生の種類法定福利厚生以下には、各種類の法定福利厚生について簡潔にご説明をしていきたいと思います。。 労災保険労災保険は、仕事や通勤中などに起きた事故を原因に労働者が怪我や病気になった場合に保障してくれ保険です。 子供・子育て拠出金（旧名：児童手当拠出金）企業側が政府に法律上で定まった金額を支払うことによって、児童がいる家庭に給付される拠出金です。 雇用保険雇用保険は、労働者が失業をした場合に国から支払われる手当などのことです。例えば、会社の業績が悪く、会社の都合で解雇をされた場合、国へ申請をすれば、90日〜150日の期間に前職の給料の50~80%程度を失業手当として受け取ることができます。 健康保険健康保険は、病気や怪我、出産や死亡といった事態に備えるための医療保障制度です。例えば、病院に行って治療を受けた場合、ケースによりますが、保険証を提示すれば自己負担は３割程度で済み、残りは国が負担をしてくれます。 介護保険介護保険は、介護が必要と認定された場合に、介護に必要な費用の一部を国が給付する保険制度です。 厚生年金保険厚生年金保険は、国民年金に加えて給付される年金制度です。これらの法定福利厚生は、企業が従業員を雇用する際に法律上で義務付けられています。そして、企業と社員が負担する割合は法律によって決められており、社員が負担する分は会社が毎月の給料から差し引き、会社が国に納めることになっています。日本で一般的な福利厚生海外では会社に出勤する際にかかる交通費は基本的に自己負担になるケースが多いですが、日本では企業が通勤にかかる交通費を負担するケースが一般的です。このように、日本と海外では企業が設けている福利厚生は異なります。これからは、法定福利厚生以外に、日本の企業が社員に提供している一般的な福利厚生をご紹介していきたいと思います。 通勤手当勤め先に通うためにかかる費用を会社が負担する福利厚生です。全額を支給する企業もあれば定まった金額のみを支給する企業も存在します。日本ではほとんどの企業は社員に通勤手当を支給しています。 健康診断の受診日本の労働衛生安全法では、企業は従業員に対して健康管理を行う義務を追っています。健康診断は、この健康管理義務を行いための福利厚生として認められており、ほとんどの日本企業は社員に対して年1回の健康診断を福利厚生として提供しています。外国人の方が日本で受けられる健康診断の種類、その内容や所要時間などについては、下の記事に詳しく書いておりますので、気になる方は是非読んでみて下さい。外国人が日本企業で受けられる健康診断の内容とは？ 住宅手当月々支払われる給与と一緒に家賃の一部が支払われる制度です。企業によって支給する金額を異なります。この手当は転勤などをよく伴う職業に導入されているケースが多いです。全国転勤が必要とされる大手の金融業や製造業に良く見られる制度です。 社員持ち株制度株の購入意思がある従業員の給与から天引きをし、自社またはその親会社の株の購入ができ、その利益を給与とはまた別でもらえる制度です。上場している企業や大手企業に良く見られる制度になります。 退職金制度会社側が資金を準備し、従業員が退職をする時に支払われるお金になります。退職金の目的は、日本企業が長年働く従業員に対して、老後の生活資金として提供しているものです。しかし、最近では定年（６０歳）まで一つの会社で働くケースも少なくなっており、また退職金の資金を運用がうまく行かず、会社側の負担が大きくなってきているため、退職金制度を用意している企業は減っています。その代わり、老後のために個人で資金を準備して運用を行う確定拠出年金に対して、企業が資金を毎月提供する事で、退職金の代わりの役目を果たすケースが増えています。 慶弔休暇慶弔休暇は、自分自身や近い親戚で結婚や出産などの慶事や近親者の弔事（葬式）の際に取得できる休暇のことです。 出産休暇出産休暇は、出産する前の準備期間と出産後の回復期間を合わせた休暇制度です。企業によりますが、出産前の準備期間は6週間前から休暇が取得可能です。もう一方では回復期間は法律上で8週を取得することが決められています。 育児休暇育児休暇は、従業員の子供が1歳になるまで、仕事を休むことができ、育児に専念できることをサポートする休暇制度になります。 在宅制度オフィスに出社する必要がなく、自宅から業務に携わることを許可する制度です。この制度は、webデザイナー、システムエンジニアなどのIT関連やインサイドセールス、カスタマーサポートなどのセールス関連の職種によく見られるものです。 好きなPCを選べる制度企業側が用意したパソコンの種類の中から自由に好きなものを選べる制度です。システムエンジニアのどのIT業界の技術職に最近よく見られるようになった福利厚生です。まとめご紹介した福利厚生以外にも、企業によって様々な福利厚生が用意されています。日本の福利厚生は世界的に見ても充実をしており、日本で社員として働くメリットの一つと言えるでしょう。もし、日本でIT関係へ就職・転職を検討されている外国人の方がいらっしゃいましたら、外国人ITエンジニア専門の人材紹介会G Talent（ジータレント）にご登録ください。プロのコンサルタントが無料で転職活動をサポートいたします。

The new Japanese Immigration Policy, spearheaded by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in late 2018 and implemented later in April 2019, is the country’s way of addressing the depleting and aging Japanese workforce, especially in their IT industry.The current administration is looking to hire at least 345,000 foreign workers in the next 5 years. They initiated the program by creating two types of visas. The first visa is for the “low-skilled” aspirants (Specified Skills Visa-1 or SSV-1) who are allowed to work for a maximum of 5 years. The second is for the “medium-skilled” ones (Specified Skills Visa-2 or SSV-2) who can stay for 10 years, with non-stop renewable visas and even the option of applying for permanent visas after.But as of recently, only a small portion of the applicants have been granted employment by the companies, with only 30,000 estimated foreign IT workers being a part of the Japanese workforce today.What could this mean for the future of foreign IT workers? Is Japan truly ready to embrace immigrants into the workforce? And what’s the best type of visa that IT professionals can apply for to ensure employment? In this article, we’ll address all of those questions and understand how the new Japanese Immigration Policy affects foreign IT workers.Overall Response to the New Japanese Immigration PolicyAlthough the government has good reasons to execute the Japanese Immigration Policy, it still managed to have mixed reactions from everyone, including some local leaders, traditional Japanese nationals, and foreigners seeking long-term employment in the country.Some officials were skeptical about the new program noting that previous policies with similar platforms, such as Japan’s “trainee” program, have failed due to inadequacies and proneness to abusive practices. Leaders also voiced concerns over probationary employees under the existing trainee program being forced to work excessive overtime, severely underpaid, and in some instances, having their passports embargoed by their employers.Meanwhile, traditionalists criticize the policy as an “easy” route for foreigners to take if they desire to live in the country permanently. Aside from allowing workers to be permanent residents, it also gives them the ability to naturalize their respective families. Some Japanese nationals also take issue with the ever-growing presence of foreigners in Japan.On the other hand, foreigners praise Japan for welcoming international talents and creating new programs that will benefit foreign aspirants and boost the country’s economy. IT workers are especially thrilled, as the country has tons of great opportunities for tech experts to grab. And even though some people have not yet embraced this new concept, the current regime is invested in making this vision come to fruition.Will Japan Finally Open Its Doors to Immigrants?Because of the constant skepticism towards the policy and only a small number of foreign workers have successfully applied for jobs in the country in recent months, many have wondered if Japan has genuinely opened its doors to gaijin like the thousands of aspiring IT workers.The answer is a resounding yes. Even before Prime Minister Abe lobbied for the new program, Japan saw an increase in the presence of foreigners in the country every year. And since April 1, 2019, when the immigration policy was officially implemented, various industries have accepted foreign workers. In fact, in the first 6 months of the new system, Japan saw its highest recorded foreign worker population with 1,658,804.In recent months, however, there has been a decline in the number of applicants from international talents hired by Japanese companies. It has absolutely nothing to do with the companies, the local government, the policy’s skeptics, and even the aspirants. Japan’s current administration is doing its absolute best to fulfill their goals with the new immigration policy.In the first months of the pandemic, the job market has been slow in accepting applications from international talents, but this isn’t true for IT companies. As the tech industry embraces the online application process, IT professionals’ job market continues to welcome foreign applicants as the need for workers in this field is expected to rise.The coronavirus may have put a setback in Japan’s job market, but aspiring foreign workers in the IT field and other industries can still apply for work visas overseas during the pandemic. Japan has gradually eased its travel restrictions to kickstart the country’s economy. As soon as the travel restrictions are completely lifted, foreigners can start working in the country again.Japan’s Immigration Policy – The New Specified Skills VisaThe new Specified Skills Visa or SSV is perfect for workers seeking opportunities in the IT industry of Japan. The government’s goal is to make up for the expected 800,000 IT worker deficit by 2030. So, there are plenty of employment openings that are just ripe for the picking.Machine Parts and Tooling industry:IT workers who can assist them in machine inspection and maintenance.Electric, Electronics, and Information industry and Industrial Machinery industry:IT workers to aid in manufacturing, electronic and electrical equipment assembling, and machine maintenance.Construction industry:IT workers who are experts with telecommunications.Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery industry:IT workers who can help in electrical equipment assembling.Automobile Repair and Maintenance industry:IT workers who can support maintenance and repair for cars’ infotainment systems.Manufacture of Food and Beverages:General food and beverage manufacture.Aside from the tons of opportunities available, another great thing about the SSV is how the Japanese government will take care of the foreign workers who’ll be residing in the country.Companies are required to give services such as housing support, Japanese language, lifestyle, and administrative procedures tutorials, assistance with work-related concerns, and even providing aid to international talents who have been terminated or are subject to termination.But for international IT workers to work under the SSV program and avail of these benefits, they have to meet specific requirements. For SSV-1 workers, they need to have a Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4 certificate, have a passing grade in the Specified Skills Test, and be able to stay and work in the country for 5 years.Meanwhile, applicants of SSV-2 have to compile their JLPT N4 certificate, proof of a higher level of specialized skill with experience and must be able to reside in the country until they become a permanent Japanese resident.ConclusionThe Japanese Immigration Policy has positively affected foreign IT workers in Japan. Despite the COVID-19 situation, the future of foreign IT workers in Japan looks promising. The Japanese government has exerted so much effort in making immigrants feel welcomed in the workforce despite some backlash. The country’s SSV program presents terrific openings for foreign workers and IT talents alike.Take this time to learn more about Japan’s Immigration Policy and apply for work online at the comfort of your home. Your next IT employment opportunity could be in Japan. Discover openings and useful tips on our website below.Sources:https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46492216https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/japan-labor-migration-reforms-breaking-pasthttps://thediplomat.com/2020/01/is-japan-ready-to-welcome-immigrants/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2019/01/30/how-tos/demand-non-japanese-engineers-growing-know-youre-apply/#.XsYnCmgzZPZhttps://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d00572/covid-19-and-the-crisis-in-japanese-immigration-policy.htmlhttps://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d00515/https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-immigration/Japan-bumps-into-challenges-welcoming-overseas-workershttps://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/07/a022f23f4d45-coronavirus-outbreak-latest-july-1-2020.htmlhttps://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000459527.pdf

この記事では、これから日本で就職活動をする外国人留学生向けに、2021年卒業予定の就職活動をしている日本人大学生に人気がある企業やその理由をまとめています。他の国とは異なり、日本ならではのユニークな結果となっています。これから日本で就職活動をする外国人の方は是非ご参考にされてみてください。日本の大学生（2021年卒業予定）の就職人気企業ランキング新卒学生向けの就職情報メディアのキャリタス就活21が、2021年3月卒業予定の大学生・大学院生を対象に就職希望の企業についての調査を行っています。そのランキングがこちらとなります。8位三菱商事総合商社順位企業名業界1位東京海上日動火災保険損害保険2位損害保険ジャパン損害保険3位伊藤忠商事総合商社4位三井住友海上保険損害保険5位日本航空（JAL）空運6位全日本空輸（ANA）空運7位ソニー総合電機9位サントリーグループ食品10位トヨタ自動車自動車メーカー参照：キャリタス就活21/人気企業ランキング基本的には大手企業ばかりとなり、これは他の国においても同じような傾向になると思います。しかし、1位、2位、4位が損害保険会社というのは他の国では考えられないことだと思います。現在の日本の大学生は就職で何を求めているのか、なぜ海外で人気のインターネット企業やメーカーではなく、保険会社を選んでいるのでしょうか。なぜ損害保険会社が人気なのか？新型コロナウィルスの影響によって募集人数を減少した企業が多々ある中、損害保険会社は採用募集人数を減らしていないようです。損害保険会社は給与が比較的に高く、安定をしている印象があり、また学校の専攻なども関係なく、幅広い層の学生が応募ができることが人気を集めているのではないかと考えられます。また、自動車保険の営業がメインだった損害保険は、近年、自動車の需要がなくなる可能性を考慮した上で、地震などの災害時に適用される保険に力を入れているため、損害保険業界はまだ成長性が高いと考えられます。3つの損害保険会社がランクインすることで、21年卒の就活生は、チャレンジができる職場より安定な就職先を求めていると考えられます。人気が上昇・低下した企業今年トップ10にランクインした企業の中にはJALや伊藤忠商事のように毎年人気がある企業もあれば、東京海上日動火災保険などの損害保険会社のように、今年になってランキングが更に上位に上がった企業もあります。これからは、ランキングの中でも特徴的な5つの企業について詳しく説明をしていきたいと思います。東京海上日動火災保険東京海上日動火災保険は、前年の人気企業ランキングでは10位でしたが、今年は1位となりました。この背景としては「平均年収の高さ」や「グローバルな環境」が要因として考えられます。平均年収の高さ東京海上日動火災保険では、基本給は他の企業と大きく差はないのですが、各社員がもらえる賞与は年収に大きな影響を与えています。この会社の平均年収は約835万円ではありますが、業績によると1000万円を超えるケースがよく見られます。入社2ヶ月目の新卒社員に約60万円のボーナスが支給されたことがあり、この点で他の企業よりも収入面で魅力的と言えます。また、給与以外にも、社員には最大10万円の家賃補助が支給されたりするため、福利厚生においても優れており、待遇面で魅力を感じやすい企業と言えます。グローバルな環境東京海上日動火災保険は、国内だけではなく、グローバルに事業展開をしており、約45の海外拠点があります。世界の様々な大都市で働くことができるのも人気の理由と言えるでしょう。そのため、働く環境においても、ダイバーシティが浸透し、留学生や海外の方々にも人気の就職先となっているようです。伊藤忠商事日本には「商社」というビジネス形態の企業が大きな影響力を持っています。特に「総合商社」と言われる伊藤忠商事や三菱商事、住友商事などは常に大学生に人気がある就職先です。総合商社とは？総合商社は、食品、エネルギー資源、機械など様々な商品をグローバル規模で調達を行い、日本国内に限らず世界で販売を行なっています。国に大きな影響を及ぼす大きなプロジェクトもあり、またグループ会社にメーカーや金融会社などもあるため、グルーバルに大きな規模で事業を展開しています。平均年収の高さ伊藤忠商事の平均年収は約1400万円となっており、日本の企業の中でも非常に高い水準と言えるでしょうk。新卒1年目でも総合職社員の平均年収は約550万円なので、入社して1年目から高い水準の給与が得られることになります。様々なスキルの取得大手総合商社には日本国内や世界から優秀な人材が集まっており、ビジネスのノウハウを学べる環境がそこにあるだけではなく、優秀な人材から様々なスキルを取得できる側面もあります。英語などの語学、ファイナンスなどグローバルにビジネスをしていくためのスキルを学ぶことができることも人気の理由の1つと言えるでしょう。日本航空（JAL）航空会社特有の福利厚生社会保険や交通手当などの一般的な福利厚生の他に、社員用航空券制度があります。この制度は社員が9割引きで航空券を購入することができるJAL特有の福利厚生です。旅行が趣味な学生にとって、とても魅力的に感じる福利厚生であることは間違いありません。平均年収の高さ航空業界は一般的な平均年収も高く、その中でもJALの平均年収は約827万円と業界の中でトップクラスとなります。サントリーグループ海外進出の成功日本の大手飲料メーカーと言えば、キリンやアサヒ、サントリーなどが挙げられますが、その中でもサントリーが常に高い人気を集めています。その理由として、社風の魅力が良く挙げられます。「やってみなはれ」という創業者の有名な言葉がある通り、様々な新しい物事にチャレンジをしており、実際に海外への進出も一番最初に成功を収めているのもサントリーです。非上場企業サントリーグループは非上場企業であるため、株主のために短期的な成果を出す必要がないことから、長期的なプロジェックトに携わることが可能であることも魅力の1つなのではないでしょうか。トヨタ自動車なぜ人気が低下した？トヨタと言えば、日本で一番時価総額が高い企業であり、世界的にも有名な自動車メーカーとなります。日本の大学生の就職先として現在も１０位と高い人気ではありますが、数年前と比べると就活生への人気は少しずつ低下しています。なぜなら、現在の若い層は自動車への興味が減っており、また自動車業界の今後を考えると、必ずしも成長産業とは言えない状況です。自動車への興味を持たなくなった学生が増えれば増えるほど、自動車メーカーに就職したい学生は今後も減少していくかもしれません。まとめコロナショックをきっかけに、2021年卒業予定の大学生は今まで以上に安定性を求めていると言われています。そのため、今後もランキングの上位には安定性が高い企業が入ってくると思います。その他にも、新たな考え方や国際的なコミュニケーションを求める学生が近年増加しているため、三井住友海上火災保険や伊藤忠商事などのダイバーシティや国際的な展開に力を入れている企業が就活生に人気も集めていくと考えられます。日本で就職をすることによって、ご自身が望んでいるキャリア構築が実現できるよう心よりお祈りしております。日本での就職を考えている留学生でIT関連の仕事に就職したいという方は、外国人ITエンジニア専門の人材紹介会社G Talent（ジータレント）にご登録ください。プロのコンサルタントが無料で就職活動をサポートいたします。

If you’re thinking about working in Japan’s advanced tech industry, now is the right time to pursue your career. Aside from the high pay, the country offers more growth opportunities for IT engineers. But the whole moving process and living adjustment can be mentally exhausting for foreigners. From picking the right apartment to making new friends at the office, worries might seem endless for those who just started living in Japan.What it’s like to be a Foreign Worker in Japan?There are over 28,000 foreign engineers in the IT industry, which comprise 3% of all IT engineers in Japan. With the influx of overseas talents to the country, the number is expected to grow even more. You’ll most likely meet or pass by a foreign national in a company that you will be working for, especially if you’re living in one of the big cities in Japan.Working in the country as a foreign worker has its pros and cons. Foreign workers are often offered housing assistance and other benefits. In the IT industry, there are hundreds of conventions and tech fairs that you can join. Foreigners also get the chance to experience many exciting holidays and visit places in the country. However, being away from your family, the new work culture, and communication barriers can cause stress. Once you know more about what to expect when working for a Japanese company, you will get the idea of how to avoid or cope with these stressors and benefit from the positive points.ProsLet’s discuss the positives of working in the Japanese IT industry or working as a foreigner in the country and why you should grab the opportunity. The following strengths don’t necessarily apply to IT companies only, but also to most organizations with foreign employees.Opportunity to upskillOne of the best points of working for a Japanese company is having the chance to upskill. More IT companies are accepting foreign engineers with minimal experience as they provide office training. Moreover, big companies also offer other classes and let you join conferences for free!PolitenessForeign workers appreciate this workplace character, and this also applies outside of work. People being pleasant and non-aggressive at work helps foreigners and Japanese feel comfortable and make way for excellent communication among colleagues.TeamworkAnother character foreigners love about Japanese colleagues is their teamwork. They prefer to collaborate and always give relevant feedback to each other’s output. Also, their teamwork is applied to their decision-making process, which is appreciated by many foreign IT engineers. They prefer making a decision based on everyone’s opinion, which allows you to share your ideas.ChallengesWorking in Japan can be inspiring and challenging at the same time, mainly because of the difference in cultures. These challenges are the main factors of stress you might get to experience when you’re working in Japan.Indirect CommunicationJapanese colleagues tend to be indirect and vague. You won’t get a definite answer once you ask for their opinion about your output. Instructions and feedback may be conveyed indirectly, leaving foreign workers to wonder. For IT engineers, if you can’t pick-up their subtle negative signals, this can cause delays and problems on your projects.Detail-orientedPeople worldwide applaud the country for the level of dedication they have for work, but it can cause a lot of stress and pressure, especially to foreigners in the IT industry. This can be time-consuming and may lead to extra work during the whole development process.LanguageIt’s true that most companies, especially big IT companies, have relaxed some of their language requirements, but the lack of direct communication can cause problems and stress. Unlike working in your country when you can easily ask for confirmation, you won’t be able to do that when working for a company in Japan with few to zero foreign employees. It’s also quite challenging to make new friends outside work if you haven’t learned the Japanese language.How to Fight Stress?In the IT industry, companies receive vast amounts of workload every month, and it can be hectic with all developments and team meetings. So what can you do to get rid of stress? Here are some tips to help foreign IT engineers have a pleasant career and stay in Japan.    1. Take Regular BreaksYou want to impress your Japanese colleagues through hard work and dedication especially when you’re new to the company, but don’t be afraid to slow down. You are allowed to have 45 minutes to an hour’s worth of break a day. That’s enough to take some time off away from your desk. Take breaks and enjoy those little pauses to look outside your window or eat some sweet treats.    2. Stay at an Onsen Ryokan (hot spring inn)Visiting a hot spring inn is one of the ways the Japanese relieve their stress from work. These places are usually away from the hustle and bustle of the city and surrounded by nature. You’ll have a relaxing time soaking at the hot spring or walking around under clear skies.    3. Indulge in Shopping, Food, and HobbiesThere’s nothing like rewarding yourself after your hard work. Japan has many restaurants and cafes that offer delectable dishes and treats. Aside from that, foreigners and locals are also fond of spending extra time shopping to take their minds off work. IT engineers usually go for exciting events in the country or pursue their hobbies, be it music, arts, and sports. You can even spend some time learning the language to make friends easily.    4. Know that it’s ok to ask for helpIf you have been having a hard time with your tasks, it’s always a good idea to ask for some assistance from your colleagues. Since you’ll be working most of the time with a team in the IT industry, checking each other’s work and asking for advice is common.If your coping strategies don’t work, you can always ask for professional help. Counseling support in Japanese and English is available online, and there are offices in big cities that you can visit.ConclusionWorking as an IT engineer in Japan can be one of the essential steps to leveling up your career and acquiring new skills. However, moving to a country with an entirely different culture and living situation can cause stress, which affects your emotional well-being, but don’t let it hinder your potential. Japan offers many activities and platforms you can use to get your mind and body away from work for a while. Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it and continue having a successful career in the country.Sources:https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2019/01/30/how-tos/demand-non-japanese-engineers-growing-know-youre-apply/#.Xv1JYygzbIUhttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2019/01/30/how-tos/thinking-working-japan-good-know-youre/#.Xv1DHSgzbIU

世界はもちろん、日本でも注目を集めるFintech（フィンテック）。今回の記事では、外国人ITエンジニアの転職エージェント GTalnetが、Fintech（フィンテック）に関連する4つの先端IT技術と各技術に対する求人需要をまとめました。Fintech（フィンテック）において重要な4つの先端IT技術今回の記事ではFintech（フィンテック）において、以下の重要な4つの先端IT技術について取り上げたいと思いいます。AI・ビッグデータブロックチェーンIoT生体認証それでは、各技術に関して現在の求人需要も踏まえて１つ１つ説明していきたいと思います。AI・ビッグデータ株価の情報、経済指数、個人の金融情報などの大量なデータを利用し、クレジットカードや融資の与信審査などにビッグデータの技術が応用されている事例が多く挙げられます。ビッグデータが処理可能なクラウドサーバーや分散処理システム等によりデータ分析のコストが大幅に低下、データの収集や変換もテキストマイニング技術や自然言語処理技術などを用いることで、大量のデータを収集・処理できるようになっています。そして、2010年前後に開発されたディープラーニング技術によりAIの性能が飛躍的に向上し、ビッグデータを使って自動的に金融指標の分析や株の売買、窓口業務の自動化など金融業界の様々な領域でAIの活用が始まっています。それに伴い、銀行等では人がやっていた業務がAIに取って代わられると言われており、各銀行で大きなリストが今後始まっていくと言われており、IT企業に変化できない銀行は淘汰されると言われています。AI・ビッグデータの求人需要実際、大手保険会社やクレジットカード会社などでデータエンジニアやデータサイエンティストなどの求人が増加してきており、ビッグデータを有効活用することで、各社ともに業務効率化や新サービスの創造を図っています。また各銀行においてもITエンジニアの採用に力を入れており、どの金融企業もフィンテック企業に変化することを視野に入れています。しかし、日本国内ではビッグデータやAI関連の人材は不足しています。日本で仕事をするときは、日本語が必要とされるケースが多いですが、一部の日系保険会社では日本語不要で採用をしたりもしており、外国人のITエンジニアが活躍できるフィールドが多くあります。ブロックチェーンフィンテックの技術として一番最初に思い浮かぶ言葉が「ブロックチェーン」と言っても過言ではないでしょう。より専門的な用語で表現すると、「分散型台帳技術」とも呼ばれています。中央集権型の管理ではなく、世界中にあるコンピューターにデータを分散させ、破壊・改ざんなどのリスクが低くなるように作られたネットワークシステムとなります。通常、銀行にお金を預けた場合、取引の記録は銀行の中央サーバーによって管理されますが、ブロックチェーン技術を使えば、金融機関などの中央管理を必要とせず、取引情報をネットワーク上に分散して保存ができるようになります。また、暗号化技術により利用者は許可された項目しか参照できず、個人情報の流出リスクも非常に少ないです。すべての記録はコンピューターのネットワーク上に保存されているため、誰でも精査・監査ができて、不特定多数の人の目にさらされることで偽造や二重払いを防止しています。ブロックチェーン技術が用いられている代表的なものは、ビットコインなどの仮想通貨となります。ブロックチェーンと言うと、仮想通貨をイメージされる方が多い状況ですが、これほどブロックチェーンが注目されるのは、仮想通貨以外の幅広い領域に応用ができ、これまでのビジネスが大きく変革されることが期待されているためです。例えば、通常の商取引、電子投票、契約書の締結など、ビジネスに必要な基本業務においてブロックチェーンが活用されることが期待されています。ブロックチェーン技術の求人需要ブロックチェーン技術が求められる求人は日本においても増加し続けています。仮想通貨事業者だけではなく、銀行などの金融業界、ブロックチェーンのソリューションを提供するスタートアップなど、非常に高い需要があります。また、日本はブロックチェーン技術を持ったエンジニアが少なく、外国人のエンジニアが多く活躍している領域でもあります。IoT現時点では金融領域でIoTが導入されている事例は少ない状況です。しかし、最近では自動車にIoT技術の搭載が進むにつれて、自動車の運転方法のデータと自動車保険がリンクされる可能性が挙げられたり、自動運転が進んだ時の自動車保険の在り方などが議論を読んでおり、金融領域におけるIoT技術が少しずつ注目を集めています。また、医療現場でIoT技術が使われることで、医療保険においても大きな影響を与える可能性があります。最近では、ウェアラブルデバイスの浸透により、Apple Watchの決済対応などもIoT技術が応用されており、今後金融領域におけるIoT技術は成長が見込まれる可能性があります。IoT技術の求人需要IoT技術の市場規模は2020年に36兆円超に達する（Gartner推計）と言われており、IoT技術の需要は今後も非常に成長性が高い分野と言えます。既存の金融会社やフィンテック企業においてIoT技術者の需要はまだ少ない状況ですが、金融会社にリンクされるIoT搭載デバイス（車、ウェアラブルデバイスなど）を製造している製造業におけるIoT技術者の需要は高い状況です。生体認証銀行や証券などオンラインでサービスを利用する場合は、必ず本人認証が一番最初に鍵を握ります。2012年7月には、生体認証を含むオンライン認証を中心とした世界的な認証の標準化を目指すFIDO(Fast IDentity Online) Allianceが、Pay Pal、Lenovo等6社により発足し、現在もその規模を拡大しています。主要企業であるボードメンバーには、Visa、MasterCard、Bank of Americaなどの世界的金融大手に加え、Microsoft、Google、 NTTドコモ等の世界的企業も加盟しています。また、日本の一部の銀行のATMにおいても、指紋や静脈による認証も開始されています。最近では、画像データのみならず、キーボードの打鍵方法等身体運動による認証も開発されており、新しい技術の応用が目覚ましい分野と言えるでしょう。生体認証技術の求人需要生体認証技術に関しては、まだまだ用途が本人認証に限られることもあり、AIやビッグデータ、ブロックチェーンの技術に比べると、需要はまだまだこれからと言えるでしょう。まとめ今回ご紹介した４つ以外にも、フィンテックの分野では様々な新しい先端IT技術が用いられていくでしょう。また、先端IT技術だけではなく、消費者のユーザビリティを上げるためにモダンなフレームワークなども最近では必要となってきています。外国人ITエンジニアの転職エージェント GTalnetでは、今後もフィンテックの動向を随時調査し、必要となる関連技術をアップデートしていきたいと思います。

In this article, we summarized the companies that are popular among Japanese university students who are going to do job hunting in 2021 and their reasons for international students who are looking for jobs in Japan. Unlike other countries, this is a result uniquely Japanese. If you are a foreigner looking for a job in Japan, please use this as a reference.Ranking of popular Japanese companies for Japanese university students(2021)Career-tasu Job Hunting21, a job search information medium for new graduate students, surveyed college students planning to graduate in March 2021 regarding companies where they want to find employment. The ranking is shown below.RankName of CompanyIndustryNo.1Tokyo Marine NichidoInsuranceNo.2Sompo JapanInsuranceNo.3Itochu CorporationGeneral TradingNo.4Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance GroupInsuranceNo.5Japan AirlinesAir TransportationNo.6All Nippon AirwaysAir TransportationNo.7Sony CorporationConglomerateNo.8Mitsubishi CorporationGeneral TradingNo.9SuntoryFoods & BeveragesNo.10ToyotaAutomotive ManufacturerReference：Career-tasu Job Hunting21/Ranking of Popular CompaniesBasically, only large companies have been focused in young people, and it is the same tendency in other countries. However, it is unthinkable in other countries that the first, second, and fourth place are insurance companies. What do current Japanese college students look for in employment and why do they choose insurance companies instead of the most popular Internet companies and manufacturers abroad?Why Are Insurance Companies Popular in Japan?While many companies have reduced the number of recruitment due to the influence of the new coronavirus, it seems that insurance companies have not reduced the number of recruitments. These companies have the impression that they have relatively high salaries and are stable, and that it is becoming popular that a wide range of students can apply, regardless of their major in university.In addition, the insurance industry, which was mainly a car insurance business, considering the possibility that demand for cars will disappear, has been focusing on the insurance that is applied in the event of an earthquake or other natural disasters in recent years. The insurance industry would has a high growth potential.With three insurance companies listed, it seems that job-seeking students in 2021 are looking for a stable workplace rather than a challenging workplace.Companies Whose Popularity has Risen and FallenWithin the companies ranked in the top 10 this year, some companies are popular every year, like JAL and ITOCHU, but some companies have risen noticeably in the ranking having a much higher position, like Tokio Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance.From now on, we would like to explain in detail about the five most distinctive companies in the ranking.Tokyo Marine NichidoTokyo Marine Nichido ranked 10th in the ranking of popular companies last year but ranked 1st this year. The factors behind this may be the high annual income and the international environment.High Annual InconmeAlthough the basic salary of Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is not much different from others insurance companies, the bonus received by each employee has a great impact on the annual income. The average annual income of this company is about 8.35 million yen, but according to the commitment and results of their employees, it is often seen that it exceeds 10 million yen.A bonus of about 600,000 yen was paid to a new graduate employee in the second month after joining the company, which makes it more attractive in terms of income than other companies. In addition to the monthly salary, employees can receive up to 100,000 yen in rent subsidies, which is excellent in welfare and can be said to be an attractive company in terms of treatment.International environmentTokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is expanding its business not only domestically but internationally as well, with approximately 45 overseas bases. Being able to work in different big cities around the world is also a reason for its popularity. Therefore, even in the working environment, diversity is spreading and it seems to be a popular place of employment for international students and overseas people.Itochu CorporationIn Japan, trading companies (Shousha) are a very influential type of business. In particular, ITOCHU Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, etc., which are said to be “general trading companies (Sougo-Shousha)”, are always employment destinations that are popular with university students.What is a General Trading Company (Sougou-Shousha)?General trading companies procure various products such as food, energy resources, and machinery on a global scale, and sell them not only in Japan but worldwide. They have big projects which have a big impact on the country, and they also have manufacturers and financial companies, that’s why they are expanding globally.High Annual IncomeThe average annual income of Itochu Corporation is about 14 million yen, which is a very high rate among Japanese companies. Even in the first year of new graduates, the average annual salary of a general-work employee is about 5.5 million yen, which means that a high standard of salary will be obtained from the first year after joining the company.Acquisition of Various SkillsMajor general trading companies have excellent human resources from Japan and the world, and not only is there an environment where they can learn business know-how, but there is also the aspect that they can acquire various skills from excellent human resources. One of the reasons why it is so popular is that you can learn languages such as English and the skills to do business globally such as finance.Japan Airlines (JAL)Specific Benefits for AirlinesIn addition to general benefits such as social insurance and transportation allowance, there is an employee discount system for air tickets. This system is a JAL-specific benefit that allows employees to purchase air tickets at a discount of 90%. There is no doubt that it is a benefit for students who like to travel.High Annual IncomeThe average annual income of the aviation industry is also high, and among them, the average annual income of JAL is about 8.27 million yen, which is the top class in the industry.SuntoryOverseas Expansion SuccessSpeaking of Japan’s major beverage makers, there are Kirin, Asahi, Suntory, etc. Among them, Suntory has always been very popular. The reason for this is the charm of the corporate culture. As the founder’s famous phrase says “Yatte-minahare”, wich means “Just try it”. Suntory is challenging various new things, and it is also Suntory that has actually succeeded in expanding overseas first than the others beverage companies.Unlisted CompanyAs the Suntory Group is a privately held company, it does not need to produce short-term results for its shareholders, so it may be one of its attractions to be able to engage in long-term projects.ToyotaWhy has it become less Popular?Speaking of Toyota, it is the company with the highest market capitalization in Japan and the world-famous automobile manufacturer. Although it is still a popular company for Japanese university students to find employment. This year Toyota was at the 10th place of popularity, but compared to a few years ago, the popularity of job hunting students is gradually decreasing. This is because young people today are less interested in automobiles, and considering the future of the automobile industry, it is not necessarily a growth industry. As more and more students are no longer interested in cars, the number of students who want to work for an automobile manufacturer may continue to decline.ConclusionDue to the corona shock, university students scheduled to graduate in 2021 are looking for a job which gives them an economic and labor stability besides looking for a job of their liking. Therefore, we think that companies with high stability will continue to be ranked high in the future. In addition, as the number of students seeking new ways of thinking and international communication has increased in recent years, companies such as Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. and ITOCHU Corporation that are focusing on diversity and international development are becoming popular for job hunters.We sincerely hope that by finding a job in Japan, you will be able to achieve your desired career development.If you are an international student who is thinking of finding a job in Japan and want to get a job related to IT, please register with G Talent, a recruitment agency specializing in foreign IT engineers. Professional consultants will help you with your job hunting for free.