Japan: Work experience

Work placements and internships

If you work for a European company with Japanese-related business, you may be eligible to apply for a place on the Executive Training Programme (ETP)  scheme. This is a 45-week programme combining intensive language and cultural study with an internship.

Exchange programmes

The Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme  is the most popular work experience programme with UK graduates and places several thousand teachers and translators from around the world in Japan each year.

If you are a student, you may be able to apply for the AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales) training programme that offers work, teaching and volunteer placements.

Teaching schemes

Besides the JET Programme, other English language schools in Japan include Interac  and Aeon . Berlitz Japan  employs teachers of various languages and has language centres throughout the country.

Volunteering

Volunteer work can be arranged through Volunteer Abroad  and Global Giving , although many of these volunteering opportunities require a fee.

The volunteer visa scheme allows UK nationals to do voluntary work for charitable organisations in Japan for up to one year. For more information, see the Embassy of Japan in the UK .

Casual work and short-term opportunities

There are various opportunities for Westerners to obtain casual and temporary work in Japan. These include working in hotels, bars, restaurants, modelling, acting and providing voice-overs. However, English teaching, translating and editing are still the most popular and most easily available types of temporary and short-term work.

You will need a visa to do any work in Japan, including short-term or casual work. For more information, see visa and immigration. Alternatively, if you are aged between 18 and 30, you may be granted a working holiday visa. The Embassy of Japan in the UK  has more information about this scheme.

Gap year opportunities

Gap year opportunities can be found through Tokyo Connections  and Lattitude Global Volunteering . As with volunteering, many gap year placements charge a fee. Alternatively, you could consider organising your own gap year, combining teaching with travel, for example.