We’ve officially levelled up. After months of feedback (and me quietly taking notes), I’ve redesigned both the website and the newsletter format.

You told me you wanted something easier to follow, less overwhelming, and more “just tell me what I actually need to know.”

So from today onward, each edition will follow the same five-section structure: Job Paths & Visas, Interview Prep, Work Culture & Hiring Trends, Policy & Market News, and a Company Introduction.

Think of it as your weekly roadmap to getting hired in Japan, cleaner, clearer, and with fewer walls of text!

If you’ve ever stared at Japan’s visa list and thought, “I can’t keep track of all of these acronyms”, you’re not alone.

One path that’s gaining momentum lately is the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa. The name sounds intimidating (like you need three PhDs and a Nobel Prize), but the reality is much more accessible.

Japanese companies are increasingly using HSP to hire mid-career professionals who have:

If your background includes anything like “managed clients across three regions” or “coordinated between HQ and overseas offices,” you’re already speaking Japan’s favorite hiring language: global.

The trick is to highlight that in your resume and interviews. Japanese employers don’t expect perfection, they want people who can bring perspectives their local team doesn’t have.

I often get messages from readers asking: “How can I actually learn Japanese if I’m moving to Japan?”

After trying a few different approaches myself, I wanted to share a school I feel confident about. Over the past several months, I’ve been speaking with Ryoko Marumo, the CEO of Toranomon Language School (TLS), about how her team supports international professionals.

What stood out to me is that TLS isn’t just about textbooks, their teachers are experienced in helping people who want to work and live in Japan, not just pass an exam. They also offer flexible options (beginner to advanced levels, group or private lessons, and online formats) so you can choose what works best for your schedule.

TLS even provides consultation so you can talk through your goals before deciding. It’s a helpful way to understand how their programs fit your situation.

And as a small bonus, TLS has offered readers of this newsletter get ¥10,000 off your class when you sign up with code Quinn

Click here to claim your discount and start learning

A question I’ve been seeing a lot lately is:
“Tell us about a time you worked across cultures.”

This is your time to shine, but keep it tight.
Here’s an easy formula (STAR Method):

SITUATION: “I was supporting both our European and APAC teams…”
TASK: “…and needed to coordinate a project with totally different working styles.”
ACTION: “I set up shared workflows, kept everything bilingual, and created a single dashboard so nobody got lost in translation.”
RESULT: “We delivered ahead of schedule, reduced errors, and everyone actually communicated like human beings.”

This shows cultural awareness, structure, and problem-solving!

As with any digital ad campaign, the important thing is to reach streaming audiences who will convert. To that end, Roku’s self-service Ads Manager stands ready with powerful segmentation and targeting options. After all, you know your customers, and we know our streaming audience.

Worried it’s too late to spin up new Black Friday creative? With Roku Ads Manager, you can easily import and augment existing creative assets from your social channels. We also have AI-assisted upscaling, so every ad is primed for CTV.

Once you’ve done this, then you can easily set up A/B tests to flight different creative variants and Black Friday offers. If you’re a Shopify brand, you can even run shoppable ads directly on-screen so viewers can purchase with just a click of their Roku remote.

Bonus: we’re gifting you $5K in ad credits when you spend your first $5K on Roku Ads Manager. Just sign up and use code GET5K. Terms apply.

Use code GET5K now

Japan’s work culture is changing, and you can thank two things:

More companies now openly offer:

Even better: Japanese is becoming less of a hard requirement for certain roles. Companies care more about what you can do than how perfect your keigo is (though learning some still helps).

If you’ve worked with global teams before, you’re already more attractive to many Japanese employers than you think.

A couple of big updates this year you should know about:

The government is raising the number of foreign professionals it wants companies to hire, especially in logistics, manufacturing, and operations. That means more employers are getting financial incentives to hire international talent.

Japan is phasing out the old trainee system and introducing a more worker-friendly program with better rights and more flexibility. This may open additional pathways for long-term stays and career transitions once the full system rolls out.

Prefectures across Japan are urging companies to treat foreign residents as long-term contributors, not temporary labor. This cultural shift will likely lead to more inclusive HR policies.

What this means for you:
Japan wants more skilled foreign workers, and companies are being nudged gently, politely, bureaucratically to hire you.

If you like creative environments, flexible hours, and companies that don’t look like every other grey corporate building in Tokyo, Loftwork is worth checking out.

Loftwork is a creative consulting and design agency that partners on innovation, branding, and digital strategy projects. Their teams are full of designers, PMs, creators, global freelancers, and people who show up to meetings with ideas instead of Excel spreadsheets (a rare treat in Japan).

Why foreigners like working here:

Roles typically pop up in project management, content strategy, UX, and creative production.

Application Tip: Show them a project where you turned vague chaos into a clear plan, that’s basically half the job.

If you want detailed salary data, industry breakdowns, visa updates, and weekly curated roles you won’t find anywhere else, consider joining Japan Work Report, my paid newsletter for people actively planning their move to Japan.

Every edition includes:

You can join here

With thousands of AI tools available, how do you know which ones are worth your money? Subscribe to Mindstream and get our expert guide comparing 40+ popular AI tools. Discover which free options rival paid versions and when upgrading is essential. Stop overspending on tools you don't need and find the perfect AI stack for your workflow.

Subscribe to Get Your Free Comparison