FAQ

I’m often asked about possible opportunities to work in Japan, and what life is like as a foreign national. These are very open ended questions, and are not the easiest to answer! However, here are a few thoughts based on my personal experience (and therefore greatly subject to error or at least, not always applicable: don’t take this as the final word!).

Note that I am based at the JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), which specialises in robotic planetary exploration and space-based astronomy. Other institutes within JAXA may operate quite differently.

CAN FOREIGN NATIONALS WORK AT JAXA?

Obviously yes, since I am employed at JAXA and not a Japanese citizen! There may be restrictions for certain positions, but research positions at JAXA ISAS are open to other nationalities.

The JAXA Japanese recruitment page does note that foreign nationals should be able to show proof of residence in Japan before the date they join JAXA.

CAN I APPLY FOR A JOB AT JAXA?

JAXA has an employment opportunities page in English [here]. The advertised positions are usually for researchers. While JAXA has a wide variety of positions, the non-research roles typically seem to assume Japanese language ability and would be advertised on the [Japanese language website]. While my role at ISAS now has an outreach-focus, I was hired as a researcher.

JAXA also offers a variety of short-term (usually 1 ~ 2 weeks) internships during the summer that are suitable for students from high school to graduate school level. However, do note that these are not funded and not all are suitable for non-Japanese speakers. Available internships will be posted on the above job page, I think around April.

JAXA is not a university, and cannot award degrees. Graduate students involved in research projects at JAXA are therefore enrolled at a Japanese university. Many JAXA-based students attend the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, known as “SOKENDAI”, which works in close partnership with the Japan research institutes. Many faculty at JAXA are also jointly affiliated with SOKENDAI (including myself). SOKENDAI offers masters and doctoral programs, as well as short-term funded internships that are open to international graduate students. Their English website is [here], and the SOKENDAI page for JAXA ISAS is [here].

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) also has funded short-term and long-term positions for postdoctoral researchers and visiting faculty to institutes throughout Japan. From [their website], there may also be positions for visiting graduate students as well. I first visited Japan on a short-term (four month) JSPS postdoctoral fellowship, which proved to be a fabulous way to experience working in Japan at low risk. Their English website with the different fellowship opportunities is [here].

In many cases, you will need to find a host researcher to support your application and work with while in Japan. The best way is through a professional connection, such as a recommendation from a professor at your university, or from research papers you have studied. However, the ISAS SOKENDAI page also offers brief overviews of the specialities of our professors [here and here] and there is also a general page for all ISAS staff [here].

(As a high percentage of my work is now outreach focussed, it is rare that I would accept a student for a masters or doctoral degree. I would be concerned that I do not have the required time to dedicate to their project.)

DO I NEED TO SPEAK JAPANESE TO WORK IN JAPAN?

Unhelpfully, it greatly depends! With a few notable exceptions (such as the Earth-Life Science Institute and the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe) the default language at most astronomy/space science institutes in Japan (including JAXA ISAS) is Japanese. This presents two challenges; one administrative and one research.

At JAXA ISAS, the first is tackled by a dedicated (and extremely good) support team to help international employees and visitors navigate administrative tasks. They assist in handling grants, budgets, travel, and find out how to recycle that old metal bookcase in your office that you’ve been staring resentfully at for the last six months. Hokkaido University in Sapporo (where I was previously based before JAXA) also set up an excellent support unit for international researchers in the science department. A similar facility should exist at other institutes, but it’s worth checking.

For the research environment, my experience is that some groups are very comfortable operating in English, while others may have only a few members who can converse confidently. For ECRs (Early Career Researchers) this comes with some risks: if your advisor speaks to you in English, but the rest of the group usually chats in Japanese, you may feel unintentionally isolated, or miss out on opportunities or projects that you might have discovered through organic interactions at a predominantly English speaking institute. It will also be a major international hike to attend conferences in Europe or the USA, and domestic meetings may be held partially or entirely in Japanese. Most problems are not insurmountable, but they can affect your productivity which can be tough to absorb early in career.

Before accepting a position, I think it’s therefore useful to ask details about the research environment, and the level of English in your prospective group as a whole. For example, what language is typically used in group meetings? What about the department seminars? (ISAS holds many seminars in English, but it does depend on the individual research groups.) If you are applying as a graduate student, are there any other international students in the group, and have international students graduated successfully in the past? Are any required classes held in English, or are only the slides translated? Do you have a reason other than really liking all manga editions of “Naruto” for wanting to work in Japan?

Very broadly (with many exceptions!) I’d say the scientists are more comfortable in English than the engineers!

These questions of course also apply to more senior roles. One query at faculty level might be whether students are typically comfortable with being advised in English. If not, is joint supervision with a Japanese faculty member a possibility to help bridge that language gap? (Our head of group at Hokkaido University successfully employed such a strategy.)

That all said, my Japanese is terrible. I truly try, but languages are just not one of my gifts. I continue to take lessons, and use software such as google translate / DeepL to communicate with colleagues who struggle with English. I have worked with wonderful people who met me more than half-way, and I manage just fine. However, my work does not require me to be part of one of the big mission or instrument teams, but to beaver away somewhat independently. I suspect this is helping me circumnavigate the language barrier.

The TL;DR version is that there will be a language barrier. The question is how large and whether you can (or want to) weave around it.

GENDER INEQUALITY

Japan does not have the greatest reputation for gender equality in the workplace, and I am often asked if I’ve run into problems. The answer is no; I have not personally experienced any issues related to being a female scientist in Japan. I do suspect my “foreigness” (with the need to speak to me in English or risk my terrible Japanese) overrides “gender” in the perspective of me.

ISAS also has a number of programs designed to support female researchers, so the issue in on the radar. However, it remains an ongoing problem.

PRACTICAL LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Getting set-up with an apartment and similar functionality is typically trying, but manageable. Your work institute should offer help, and often your colleagues will be absolute troopers and step into the role of interpreter for the various contracts that need signing. There are services (such as realtors) that support foreign residents, although these are more common in cities such as Tokyo. Shop staff do not often speak English, but they are usually pretty decent at trying to assist. I found that it was an anxious few months attempting to sort out bank accounts, mobile phones, accommodation, and home internet, but then I was OK.

In cities such as Tokyo, it is possible to find English speaking medical care. In smaller cities like Sapporo, there were a few English-speaking doctors (typically discovered via word of mouth) and also a medical interpretation service run by volunteers.

Vegetarian and vegan diets are unusual in Japan. It is entirely possible to manage, but be prepared for a very restricted restaurant choice.

LIFE OUTSIDE WORK

I like my colleagues a great deal and have huge respect for them, but it is true that making close friends can be difficult with even a small language barrier. In Tokyo, there is a significant immigrant population and there are meet-ups for all kinds of interests in English (such as Space Cafe, NerdNite, comedy etc) where you can meet other English-speaking residents. In Sapporo, it was more of a struggle (although possibly easier if you’re enrolled as a student in a university).

How much this bothers you is going to be personal. I enjoy cruising around events and museums alone, and I have many friends online as well as a few close friends I meet in person. So I’m generally good treating the world around me as a bunch of NPCs. But it’s possible that I might have felt more isolated when I was younger.

The bottom line is the same as for the previous section: there’s a language barrier. How comfortable are you going to be sitting on the tough side of that? The best way to find out is of course to try! If you have the opportunity to first visit a Japan research institute for a few months, then this would be the best way to see if you will be happy.