Teaching English in Japan is often seen as the easiest route to moving to Japan permanently. English tuition and improvement has been part of Japanese education aims for decades, with Japanese school children having to take the subject from fifth grade onwards. For those outside of the school system English language skills can also be helpful in the workplace and socially, especially with the global dominance of English politically and culturally. To help achieve these goals a steady stream of native-English language teachers are required.
Given the global cultural interest in Japan this seems like a match made in heaven. Japan wants enthusiastic English teachers, and plenty of people want to live in Japan. But of course, life is never straightforward- so what’s English teaching in Japan really like? There’s no easy answer, but here’s my breakdown as someone who started his career as an English teacher in Japan and then moved into business.
Teaching English in Japan: The Positives
Teaching in Japan really can be a straightforward way to move to the country. Especially if you’re at the start of your career journey it can be a solid first step. The job is also usually pretty fun depending on the students. I taught in schools during the day and then high-level adult classes at night. I really appreciated the variety and simple joy of teaching kids vs the more prosaic in-depth attitude I took with adults.
Since coming back I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve talked in job interviews or with interested business partners about my time in Japan. Teaching English in Japan is a challenge, gets you out of your comfort zone and makes you an interesting person! And for those who really are focused on the longterm: if you can brush up on your Japanese language and build up career skills it is possible to make the shift from English teaching into a more established career path in Japan. Or if you just want to stay a year or two, you’ll come back with plenty of stories to tell!
The Drawbacks
English language teaching tends to have a high turnover of staff. So it’s the ideal job for enthusiastic young adults. Those fresh out of University and eager to live out their dreams of living in Japan. Most employees will only stay for a couple of years, and then leave the country or switch careers. This high turnover leads to a fairly static wage. It can also make it difficult for those who want to follow English teaching as a longterm career. But with work and focus it can be done. Universities and Private Schools do offer opportunities for more permanent, career-focused English teaching. But employees need to think strategically and build their skills in order to score one of these lucrative places.
Another frequent critique is the iterative nature of Japanese school priorities. Clear instruction and ridged lesson goals are often prioritised over teachers providing dynamic and engaging lessons. This can be a puzzle to solve. Yet with proper lesson planning and plenty of enthusiasm it is possible for students to get the best of both worlds.
A Decision to Make
My main advice for someone thinking of teaching English in Japan? Research. Look at forums, articles, opinion pieces, news and YouTube videos. Get as many perspectives as you can, positive and negative. Arm yourself with the facts and decide if the path of teaching English in Japan is really right for you. And if it is, then truly go for it- put all of your effort into it and good luck.
