Job Interviews in Japan: Flow, Manners and the Questions Foreigners Get Asked

How the selection process usually runs

Most mid-sized and large companies follow a similar pattern: document screening (書類選考), sometimes an aptitude or Japanese test, one to three interviews, and then an informal offer (内定). The first interview is often with HR or a team leader and checks basics such as communication, attitude and conditions. Later interviews go deeper into your skills, and the final one is often with a manager or executive who asks why you chose this company and whether you intend to stay.

Smaller companies, restaurants and factories may do everything in one meeting, sometimes with the owner. Recruitment agencies may add their own briefing before you meet the employer. Whatever the format, ask in advance who will interview you, how long it will take and whether the interview will be in Japanese, English or both.

Group interviews and group discussions are common in new-graduate hiring (新卒採用). There, the company looks at how you listen and cooperate as much as what you say, so do not try to dominate the conversation.

Manners for in-person interviews

Arrive at the building a little early, but go to reception only around five to ten minutes before your time. Arriving much earlier can inconvenience the staff. If you might be late because of a train delay, call the contact person before the start time, apologize briefly and give your expected arrival time.

When you enter the room, knock, wait for a reply, say 「失礼いたします」, close the door and stand beside your chair. Sit down only after you are invited to. Keep your bag on the floor next to you, sit up straight and keep your hands on your lap. At the end, stand up, thank the interviewers, bow, and say 「失礼いたします」 again at the door.

A dark suit is still the safe default for office jobs and new-graduate hiring. For factory, restaurant or IT roles, the company may say that casual clothes are fine; even then, choose something clean and simple. Bring a printed copy of your resume, your residence card, a pen and a notebook.

• Turn your phone off, not just to silent
• Take off your coat before entering the building and carry it folded
• Use the company name correctly and say 御社 when speaking about the company
• Answer with a short conclusion first, then a reason or example

Online interviews

Online interviews are now normal for first rounds and for applicants who are still overseas. Test the platform the company uses the day before, update the app, and check your camera, microphone and connection. Log in a few minutes early and wait with your camera on.

Choose a quiet room with a plain background and light in front of you rather than behind. Place the camera at eye level and look at the lens when you speak, not at your own image. Dress exactly as you would for an in-person interview, top to bottom, in case you need to stand up.

Audio delays make it easy to talk over the interviewer, so pause slightly before answering. If the connection drops, reconnect quickly or call the contact number you were given. Keep that number and the meeting link ready before the interview starts.

Questions foreign applicants are often asked

Expect the standard questions first: a self-introduction, why you are interested in this company, what you did in your previous job or studies, your strengths and weaknesses, and when you can start. Prepare a one-minute self-introduction that matches your resume.

Questions about your residence status are normal and legitimate. Employers are required to confirm that you are allowed to do the work before hiring you, so they may ask to see your residence card, check your status and period of stay, and ask about your plans if the status needs to be changed or renewed. Answer accurately. If you are a student applying for full-time work, explain when you graduate and that you understand a change of status will be needed. Do not claim that a status change is certain; the decision rests with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.

You may also be asked why you came to Japan, how long you plan to stay, and how you would deal with Japanese workplace culture. The interviewer is usually checking for commitment and adaptability, not trying to catch you out. Honest, concrete answers work better than grand statements.

• What is your current residence status, and until when is your period of stay?
• Do you hold permission to engage in activity other than that permitted (for students and dependents)?
• What is your Japanese level, and where have you used Japanese?
• Why do you want to work in Japan, and in this field?
• How long do you plan to work in Japan?
• Can you work shifts, weekends or overtime if needed?

Answering 志望動機 and 自己PR

志望動機 is your reason for applying to this particular company, not just to Japan or to the industry. A good structure is: what attracted you (a product, service, market or way of working), how it connects to your own experience, and what you want to contribute. If your answer would work equally well for any company, it is too general. Mention something specific you learned from their website, job ad or a store visit.

自己PR is a short, evidence-based pitch of one or two strengths. State the strength, give one concrete episode from work, study or part-time jobs, show the result, and link it to the job. For example, instead of saying you are hard-working, explain how you trained new part-time staff or reduced mistakes in a process you were responsible for.

Keep both answers consistent with your written resume and entry sheet. Japanese interviewers often read your documents closely and ask follow-up questions on any line. Practice aloud in Japanese if the job uses Japanese, but aim for clear polite forms rather than difficult keigo you are not comfortable with.

Reverse questions (逆質問)

Near the end you will almost always hear 「何か質問はありますか」. Saying you have no questions can come across as low interest, so prepare two or three. Good questions show that you are already imagining yourself in the job.

Ask about the work, the team and training first. Questions about salary, overtime and holidays are important, but in the first interview it is usually smoother to confirm them with HR or the agency, or when you receive the written conditions. If you need visa support, it is reasonable to ask how the company normally handles the paperwork for a change of status.

• What does a typical day look like for someone in this role?
• How is training handled in the first few months?
• What skills do people who succeed in this team have in common?
• Have other foreign staff worked in this team, and how did they settle in?

Questions an employer should not ask

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare publishes guidance on fair recruitment and selection. It asks employers to judge applicants only on their aptitude and ability for the job, and to avoid collecting information that has nothing to do with the work. Checking your residence status and work eligibility is a legal requirement and is not covered by this concern.

Topics the guidance treats as inappropriate include your 本籍 (family register domicile) or birthplace, your family's occupations, income or assets, your housing situation, religion, political party, beliefs and views on life, and union activity. Asking these can lead to discrimination and should not be part of hiring. In practice, some interviewers still ask casual questions about family out of habit.

If a question makes you uncomfortable, you can answer briefly and redirect to your skills, or politely say that you would prefer to focus on the job. If you believe you were treated unfairly, you can consult the prefectural labour bureau or a Hello Work office.

After the interview: follow-up and offers

A short thank-you email on the same day is common and appreciated, especially after a final interview. Keep it to a few lines: thank them for their time, mention one point you found interesting and restate your interest. If you applied through an agency, send your feedback to the agency instead.

If you receive an offer (内定), ask for the working conditions in writing before you accept: job content, workplace, salary, working hours, holidays, and contract period. Reply within the deadline the company gives you. If you need more time because you are waiting for another company, say so honestly and ask whether a short extension is possible.

For foreign hires, the offer is often only the first step. If a change of status is needed, you and the company will prepare the documents together, and you usually cannot start until permission is granted. Do not resign from your current job or stop your current activity before you understand the timing.