Jobs in Tokyo with No Japanese Required

No Japanese required means different things in Tokyo depending on the job. At one end are professional roles where English is the working language: software teams at product companies, foreign-affiliated firms and language schools. At the other end are hands-on jobs where tasks can be learned by watching: kitchen prep and dishwashing, hotel housekeeping, sorting at logistics centres and cleaning. The first group needs strong English and qualifications; the second needs the right residence status more than any language.

Your status decides which end is open to you. Engineer/Specialist holders can take IT, teaching at private language schools, or roles built on international business, all of which can run in English. Hands-on roles are generally for permanent residents, spouses, long-term residents, or students and Dependent visa holders working part-time within their permitted hours. Specified Skilled Worker routes require passing a Japanese test, so they are not a no-Japanese option, although daily work may use simple Japanese.

A practical tip: even when the job itself is in English, your contract, payslips, tax forms and safety rules will usually be in Japanese. Ask whether a colleague or manager can explain them in a language you understand, and never sign anything you cannot read. Be wary of offers that promise high pay for no Japanese and no experience, ask you to pay fees, or want to hold your residence card or passport. Legitimate employers do none of these.