GTalent, a recruiting agency for global IT talents, summarized the market size of the Japanese IT industry based on information from various databases. It is a report based on information and data known in 2019 as of June 2020, such as the market size of the Japanese IT industry compared with the world, the number of IT engineers in Japan and the overseas, the IT field that will grow in the next three years, etc. If you are considering looking for a job in the IT industry in Japan, feel free to use it as a reference.IT Industry Market Size in JapanFirst, we would like to explain about the market size of the Japanese IT industry and the fields in which IT investment will expand in the next three years.It is estimated that the market size of the IT industry (including hardware, software, and services) of domestic private companies will increase by 2.8% year on year in 2018 to 12.493.0 billion yen. In 2019, it is calculated that the market size will be 12.918 trillion yen by 3.4% increase year on year. In 2020, it’s estimated that it will be 13.124 trillion yen by 1.6% increase year on year, and it will be 13.320 trillion yen by 1.5% increase year on year in 2021.Because the initiative on the reform of the work style remained firm in 2018, also the large-scale renewal of the system was also notable due to the increasing profitability of privates companies. There is also strong demand for replacement of Windows 10 by the end of support for Windows 7 scheduled in January 2020. These trends are expected to continue in 2019 as well.Reference: IT Investment by Domestic Companies 2019/Yano Research Institute LtdTranslated from Japanese to English by GTalent.As we can see, the market size of Japan IT industry is increasing year by year, and the market size in 2019 will be about 13 trillion yen which is about 122 billion US dollars by exchange rate as of June 2020. It’s one of the largest industry in Japanese economy.Areas where IT Investment will increase in the next 3 years in JapanIn the next 3 years, ERP will become the most invested software in the IT industry for the first time in 8 years.According to the questionnaire survey for corporates survey conducted every year, it asked what will be a software that will increase in IT investment over the next three years. According to the results of the survey released in 2019 (482 respondents, Multiple selections up to 3), “ERP” obtained 41.9%, being the highest for the first time in 8 years, equaling “Security-related software” which held the first for a long time.The background information is update of core system with the same as the change of business environment, the progress of cloud ERP packages, SAP’s ERP maintenance support deadline of 2025 and so on.Reference: IT Investment by Domestic Companies 2019/Yano Research Institute LtdTranslated from Japanese to English by GTalent.Global IT Industry Market Size and Comparison with Japanese IT marketReference: Gartner Says Global IT Spending to Reach $3.8 Trillion in 2019World IT spending forecast increased 3.2% year on year of in 2019, amounting to about 3.8 trillion dollars (about 400 trillion Japanese yen). All fields have grown from the previous years, especially corporate software increased a lot in that. It can be seen that there is a high need for investment in fields that can improve the business efficiency of companies, including changes of work styles.However, since this statistic was released in January 2019, it is thought that the market size estimation from 2020 will be significantly revised due to the spread of coronavirus infection from January 2019. However, the market size is not revised downward in all areas, and it is expected that the promotion of work style revolution will increase the growth rate in some areas.Looking at these market size data, the result is that Japan’s IT industry market size is about 3.3% of the world market. Given that Japan’s GDP share is about 5.7% of the world (2018), the percentage of the Japanese IT industry market share in the world is still lower than GDP’s. It may mean that Japanese IT industry has high growth potential in the future.Reference: Japan’s GDP was estimated the lowest “5.7%” in 2018/The Nihon Keizai ShinbunThe Number of Japanese IT Engineers Compared With the WorldAccording to the results of a survey conducted by Human Resocia in March 2020 about the number of IT engineers around the globe, the first place was the United States (4.77 million), the second was China (2.72 million), the third was India (2.12 million) and the fourth was Japan (1.09 million). Japan is among the top five of the list, but compared with India which is in third, the number of engineers doubled Japanese IT engineers.When comparing the number of engineers, there seems to be a big difference between Japan and other IT advanced countries such as the United States, China, and India. However considering the population of each country, the ratio of the number of IT engineer per population might not be so different.Reference:Human Resocia /Number of IT engineers around the world (North and South America)Human Resocia /Number of IT engineers around the world (Asia and Oceania)ConclusionConsidering that Japan’s IT industry is about 3.3% of the world, it can be said that it’s a very large market size. However, considering the GDP ratio, it can be said that the industry is expected to grow further. The IT industry is one of the few growth fields in the mature Japanese market, so if you are looking for a job in Japan in the future, why not consider the IT industry as one of your options?If you are looking for a job in the IT industry in Japan, please register with G Talent, a professional recruitment agency for global IT talents. Our professional consultants will help you with job changes and job hunting for free.

The IT industry in Japan is providing several opportunities for foreign IT engineers. Among all the engineers working in the country, 3 percent of those are foreigners. With the country facing a deficit of engineers by 2030, Japanese IT companies are looking for more It professionals offshore.Working as an engineer in the Land of the Rising Sun can be exciting but work-life balance hinders most foreign workers from sending their applications. To shake off this reputation, many companies are easing up on the schedules of IT engineers in an effort to encourage work-life balance.Working HoursAn IT engineer typically starts working at 9:00 or 10:00 and ends the day after 8 hours of work. However, some stay at the office for an hour or two to avoid the rush hour.Flexible Working HoursSome companies still prefer engineers to work on the set working hours but more IT companies and engineering departments are adopting a flexible schedule nowadays. This is part of the efforts to reduce overtime among employees. In addition, the flexible working hours also allow engineers to avoid rush hour stress and crowds, and give them time to attend to other matters and conduct personal transactions like a doctor’s appointment.An Engineer’s Workday9:00~12:30: Start of Work, Work Assembly or updates12:30 ~ 13:00: Lunch13:00 ~ 16:00: Continue working on projects and tasks16:00 ~ 19:00: Going home, after-work partiesThis is the typical schedule of an IT engineer working in an office. For those working from home have flexible schedules, they may have different working hours and some may be shorter compared to the above sample.Day ScheduleCompanies in Japan have morning assemblies called chourei which takes about 15 minutes. The whole team comes together and shares information about work progress and their schedule or goals for the day. Sharing information provides everyone in a team an overview of their tasks to avoid delays and suggest improvements in projects.After the morning assembly, engineers also have to check on emails and answer queries from clients in the morning. This helps them know if new projects are given or if clients request for new details and functions in an ongoing project.Project HandlingIT companies and departments received a handful of projects which are then assigned to different teams. Each member has his/her own responsibilities and those will affect how an IT engineer’s schedule would go.Planning StageOn an event when a new project is given, a team starts to plan, schedule, and research as part of their morning schedule. Members are assigned to handle project management, estimate cost, and plan the working hours needed for each task.Members research about technologies related to their tasks and inform the team. In their regular meetings, the team shares their ideas on how to proceed with their project.Development StageIn the late morning, engineers start working on the actual project after schedules and estimates have been approved. When a team’s already working on a project, this part of the process is usually done first thing after the morning assembly.The team begins designing algorithms and functions in this stage. This also takes days to complete depending on how big the project is. So a workweek of an engineer may comprise project development.Though research has been done in the planning stage, the team also conducts thorough research during the development of the project. This involves solving backlogs and issues in a program as some previously searched technologies and developments might not be compatible with the current project.Project CompletionWhen everyone is done with their respective tasks in a project, team members conduct a series of tests to check for bugs and major issues. This review process can last for half a day or two depending on the size of the project. This stage also requires members to list down suggestions to improve the output.Afternoon ScheduleReviewing does not only happen when the project has been completed. Every step of the process of each member’s tasks is reviewed by themselves or by another engineer assigned.In this part of the day, engineers prepare a list of what they have accomplished within the day to report during the next day’s morning assembly. This also gives them time to organize and keep track of or set their daily, weekly, and even monthly goals.After Working HoursAs mentioned above, people tend to leave work late to avoid the rush hour so some leave the office around 19:00. Some engineers continue working to have a headstart the next day or do overtime work to finish a project within the day. Nonetheless, overtime does not happen as frequently nowadays.Just like other businesses in Japan, IT companies and departments also go for drinks to celebrate a finished project, holidays, promotions, or just hang out with colleagues. In bigger companies, engineers can join club activities such as sports or take this time to study the Japanese language. Days Off, Paid Leaves, and HolidaysA few of the questions asked by IT engineers who don’t really know much about the country are the number of days off, holidays, vacations, and breaks. Employers must give 45 minutes to an hour worth of break in a workday. Companies should also let employees have one or two days off in a week. For vacation leaves, companies should grant a minimum of 10 days paid vacation leaves to new employees after working for six months. Some companies even give additional vacation leaves.Holidays also affect workdays. Japan has 16 national holidays and most of them fall on a workday. That means more time to explore the country and find new hobbies for IT engineers working in Japan.ConclusionAs more foreign IT engineers pursue their careers in the country, the work environment continues to shape to provide more flexibility and promote great work-life balance. Though the rush hours remain, the reform efforts made by companies will relieve the stress coming from commuting and provide more opportunities for IT engineers to learn new skills and go for vacations in the country. Sources: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/working-past-the-timehttps://kimi.wiki/work/workday-japan-engineerhttps://medium.com/devjobs-jp/software-developer-in-japan-myths-work-life-balance-9a7a41315678https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/setting_up/section4/page5.html

グローバルIT人材の転職エージェントGTalentが日本のIT業界の市場規模などを各種データからまとめました。世界と比較した日本のIT業界の市場規模やIT技術者数、今後3年間で成長するIT分野など、2019年6月時点でわかっている情報やデータを元にまとめられたものなので、今後日本のIT業界に就職・転職を希望する方は是非ご参考にされてみてください。※こちらの記事を英語でご覧になりたい方は、こちら（English Here!）になります。日本のIT業界の市場規模まずは日本のIT業界の市場規模と今後3年間でIT投資が拡大する分野を見ていきたいと思います。国内民間企業のIT市場規模（ハード・ソフト・サービス含む）は、2018年度が前年度比2.8％増の12兆4,930億円と推計した。今後は、2019年度が前年度比3.4％増の12兆9,180億円、2020年度は同1.6％増の13兆1,240億円、2021年度は同1.5％増の13兆3,200億円と予測する。2018年度はワークスタイル変革に関する取組みが引き続き堅調に推移した他、民間企業の収益力の高まりなどから、大規模システムの更改も目立った。また、2020年1月に予定されているWindows7のサポート終了に向けたWindows10への買い替え需要も旺盛である。これらの流れは2019年度も続くと予測する。参照：国内企業のIT投資に関する調査（2019年）/矢野経済研究所ご覧の通り、日本のIT市場規模は年々増加をしており、2019年の市場規模は12兆9,180億円（約100 billion dollors)となり、日本の産業の中でも非常に大きな規模を誇ります。日本で今後3年間でIT投資が増加する分野今後3年間でIT投資が増加するソフトウェアはERPが8年ぶりに首位に。法人を対象としたアンケート調査においては、毎年、今後3年間でIT投資が増加するソフトウェアについて尋ね、回答を得ている。2019年調査（回答社数482社、最大3つまで複数選択可能）では「ERP（基幹業務統合管理）」が41.9％で8年ぶりにトップに立ち、これまでトップであった「セキュリティ関連ソフトウェア」と同率1位となった。ERPがトップになった背景には、経営環境の変化にあわせて基幹システムを更新する動きが進んでいることや、ERPパッケージのクラウド化が進んでいること、SAPのERP保守サポート期限が2025年に迫っていることなどがあると考える。参照：国内企業のIT投資に関する調査（2019年）/矢野経済研究所世界のIT業界の市場規模との比較参照：Gartner Says Global IT Spending to Reach $3.8 Trillion in 2019２０１９年の世界IT支出予測は前年比3.2%で金額規模が約3.8兆ドル（日本円約400兆円）となっています。全ての分野において前年から成長をしており、特に企業向けのソフトウェアなどの伸びが顕著になっています。働き方の見直し含め企業の業務効率向上ができる分野への投資ニーズの高さが見て取れます。しかし、この統計は2019年1月に発表されたものであるため、2019年1月からのコロナウィルス感染拡大により、2020年以降の市場規模に関しては大きく見直しが行われると考えられます。ただし、全てにおいて市場規模が下方修正されるのではなく、リモートワークの推進により、分野によってはむしろ成長率が上がることも予想されます。これらの市場規模データを見ると、日本のIT業界市場規模は世界の約3.3%を占めるという結果となっています。日本のGDPシェアが世界の約5.7%（2018年）ということを考えると、日本の産業全体に占めるIT業界の割合はまだまだ低く、今後も成長性が高いと言えるかもしれません。参照：日本のGDPシェア、最低の5.7% 18年推計/日本経済新聞世界と比較した日本のIT技術者数2020年3月にヒューマンリソシアが実施した調査結果では、1位アメリカ（477万人）、2位は中国（227万人）、3位はインド（212万人）と4位は日本（109万人）となっております。日本はトップ5には入っておりますが、3位のインドと比較してみると、技術者の数は日本の倍になっております。技術者の数だけと見ると、IT先進国と言われるアメリカや中国、インドと比べると大きな差がありそうに見えますが、各国の人口を考えると、アメリカ、中国、インドは日本の数倍の人口となるため、IT技術者の割合にはそこまで大きな差はないかもしれません。参照：ヒューマンリソシア / 世界各国のIT技術者数 ～米国・中南米編～ヒューマンリソシア / 世界各国のIT技術者数 ～アジア・オセアニア編～まとめ日本のIT産業は世界の約3.3%を占めているということを考えると、非常に大きな市場規模と言えるでしょう。しかし、GDP比などで考えると、さらに成長が見込める業界と言えます。成熟している日本市場の中で、IT業界は数少ない成長分野となるため、今後日本で就職・転職をお考えの方は選択肢の一つとしてIT業界を考えてみてはいかがでしょうか。もし日本でIT業界に就職・転職を希望している場合、グローバルIT人材の転職エージェントGTalent（ジータレント）にご登録ください。プロのコンサルタントが無料で転職・就職活動をサポートいたします。

The spread of coronavirus infection has led several businesses into a temporary halt, and some completely shut down. The work environment has also changed as the government encourages companies to make their employees work remotely.Moreover, businesses in Japan are moving their efforts to online marketing. Industries greatly affected by the pandemic are also creating new business strategies as the country plans to open its doors again for tourists to help kick-start the economy. As such, the number of IT-related projects continues to soar and Japan still needs more IT engineers to cope with the demand for workforce in the industry.Impact of Corona in the IT IndustryAccording to IDC Japan, the ICT market in the country is forecast to decrease by 4.5%. This is due to the postponement of the 2020 Olympics, the sluggish service industry, and the supply-chain disruption. Despite the forecast, IDC believes that it will have less impact in the IT industry due to digital transformation and system updates for businesses which opens up a new market for the IT industry.Companies are expected to lose some revenue due to the pandemic but system support and maintenance are indispensable. They are necessary to stabilize business operations or help them transfer to digital marketing as consumer behaviors are seen to rise during the pandemic.Unlike other businesses, IT companies can work remotely which is shaping up to be the new normal. In-house services are also needed recently for digital transformation in businesses.Remote WorkCompanies are recommending a work from home or remote work setup to keep employees safe and businesses afloat. Remote working is not only limited to working at home but it also includes working in satellite offices.Remote work can reduce long travel hours and eliminate the stress from commuting. Transportation costs are also reduced for companies. This type of setting will also improve the work-life balance of IT engineers. However, remote work can also cause delays in confirmations and consultations which can easily be done face-to-face in an office-based setting.RecruitmentThe job market in Japan has seen a downward trend but the hiring of IT engineers has not decreased under these circumstances. IT companies in the country are still looking for new candidates and have adopted online applications into the interview and screening process.IT companies are motivated to continue hiring and training engineers in response to the implementation of system improvements for businesses to grow. Companies are expected to request system replacements and maintenance in 2020 which can potentially continue in the next year.IT Industries and Job Titles Needed in JapanThe IT job market continues to look for IT engineers to fill in available job titles for remote and in-house work during these circumstances. Here are a few IT industries and job titles IT companies are looking for:Internet industryCompanies in this industry deal with various web services and developments on the internet such as server management, site management, and internet advertisement. Most IT engineers working in this industry can work anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection. Web designers and programmers fall under this industry.Telecommunications industryThey deal with maintenance and improvements in mobile phones, landlines, internet, and communication lines. Sales engineers and network engineers work for the telecommunications industry. They also do product planning and development.Software industryCompanies under the software industry develop a wide range of operating systems of basic software and applications. The industry needs systems engineers, application engineers, and programmers.Hardware industryIt is an industry that plans, designs, and develops hardware such as smartphones and PC peripherals. They also handle IoT which is currently included in home appliances. Sales engineers, systems engineers, and hardware engineers fall under this industry.Engineering Work OutlookIT Engineers in Japan are requested to work on various system-related services, contractual development projects, and in-house products and services. Here’s the outlook for the three working styles of IT engineers in Japan.System Engineering Service (SES)Engineers working in this field develop and maintain information systems of companies. An engineer is assigned to a company and stays resident there to get used to the system design of the company. During this period, engineers can work remotely and access the system environment with VPN but communication is less and it may be difficult to provide the service they need. Moving forward, SES contracts may change and will require engineers to learn new skills. Contract Development ProjectsIT companies are responsible for the system development of companies. Multiple engineers are assigned and work together as project members along with the development team in the company office. Engineers working in this field can work remotely, but efficiency is expected to become lower due to work schedules risking the delivery time of the development system. In the future, there is a need for change in the working style of engineers involved in contract development projects.In-house ServicesEngineers belonging to the in-house services develop and maintain operations to improve company products. Development and maintenance are scheduled and contracts are based on the services needed. As engineers need to work remotely, requesting reviews and communication with leaders can be difficult and engineers need to learn skills to work around this.Skills Needed from IT Engineers in the FutureThe coronavirus has eliminated close contact work. As more IT engineers seek jobs in the industry, remote work is expected to continue even when the pandemic is over. Employers are also looking for qualities that will best fit IT talents while doing remote work. Here are two important skills that IT engineers need in the future.Great Time ManagementCompared to working in the office, there is less interruption when working remotely. IT engineers should utilize this opportunity to practice managing their tasks and setting clear goals such as finishing a part of a task within a day or scheduling a review of ongoing work once a week.Employers will be looking for candidates and trainees that are reliable and can balance their work and life while working remotely.Online CommunicationUnlike talking with your teammates in a conference room or meeting room, online meetings right now are moving in a systematic approach. Always listen to the host and write down everything you want to ask and make them simpler so when your turn comes, you can ask questions precisely and promptly to avoid delays in the meeting. For emails and other business communication platforms, explain all the things you need to convey in easy sentences or in precise sentences. Fillers are not needed in business communication as it will only cause problems. This will also give your employer your professionalism and respect for time. ConclusionThe IT job market is continuously looking for IT talents to fill the demand of the workforce in the country. The work-life balance is expected to improve among IT engineers now that companies are transitioning to remote work. With the current technology and problems related to remote work, IT engineers also need to improve their skills moving forward. Sources:https://xtech.nikkei.com/atcl/nxt/column/18/00001/04125/?P=2https://www.java-career.com/column/industry-knowledge/influence-of-coronavirus-to-it-industory/https://arvo.showcase-tv.com/140081/https://www.java-career.com/column/industry-knowledge/engineer-and-telework/

The number of companies that introduced “Telework” or “Zaitaku-kinmu” increased rapidly due to the coronavirus.Since the state of emergency was lifted, we could observe how some employees were heading to their offices again. However, at the time this article was written(June 2020), the number of people on the streets was not the same as before.Therefore in this article, dedicated to people who continue working at home, we would like to explain some advice to work more comfortably from home or telework.Status of Zaitaku-kinmu and Telework in Japan after lifted the state of emergencySince the state of emergency in Japan was lifted (2020 May 25), the number of workers returning to their offices has been increasing, but actuality, how many people still working from home?According to the results of the research carried out on by Persol Institute from May 29th to June 2nd, the rate of implementation of telework after the state of emergency (2020/04/10th to 12th) was 27.9% and when the state of emergency was lifted, 25.7% of Japanese companies continued working from home.Of course, it depends on the industry and the occupation, but even after things get back to normal, approximately 70% of workers in Japan want to continue working from home. Also, considering the possibility of a second wave of infected, people expect to continue working from home.Reference: Survey conducted by Persol InstituteTips for a comfortable “Zaitaku-kinmu” and “Telework“Now, we would like to share with you some tips for a comfortable Zaitaku-kinmu and Telework.Organization and Management of Working hoursWhen you work from an office, it is easier to maintain the working hours range because the time you spend in the office is the same as your working hours.While working from home, be sure to arrange with the company or you superior regarding overtime and working hours in advance to prevent unnecessary overtime work.For example, if they contact you by email or any other communication tools at a late time and you respond, it should be included in the working hours in terms of labor low. When you work from home, the line between personal life and work becomes difficult to draw and it seems that many people who work at home work longer hours than when they worked from office.Originally the company is responsible to manage working hours, but many companies do not have good management methods for working hours while telework, which can increase your working hours unnecessarily, we recommend that at the end of the shift to shut down the PC to avoid this kind of troubles.This is an article made by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare / How to manage properly working time from home) to companies as a reference on how to manage properly working time from home. We believe this will deepen your understanding of the concept of working from home.※The article above is written in JapaneseFurthermore, it is necessary to manage properly working hours and at the same time design measures that do not reduce labor productivity. Working from home means being in a relaxed environment which can reduce your productivity by losing focus and prolonging your work hours.To prevent this situation, organizing tasks and schedules in advance is important. Recently, task management tools for various businesses can be used for free, so it would be better for you to strictly manage tasks and schedules at this opportunity.Make use of “Ho-Ren-Sou”First of all, do you know what is the meaning of “Ho-Ren-Sou”?. It’s an abbreviation word in Japanese for Houkoku(Report), Renraku(Communicate), Soudan(Consult) which is used in internal communication from long ago in Japan.It’s a so famous word as the most of Japanese have been said in the companies which they have worked for.It is common that when working from home, communication between members and bosses decreases. Due to the lack of understanding, the result of the work may be incorrect or the process of the project in which you have been part off cannot be understood. In the worst case, there is also a possibility that the results of your work will be downgraded.To avoid such “mistakes”, you should periodically report your work progress to your manager, make sure the results are correct, and at the same time make them understand the work process.Turn on the Work modeIntroducing Telework and Zaitaku-kinmu, it is a great advantage to be able to reduce travel time and go to work without getting on a crowded train (Maiin-densha). On the other hand, being at home all day makes it difficult to turn on our “work mode”.How to turn on the Work modeKeep a clean appearancePerhaps some people start working in sleepwear or loungewear for reasons like “no one is going to see me” or “I am not going outside the house”. If you are a person who does this, there is a probability that you will not fully wake up to have a good performance at work. It could be a hassle having to dress up when you are at home, but it is recommended to dress presentably. By dressing differently as you usually wear at home, it will be easier to idealize that you will start working.Separate your workspace from your daily-life spaceThis also makes it easier to switch to work by separating the work space and the living space in order to separate work from private. However, many people living alone have one room in Japan, so it may be difficult to work in a different room. In such a case, since it is good even in the same room, why not decide the work space and the private space by deciding the work space and not sitting in the work space in the private?Make short breaksTaking short breaks regularly could improve your concentration. It is helpful to leave the seat for 5 minutes every time you finish a task to stretch before starting a new one.ConclusionThere are still many companies that continue working from home or using Telework even after the emergency declaration been lifted in Japan. Working from home has many advantages, but it also has some disadvantages. We hope this article helps you work from home with high productivity and comfort.If there is a foreign IT engineer who is interested in IT-related work that can be done at home or is even considering employment or job change at this opportunity, please come and join us! Please register with G Talent. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

The phrases “Work from home” and “remote work” has been introduced in many Japanese companies, and the talent acquisition is not always about hiring full-time employees(Seishain). The methods of hiring labor is diversified in each company such as contracting self-employed workers, freelancers in Japan.According to this situation, the number of opportunities to hire foreigners in the form of outsourcing increases progressively. In these days, We ,GTalent, receive many questions about work visas from many self-employed workers, freelancers and the companies hiring them.At this article, We would like to explain in detail about how to apply for a work visa in the case of the outsourcing contracts as a self-employed worker and a freelancer.Work visa application with an outsourcing contractYou need to apply for a working visa even at the time of an outsourcing contract as a self-employed worker and a freelancer as well as the case of full-time employed(Seishain) .However, you should be careful when having several outsourcing contracts with several companies.If you have several outsourcing contracts with multiple companies, you must ask the company which you get the highest salary in the outsourcing contracts to apply for a working visa.Therefore, be sure to check which companies contracting with you pay the highest salary to you.Important Points when applying for a working visa with outsourcing contractIf you execute an outsourcing contract with a Japanese company, the following points are essentials to obtain a working visa.Appropriate outsourcing contract under the Labor Law of JapanLong-term contractDo paying the tax, pension and social security procedures by yourselfThese important points are followings in details.Appropriate outsourcing contract under the Labor Law of JapanTo apply for a working visa, you need to attach the outsourcing contract. If the content is inappropriate under Japan’s labor law, you may not be able to obtain a working visa application permission. Therefore, be sure to specify the appropriate remuneration and terms of the contract in the outsourcing contract.Long-term contractEven when outsourcing, you need to have a long-term contract as well as applying for a working visa under a full-time employment contract.If the contract period is only 1 to 2 months, you may not be able to get permission to apply for a working visa.However, even if the contract period is short, if the contract is automatically renewed unless there is a big problem, it may be possible to obtain a visa application permission.Do paying the tax, pension and social security proceduresIf you are a self-employed worker, you have to pay the tax, pension and social insurance by yourself as well as Japanese self-employed worker. If you don’t understand how to do so, be sure to check the website of National Tax Agency, Ministry of Finance Japan and so on.ConclusionNowadays more and more people are starting to work as freelancers, and the tendency will increase from now on so that companies can hire a various talent through flexible employee tyme.Particularly in the IT/WEB industry, many engineers are increasingly outsourcing their work as freelancers. Also, the number of foreign IT engineers is currently increasing in the IT/WEB industry, and it is thought that not only Japanese IT engineers but also foreign IT engineers will start to work like freelances more and more.IT engineers who are looking for work or change jobs for a Japanese company, please register with G Talent ,a recruitment agency specializing in IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

The spread of the coronavirus has led to changes in the methods of job hunting and job changing activities. A particularly big change is the rise in the number of online interviews.In this article, We would like to explain in detail the introduction status of online interviews in Japan, their impact on job hunting activities and job changing activities, and also introduce some representative companies which already incorporate online job interviews.The Status of Online Job Interviews in JapanDo you know how many companies currently offer online job interviews in Japan?Looking at the results of a survey conducted by Recruit Career in March 2020, 29.8% of the Japanese companies have already adopted online job interviews for mid-career hires or have already decided to adopt online job interviews. Besides, including companies that are considering introducing online interviews, more than half of all Japanese companies are already involved in this new trend.Therefore, if you are going to start job bunting or job changing activities soon, we could say that more than half of your job interviews may be conducted online.Resosrces:Recruit Career / Online Recruitment ActivityThe Status of online job interviews in the USAIt is said that the USA introduce the most online job interview in the hiring process in the world. What about the status of online job interviews in the USA when comparing the status of Japan?According to a survey by Ideal, a US provider of recruiting software found that 63% of HR managers in the United States use online video tools for job interviews.Resorces: The 38 Top Recruiting Software Tools Of 2020Japan still behind in the introduction rate of online job interviews compared to advanced countries, but the influence of the coronavirus will surely accelerate online recruitment activity, and the number of online job interviews will continue increasing.Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Jobs InterviewsSince the number of online job interviews still increasing, We would like to explain the advantages and disadvantages of online job interviews.Advantages of Online Jobs InerviewsSaving time and no need movingRelaxed environmentSaving time and no need movingSince the interview is conducted by online, it’s unnecessary to go to the office of the company you’re applying to, saving you the travel time and energy.As you can save time, it will be easier to adjust the schedule and you will be able to smoothly participate in the selection process of the companiesRelaxed environmentThere are a lot of people who can be relaxed when they meet with the interviewer and others who can not. When you go to a job interview while you are nervous, you may not be able to give the answers you want or you may even lose your chances.In the case of an online job interview, the environment will be easier to have a job interview without worrying about the ambiance of the place.Disadvantages of Online Jobs InterviewsWe would like to explain the disadvantages of online recruitment for job seekers below.The interviewer’s reactions are difficult to readHard to catch the atmosphere of the officeInternet connection troublesThe interviewer’s reactions are difficult to readIt’s hard to read the interviewer’s facial expression because you don’t meet him with face to face.In the case of an actual face-to-face interview, you can easily realize how the interviewer feel if see their reactions like nodding and facial expression. However, in the case of an online interview, it’s difficult to do that. And also it can be the same from the interviewer’s view.Especially, if the interviewer doesn’t understand how to deal with online job interviews, reading the reactions would be more difficult for you.Hard to catch the atmosphere of the officeOne of the major factors when you decide to join a company is the “office atmosphere”.In common hiring activities, the atmosphere of the company could be understood with the number of times the company is visited during job interviews.To change these disadvantages, some companies have been posting videos that show the atmosphere of the office so applicants could get it.Internet connection troublesIn the case of online job interviews, the internet network environment would be trouble well. If you may not be able to connect well, you couldn’t listen the questions and the interviewer couldn’t listen your answer well. In the worst case, the interview time may end as it is.Therefore, be sure to check the internet connection before an online job interview.In the unlikely case, if you have sudden disconnection, freezing of the video and so on, you don’t panic and call the recruitment counter of the company directly and explain the situation with calm.Also, some companies use software that needs to be installed in advance, we recommended to install it in advance.Major Japanese companies that have adopted Online RecruitmentWe would like to introduce major Japanese companies that have already included online interviews and AI systems.TOYOTA: Embeds online interviews in hiring new graduatesSoftbank: Incorporating AI into job interviews, the time required in the interviews was reduced by 75%Mitsubishi Corporation：80% of recruitment activities are done from home, only the last interview is conducted face-to-faceMitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. ：All interviews are executed online until the official offer※All articles above are wrote in JapaneseEven major Japanese companies are actively engaging in online job interviews. Those who are looking for a job will be easier to apply for the job that are more interested than ever.ConclusionWhat did you think about the article on the state of online　job interviews in Japan this time?Although there is still a huge difference in online recruitment activities between developed countries and Japan, the spread of the coronavirus has Japan to introduce online job interviews more than before.Even if you do not live in Japan, finding a job in Japan will be easier than ever.If you are an IT engineer looking for a job in Japan, please register with G Talent, a recruitment agency specializing in foreign IT engineers. A professional consultant will support you in changing jobs for free.

日本の製造業の技術力は世界でも有名ですが、IT技術に関してはご存知でしょうか。この記事では、日本のIT業界に興味をもつ外国人向けに、日本のIT業界の分類、各分野の有名企業などついてわかりやすく説明していきたいと思います。※こちらの記事を英語でご覧になりたい方は、こちら（English Here!）になります。日本のIT業界の基本情報まずはIT業界を分類する前に、日本のIT市場に関する基本情報を説明したいと思います。IT業界市場規模（2019年）：12兆4,930億円参照：矢野経済研究所による試算・予測IT業界成長率：2018年約2.8%増、2019年約3.4%増、2020年約1.6%増参照：矢野経済研究所による試算・予測今後3年間のIT投資分野：１位ERP、２位セキュリティ関連ソフトウェア、３位SFA（営業支援システム）参照：矢野経済研究所による企業アンケート調査世界と日本のIT技術者数：世界４位約109万人※1位アメリカ（477万人）、2位は中国（227万人）、3位はインド（212万人）参照：ヒューマンリソシア / 世界各国のIT技術者数 ～米国・中南米編～ヒューマンリソシア / 世界各国のIT技術者数 ～アジア・オセアニア編～詳しくはこちらの記事にまとめておりますので、お時間あるときにご覧ください。日本のIT市場規模2019年版・世界と比較した日本の現状日本のIT業界の構成これからは、日本のIT業界の分類・構成について説明をしていきたいと思います。日本のIT業界は一般的に、インターネット・WEB業界、情報処理・情報通信サービス業界、ソフトウェア業界とハードウェア業界の4つに分類されます。インターネット・WEB業界情報処理・情報通信サービス業界ソフトウェア業界ハードウェア業界それではこれからこの４つの業種について代表的な企業も交えて説明していきます。インターネット・WEB業界インターネット・WEB業界には、ネットワークの構築、Webサイトの制作、インターネット広告など企業向けのサービスを提供するB2B企業とSNS、ポータルサイト、ECなどの個人向けのサービスを提供するB2C企業が含まれいています。この業界には主に5つのサービスがあります。ポータルサイトポータルサイトはインターネットの入り口となるサービスでさり、オンライン上の情報検索、ニュースやオークション、ショッピングなどユーザーに役立つ様々なサービスやページが設置されている多目的のWebサイトとなります。代表的な企業例 GoogleYahoo！JAPANなどSNSSNS（ソーシャルネットワーキングサービス）は、インターネットを介して人間関係を構築したり、情報をシェアできるサービスのことです。スマートフォンの普及に伴い拡大してきた代表的なサービスの一つです。FacebookLINELinkedInなどEコマースEコマースは、オンライン上で売買ができるサービスを指します。思い浮かぶのは、オンライン上で物を買うことができる通販サイトが代表的だと思いますが、Eコマースはそれだけではありません。企業と消費者間の取引の他にも、企業同士の取引やオークション、フリマサイトなどのC2C取引も含まれます。Amazon楽天MercariなどWeb広告インターネット上の広告を取り扱う代理店やシステムを提供するサービス全般がWEB広告業界となります。広告のなかでも、「リスティング広告」、「アドネットワーク広告」、「SNS広告」、「記事広告」、「バナー広告」などのように多数の種類のものがあります。サイバーエージェントオプトアドウェイズなどキュレーションキュレーションサイトとは、必要な情報を収集したうえで、それらを見やすくまとめたサイトのことです。GunosySmart Newsなど情報処理・情報通信サービス業界情報処理サービス業界情報処理サービスの企業は、企業内の情報システムやクラウド上で利用されるサービスの開発・運用までを担い、一般的に「システムインテグレータ（SIer）」と呼ばれます。SIerは、顧客から案件を受注し、顧客のニーズを聞き取り、そのニーズをどのように情報システムとして実現するか、などを検討して、協力先企業にシステムの開発や運用などの業務を委託することもあります。また、顧客企業にITを活用してより良い業務の進め方をアドバイスするなど、コンサルティング業務を担う場合もあります。富士通NTTデータSCSKなど情報通信サービス業界情報通信サービス業界は固定通信・移動通信サービスの2つに分類されます。固定通信とは、固定電話やIP電話、公衆電話など固定された環境で通信サービスです。移動通信とは、携帯電話に代表されるような通信サービスのことを意味します。NTTKDDISoft Bankなどソフトウェア業界この業界では、基本ソフトウェアのOSやアプリケーションソフトウェアなどの開発がメインであるとは言えますが、パッケージソフトウェアからインフラを担うシステム構築までとエンジニアが幅広く活躍ができる業界であります。日本オラクルマイクロソフトサイボウズなどハードウェア業界ハードウェアとは、「機械、装置、設備」のことです。コンピュータを構成している電子回路、周辺機器からサーバー、ストレージ、携帯電話などの物理的実体のことを指します。AppleNECソニーなどまとめ今回の記事では、日本のIT業界の主な構造について説明させていただきましたが、次回の記事ではIT業界の職種についてご説明させていただきたいと思います。

以前の「日本でテレワーク・在宅勤務ができる仕事とは？」の記事で記載したように、「テレワーク」や「在宅勤務」を導入されている企業はコロナウィルスの影響で急速に増加しました。そして、緊急事態宣言が解除され、オフィスへの出社を再開した方々の姿が少しずつ目撃するようになりました。しかし、この記事を作成している時点（2020年6月）では、まだまだ以前のようにオフィス出勤している方々はまだ戻ってきておりません。そこで、この記事では今後も在宅勤務やテレワークの働き方が続く方々向けに、「在宅勤務やテレワークではいつからいつまでが労働時間になるのか」など働く上で注意すべき点や快適に働くためのポイントをご説明をしていきたいと思います。緊急事態宣言解除後の日本における在宅勤務・テレワークの状況2020年5月25日に緊急事態宣言が解除されて以来、オフィス出社を再開した方々は徐々に増えてきておりますが、解除後に実際どのくらいの方々がオフィス出社を開始したのでしょうか。2020年5月29日〜6月2日に実施されたパーソル研究所の調査結果によると、緊急事態宣言後の2020年4月10日〜12日のテレワーク実施率が27.9%に対して、緊急事態宣言が解除された後の調査では実にまだ25.7%の企業が在宅勤務・テレワークを継続しているようです。もちろん、業種や職種によって異なると思いますが、新型コロナウィルス収束後も約70%の方々は在宅勤務の継続を希望しており、第2波のリスクの可能性を考えると、今後も在宅勤務・テレワークはしばらく続くと予想されます。参照：パーソル研究所 / 緊急事態宣言が解除された後のテレワーク実施率快適な在宅勤務・テレワークをするためにそれでは、これからは在宅勤務・テレワークを快適に取り組むためのポイントにを説明していきたいと思います。労働時間を明確にして管理をするオフィスの場合はオフィスにいた時間が基本的に労働時間となるため、労働時間の範囲がわかりやすいですが、在宅勤務の場合はいつからいつまでが労働時間としてカウントされるのかがわかりにくくなります。そのため、必ず会社側（上司）と事前に残業や労働時間に関する取り決めを行い、無駄なサービス残業などが発生しないようにしておきましょう。例えば、遅い時間にメールやコミュニケーションツールなどで連絡が入り、それに対して返信をしたりすると、それは労働時間に含まれることになります。在宅になってしまうと、プライベートと仕事の境目がわかりにくくなり、オフィス勤務の時よりも在宅勤務になって労働時間が増えている方々も多く発生しているようです。本来は会社側が管理をすることですが、中にはまだ在宅勤務における労働時間の管理がうまく整備されていない会社も多々あります。そのような場合、在宅勤務によって労働時間が無駄に増えてしまう可能性があるので、労働時間が終わればPCはシャットダウンして仕事の連絡はしないようにする等、自発的に労働時間を管理し、会社側ともコミュニケーションを図るようにしましょう。企業向けになりますが、参考として厚生労働省が作成した在宅勤務での適正な労働時間管理の手引を一度読んでみてはいかがでしょうか。在宅勤務における労働時間の考え方の理解が深まると思います。また、労働時間を適切に管理すると同時に、仕事の生産性が下がらない工夫が必要になります。在宅というリラックスした環境で業務を行うことによって、集中力が切れたり、業務に取り組む時間が長くなったりなど、生産性が減少してしまうことがあります。そうならないためには、事前にタスクやスケジュールの整理が重要となってきます。最近では様々なビジネス向けのタスク管理ツールが無料で使えるので、これを機にタスクやスケジュール管理を厳密に行なっていくと良いでしょう。「報・連・相」を小まめにすること在宅勤務により、メンバー内や上司とのコミュニケーションが欠けてしまうことはよくある話です。コミュニケーションの理解不足により、仕事のアウトプットが間違ってしまったり、自分が仕事に取り組んだプロセスがうまく伝わらないケースが増えてきます。最悪の場合、仕事の評価が下がってしまうリスクもあります。このような失敗を避けるためには、仕事の進捗を上司にこまめに報告し、アウトプットに間違いながないか確認をしながら、それと合わせて自分の仕事のプロセスも理解してもらうようにしましょう。※報・連・相　→　報告、連絡、相談を示しますオンとオフの切り替え在宅勤務やテレワークを導入することによって通勤時間の削減や満員電車に乗らずに仕事に取り組めることは大きなメリットであります。その一方では、1日中自宅にいるため、オンとオフがうまく切り替えすることが難しくなります。オンとオフの切り替え方 身だしなみを整える外から見えない、家から出ない、など理由をもとに寝巻や部屋着で仕事を開始してしまう人もいるのではないでしょうか。そうすると、仕事のスイッチが入らず、生産性が下がってしまうリスクがあります。そうならないためには、面倒かもしれませんが、人に見られても良い服装をすることをオススメします。プライベートで在宅するのとは違う格好をすることで、「これから仕事をする」という意識が持ちやすくなリます。 作業スペースと生活スペースを分けるこちらも身だしなみと同じですが、プライベートと仕事を分けるためにも、作業スペースと生活スペースを分けることで、仕事へのスイッチを入れやすくなります。ただし、1人暮らしの方はワンルームが多いため、違う部屋で仕事をするのは難しいかもしれません。そのような場合は、同じ部屋の中でも良いので、仕事するスペースを決め、プライベートではその仕事をするスペースには座らない等をすることで、仕事する空間とプライベート空間を分けてみてはいかがでしょうか。 定期的に短い休憩を入れる定期的に短い休憩をとることは集中力の向上につながります。1つの業務を終了した時点で5分間席を離れ、ストレッチなどを行うことによって次のタスクに向けての切り替えに良いかもしれません。まとめ緊急事態宣言が解除されてからも在宅勤務やテレワークを続けている企業はまだまだあります。メリットもありますが、デメリットになってしまっている方も少なからずいらっしゃいます。今回の記事を参考に、在宅勤務を高い生産性で快適に過ごしていただけると幸いです。この機会に、在宅でできるIT関連のお仕事に興味がある、または、就職・転職を検討さえれている外国人ITエンジニアがいらっしゃいましたら、是非、外国人ITエンジニア専門の人材紹介会G Talent（ジータレント）にご登録ください。プロのコンサルタントが無料で転職活動をサポートいたします。

There are many reasons why Japan is one of the top choices for working foreigners who want a change of scene. The country’s rich culture, historical tourist attractions, delicious cuisine, excellent working environment, terrific people, and continued acceptance of outsiders have all persuaded foreigners to see how they would fare in the country.A large part of why many foreigners are interested in moving to Japan is because of the country’s national government exerting a lot of effort to bring in gaijin to join the workforce. One of the areas that the Japanese government is looking to fill in with foreigners is the IT engineer industry. By 2030, Japan is expected to have a massive software engineering deficit of close to 800,000.Japan’s need for foreign IT engineers has increased over the years, and the nation’s demand for these technology experts have somewhat been fulfilled. In fact, according to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, there are approximately 30,000 non-Japanese IT engineers residing in the country today, which equates to about 3% of Japan’s IT engineer population.Foreign IT engineers are scattered all over the Land of the Rising Sun, but some locations have shown to be more inviting and alluring to these in-demand professionals. Here are some of the best-recommended destinations for IT engineers in Japan.TOKYOThis comes as no surprise, but Tokyo is perhaps the most popular choice for most non-Japanese professionals. The metropolis is known for its diverse international community, as Tokyo is currently the most populated area in the world. The opportunities for IT engineers in Tokyo are endless because most of Japan’s major tech companies are located in the area. As a matter of fact, 9 out of the 10 largest Japanese tech companies positioned their headquarters in Tokyo.Tokyo is filled with some of the world’s leading tech brands such as Softbank, NTT Docomo, NTT Data Corporation, Sony, KDDI, Recruit Co., Ltd, Canon, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electronic, and many other internationally-recognized companies.The nation’s capital is also famous for its Akihabara district, which is filled with anime, electronics, manga, and video game companies heavily relying on the talents of IT and software engineers.OSAKAOsaka is perfect for IT professionals seeking high compensation but don’t want to deal with Tokyo’s busy atmosphere, crowdedness, and high living expenses. Osaka is home to globally-known tech brands including Panasonic, Sharp, and manufacturing giants such as Suntory and Nissin Food Products.Japan’s 3rd largest city is ideal for IT engineers who want to grow with their company. Currently, the city serves as the breeding ground for tech companies with over 1,000 developing startups. The famous British newspaper, The Guardian, referred to Osaka as Japan’s own Silicon Valley.Osaka even has a mall dedicated to newly-made technology. The Grand Front Osaka hosts programs that showcase developers and their high-tech inventions and innovations. Guests can try smartphone apps as it is being coded, operate drones, and use prototypes that are years from being released to the market.Aside from this, Osaka is also experiencing a surging development and tourism sector. So, apart from the opportunities available in tech and manufacturing companies, IT engineers can even venture into new fields and enhance their skills.KYOTO Kyoto has always been admired for its incredible manufacturing industry. With more factories adapting to the ever-developing times by embracing automation techniques and artificial intelligence, IT engineers have become some of the most sought-after talents on this side of Japan.Luckily for IT engineers who are fans of iconic video games such as Pokémon, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario, the Nintendo main headquarters is positioned in Kyoto. This opportunity is ideal for IT engineers who want to work for a major company while embracing the inner-child in them.Kyoto is also known for its excellent educational reputation provided by the Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT). KIT is a superb place for IT engineers who want to expand their horizons and enhance their capabilities in new technology. Aside from the Kyoto Institute of Technology, there is also the Kyoto University, which has consistently ranked among the world’s best universities.What makes Japan’s historic capital unique from other technologically advanced locations is that it is known for its continued focus on the production of hardware technology, as opposed to the rest of the world’s fascination with software technology led by tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Uber, and several others.FUKUOKA One of Japan’s most promising IT engineering spots is the city of Fukuoka. Much like Osaka, a lot of IT startup companies establish their reputations here. This city is an excellent place for IT engineers who are at the beginning of their careers. Fukuoka, which has been dubbed “Japan’s most innovative city” by major news outlet BBC, made headlines for its mission of becoming Japan’s number 1 startup destination. Mayor Sōichirō Takashima is leading the way by requesting the national government to treat Fukuoka as a “national strategic special zone,” which cuts corporate taxes for tech companies and creates a special visa for non-Japanese entrepreneurs.Additionally, Fukuoka still maintains reasonable living expenses even though it has the country’s highest population growth and is also one of its many booming and developing technological cities.CONCLUSION Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries on the planet and home to some of the most revered tech companies. With plenty of opportunities abound, IT engineers have no reason to worry about which companies they are potentially going to represent and lend their services to. In the Land of the Rising Sun, there are multiple alluring destinations where IT engineers could sharpen their skills, practice their expertise, and successfully continue their careers.If you seek great IT engineering opportunities and more employment tips, feel free to visit our website below. Good luck with your future endeavors! Sources:https://agency-star.co.jp/column/district-engineerhttps://www.atmarkit.co.jp/ait/articles/1803/12/news008_2.html