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Dreaming to Return to Japan as An AI Engineer
Long before I pursued AI job opportunities in Japan, I was already attached to Japan thanks to precious childhood memories.
When I was 3-4 years old, my family lived in Japan thanks to my father’s job as a software engineer. We spent only 2-3 years there, but it was one of the best years of our lives. Admittedly, being that young, I can’t remember all of it, but the highlights stayed with me for 17 years since. I remember the scrumptious onigiri I always ate, the tiny savory crunchy rice crackers my family loves up to today, the beautiful sceneries, the politeness of the locals, and the established Indian community that made our cultural transition effortless. When we had to move back home for family reasons, we did so with a heavy heart. Years after, my family continued to wax poetic about our time in Japan.
When I eventually got into anime in grade school and became an AI engineer in university, the decision to return to Japan wasn’t marked by some epiphany or big event but simply felt like the natural progression of my life goals. After experiencing Japan even at such a young age, it was impossible not to dream of a future there. As one of the world’s leading innovation hubs, it simply made sense for me to pursue
Learning Japanese with FAST OFFER International at Pune University
My love for Japan has since been contagious. I influenced my cousin who was three years older to get into anime with me. This led him to learn Japanese through FAST OFFER International—formerly the Study Go Work JAPAN Program. I would eventually watch my cousin get a job in Japan. Overly eager, I signed up with FAST OFFER International during the second semester of my freshman year at Pune University. It was too early, but I couldn’t wait to start working on my dream of landing an AI job opportunity in Japan.
I started learning Japanese through FAST OFFER International’s partnership with Pune University alongside five other friends who harbored a similar dream. We supported and pushed each other on our journey. During the second semester of my third college year, we were tasked to pass a mock interview with our Japanese language teacher. If we passed, we would transition to the job-hunting stage. As with all first times, it was nerve-wracking. I was finally putting years of Japanese study to practical use. I prepared intensely and thankfully it paid off.
Job Hunting for an AI Job Opportunity in Japan with FAST OFFER International
Launching my job-hunting journey, FAST OFFER International interviewed me so we could set our expectations and goals together. I told them that I wouldn’t compromise on the type of work I wanted to do and would pass on offers as a mechanical or electrical engineer. I wanted to be an AI engineer. After all, one of my main reasons for choosing Japan is its pivotal role in the developing AI industry. My interest in AI runs deep. I was always into computer science, just like my dad, but my interest in artificial intelligence blossomed even before AI boomed more recently. My mentor told me that my goal was feasible, but my requirement meant it would take some time for opportunities to come in as the number of related opportunities was still in its early stages.
True to my mentor’s prediction, I was given a single online interview opportunity after a few months from an established Japanese company that wasn’t known for AI technology. It was actually the same company my cousin was currently working at. However, I wasn’t so sure about the position and so was extremely reluctant to go through with it. I expressed this to my mentor who told me that I could decline. However, his advice, was that getting interview experience would help me greatly once I found AI company I preferred.
Interviewing with an Established Japanese Company for Experience
And so, I prepared for the interview, but I wasn’t exactly keen. I didn’t put too much pressure on myself as I felt I was only there for experience. There were two other applicants who took the first round of interviews, but to my surprise, I was the only one who passed. I was puzzled then as their degree in Mechanical engineering seemed more apt for the company. That night, my mentor messaged me and told me that the company was in the process of starting a new AI department. I also then contacted my cousin, and we started getting excited together. The prospect of being part of this big company’s pioneering AI team meant I would be in a promising position to impact the business. Suddenly, when I took the second interview with the company’s HR team, with so much at stake, I wasn’t as cool or calm anymore.
An Opportunity to Be an Impactful Pioneering AI Engineer at a Big Japanese Company
Funnily enough, my reluctance during the first interview had kept me calm and actually served me well. One of the interviewers actually noticed this change in me from my first and second interviews. This timely feedback then pushed my mentor to give me much-needed assurance and encouragement. This significantly helped me during the third and final 45-minute interview round.
A few hours after the final interview, while I was eating lunch, I got a notification on my phone from my mentor with a preview saying: おめでとう! (Congratulations!) My heart hammered and I quickly got on my laptop to log into my FAST OFFER International account. True enough, I got the offer! I was ecstatic. It was incredible! couldn’t believe I got it on the first try. I immediately told my parents and my friends. Since then, we’ve celebrated multiple times!
What Helped Me Land This AI Job Opportunity in Japan?
- From the start, I was clear with my intentions. Getting on the same page with my mentor helped me find the right opportunity.
- I had good Japanese conversation skills. Since I excitedly enrolled in the Japanese program during my freshman year, by the time the job hunt began, I was actually already studying N2 Japanese. Though Japanese companies didn’t look at my JLPT certificates, having the applicable skills helped with the interviews greatly.
- I was calm, collected, and transparent during my first interview. Since I wasn’t putting pressure on myself during the first round, I wasn’t battling my nerves and got to be in the moment.
- I had previous experience in Japan. Perhaps my interviewer saw the sincere love I had for Japan based on actual experience.
- Indians and my cousin had a good reputation. Indians in the IT field in Japan have a reputation that began even before my father’s time. Closer to my time, my cousin himself is hardworking and brilliant. I inadvertently benefited from the reputation he built.
- My degree was perfect for an AI Engineer. My background in AI Engineering and Data Science is still a little rarer than other degrees.
- I was about living and working in Japan for a long time. My resume shows the number of years I’ve focused on learning Japanese, reflecting my dedication to living and working in Japan.
- My future employer saw my profile as a low-risk good investment. Japanese companies put a premium on employee loyalty a lot! New hires get a lot of training, so Japanese companies want to make sure they’re worth the investment and won’t quit too soon.
My AI Job Is Just The Beginning: Returning to Japan Opens Up More Opportunities
It feels poetic to follow in my father’s footsteps, going to Japan on my own to pursue my career in Computer Science. This feels like a second chance of sorts. Securing this dream AI job opportunity in Japan is just the beginning. This time, because I’m old enough, I’ll enjoy more of Japan with my eyes wide open. I’m excited about exploring Japan’s tourist spots, enjoying more anime, and much more. This time, I get to do it with friends! I’m going to be my cousin’s teammate, I get to reunite with relatives in Japan, and I’m about to be part of an established Indian community in Japan.
Like the people before me, I’ll eventually be part of the welcoming community. My five other friends who signed up with FAST OFFER International are still waiting for their opportunities to come. Once they also succeed in getting to Japan—which I’m sure of—I’ll be in Japan waiting for them.
FAST OFFER CAREER GUIDE
All About AI Job Opportunities in Japan
About the Japanese AI Industry
Japan’s rapidly growing AI Industry has a unique edge: their long history of respecting technology and tradition at the same time.
Artificial intelligence has become this generation’s most recent technological game-changer. The godmother of AI, Dr. Fei-Fei Lee though, emphasizes the importance of a human-centered AI framework amidst the industry’s exponential growth.[1]
One country poised to do just that is Japan. “Japan’s journey towards becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) presents a fascinating case study in balancing tradition with innovation.” The World Economic Forum describes Japan’s rapid growth coupled with its uncompromising standards.[2]
Japan’s Artificial Intelligence industry is at the helm of innovation. According to Statista, the market size in the Artificial Intelligence market is projected to reach US$10.75bn in 2025 worldwide. Japan is positioned to be the third largest market after the US and China.[3]
Japan’s AI Industry’s rapid growth is thanks to support from public and private sectors: from the many companies quickly innovating with AI to the government efforts such as the “Society 5.0” plan, which aims to promote the use of AI in various industries.[4]
Japan’s stringent standards and attention to ethical concerns though seem like barriers at first, are also serving as an edge in the industry. Japan is proof that human-centric AI is possible. The World Economic Forum writes, “What might initially appear as barriers – Japan’s meticulous attention to precision and stringent ethical standards – can instead serve as competitive advantages.”[5]
AI Job Opportunities in Japan Abound for International Talents
With Japan’s steadily, rapidly growing industry and constant local skilled labor shortages, the door is wide open for international talents to take advantage.[6]
How to take advantage of the AI job opportunities in Japan?
- Have the skills. Studying AI, and choosing the right degree, will help put you into the talent pool Japanese companies are scouring through.
- Learn Japanese. You don’t have to be extremely fluent, but having working, conversations in Japanese will help you navigate job interviews and your actual future job.
- Join Contests. This will give your profile an edge!
- Tackle AI in your final year project. For fresh graduates, companies will want to talk about your final year project. Your performance there reflects your work experience
- Get help from experts. How do you find these opportunities in your home country? Sign up with a Japanese agency to help you find those AI job opportunities!
Be part of FAST OFFER International’s talent pool so you can be the first to find out about unique opportunities such as ASIA to Japan’s Code to Japan in partnership with Honda last September 2024.
More Success Stories of International Talents Who Secured an AI Job Opportunity in Japan
- AI Engineer in Japan: How I Landed My Dream Job as an Indian Graduate
- “Imagine what more I can do in the future with this kind of job? How much more can I help people with AI?”
- The Journey of an Indian AI Engineer Towards Kaizen Philosophy in Career
- “There are wonderful opportunities for engineers in Japan where they embody the kaizen philosophy in their careers. Japan is well known for its mechanical engineering and IT engineering industries, so I’m sure to learn a lot working there and I’ll have better opportunities to learn about robotics and AI. I believe this will all feed into my ultimate dream of being an AI Engineer.”
- From India to Japan: The Journey of a Computer Science Graduate to an AI and Cloud Engineer
- “I got a role in the company as an AI and cloud engineer, and I am so excited to work at a huge company in the role that I love.”
