| COUNTRY |
| India |
| EDUCATION |
| Bachelor’s in Computer Science, M.Kumarasamy College of Engineering |
| COMPANY |
| A leading Japanese telecommunications provider that offers 4G/5G mobile services, broadband connectivity, and digital communications solutions. |
| SUMMARY |
| This success story follows an Indian Information Technology student who turned her passion for the Japanese language into a full-time IT engineering career in Japan. From participating in the Sakura Science Exchange Program to preparing for interviews with FAST OFFER, her journey offers valuable insights for aspiring foreign IT talents who aspire to work in Japan. |
Choosing To Take on a Challenge Shaped My Career
I’ve never been one to choose the easier path. When my university offered German and Japanese as foreign language electives, I chose Japanese because I wanted to challenge myself with something completely different. German seemed closer to English, and I wanted something that would challenge me more. That’s why I chose Japanese!
Learning hiragana, katakana, and kanji wasn’t easy, but every new lesson made me more interested in Japan’s language and culture. This is how my journey of studying Japanese in India and eventually working in Japan began.
Learning Japanese in India: Formal Classes vs. Self-Study
If you were to ask me if formal classes or self-study is better for studying Japanese in India for working in Japan, I would say doing both is a good option!
My university offered a six-month course. Those classes gave me a strong foundation. I learned grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Without that guidance, I don’t think I would have had the confidence to continue learning on my own. After the course ended, I didn’t want to stop there, so I decided to continue studying independently.
Self-study gave me the freedom to learn in ways that worked best for me. Here are some of the things I did to self-study Japanese:
- Invested in textbooks. I used textbooks like Minna no Nihongo to continue building my grammar and reading skills.
- Engaged with Japanese pop culture. I watched YouTube lessons, listened to Japanese podcasts to improve my listening, and enjoyed Japanese dramas to become more familiar with natural conversations.
- Tried language learning apps. For kanji, I relied on language learning apps that helped me review every day. One of the most valuable resources was HelloTalk, where I connected with native Japanese speakers. Practicing real conversations with them helped me become more comfortable speaking Japanese and gave me the confidence to use the language outside the classroom.
- Used ChatGPT for reviewing confusing grammar. The biggest challenge for me was grammar because many patterns looked very similar. To overcome that, I created separate notes comparing confusing grammar points and reviewed them regularly. I even used ChatGPT to generate example sentences so I could better understand the differences between similar expressions.
Joining the Sakura Science Exchange Program
One of the biggest turning points in my journey happened when I was selected for the Sakura Science Exchange Program. Only students with strong Japanese skills are invited to apply. I was honored that I was invited to join the selection process! Out of 15 shortlisted students, only seven were chosen to visit Japan on a fully funded 10-day exchange program — and I was one of them!
I’m very grateful to the Head of Sri Sankara Japanese Language Training and Consultancy (SSJLTC) for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Sakura Science Exchange Program and for supporting my placement. His guidance and the support I received from SSJLTC played an important role in helping me achieve my goal of working in Japan.
One of the highlights of my trip was my visit to the Nippon Institute of Technology. The professors and staff welcomed us warmly. Even though we had just met, they treated us like family throughout our stay. Their kindness helped me overcome my initial nervousness about communicating in Japanese. One of my biggest concerns before arriving was whether Japanese people would understand my Japanese or whether I would be able to make friends. Fortunately, everyone was patient and encouraging, which gave me much more confidence in my language abilities.
The exchange also gave me opportunities to visit Japanese companies, where I learned about the technologies companies are currently looking for and the skills engineers need to be able to work in Japan. We even joined group discussions with company employees, who shared valuable advice about preparing for careers in Japan.
Another unforgettable experience was visiting Miraikan (The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation) in Tokyo. Seeing advanced robots interact naturally with visitors for the first time amazed me.
I couldn’t believe robots like this actually existed. It made me even more excited about Japan’s technology and innovation.
Finding Halal Food in Japan as a Muslim
As a Muslim, one challenge I experienced during my visit was finding halal food. At first, shopping in convenience stores was confusing because many products contained pork-derived ingredients that are haram for us to eat.
Fortunately, our senseis made every effort to help us. They brought our group to restaurants that served halal food, making sure we could enjoy our stay without worrying about meals. One of my favorite memories was eating at a Himalayan restaurant near Shinjuku during our welcome dinner. The butter chicken and naan reminded me of home!
Tips for finding halal food in Japan
Although finding halal food requires a little more preparation, I realized that living in Japan as a Muslim is much more manageable than I had expected. Here’s why:
- Apps to help you check if a food item is halal. There are several mobile apps that allow you to scan food packages and check whether ingredients are halal, which makes grocery shopping much easier.
- You can source ingredients to prepare your own meals. I also enjoy cooking, so preparing my own meals is another option I plan to continue after moving to Japan.
- Some companies offer halal food options. Another reason I felt reassured was learning that the company where I accepted my job offer provides halal meal options in its cafeteria. Knowing that my workplace supports employees with different dietary needs made me feel even more excited about starting my new life in Japan.
For Muslim students considering a career in Japan, my ultimate advice is this: don’t let concerns about halal food stop you. With a little preparation and the growing number of halal-friendly restaurants and services, it is definitely possible to enjoy life in Japan while following your dietary requirements.
By the end of the ten days of my exchange program, I no longer felt like I was visiting a foreign country. Leaving Japan was surprisingly emotional. Despite some challenges, I genuinely felt that Japan had become my second home. I became even more determined to study Japanese in India and return to work in Japan as an IT engineer.
FAST OFFER International Helped Make My Dream Come True
After returning from Japan, I became determined to build my career there. Through my university, I learned about FAST OFFER and registered for the program. Looking back, joining FAST OFFER became one of the biggest turning points in my job-hunting journey
One of the most valuable parts of the FAST OFFER international program was working closely with my career advisor. She conducted numerous mock interviews with me before my actual company interviews. During our practice sessions, she intentionally acted as the interviewer instead of my mentor, which helped me become comfortable answering under real interview conditions. She also prepared me for many situational interview questions, which became extremely helpful during the actual interviews. More importantly, she always encouraged me whenever I became nervous. Without her guidance, I honestly don’t think I would have been able to receive my job offer.
My Experience with an Online Japanese Job Interview
The interview process consisted of two rounds, and both were conducted online. The first interview focused mainly on my graduation project. Most of the questions were technical, asking why I selected my project and what algorithms I used. I did my best to answer every question.
The second interview was much more conversational. Instead of technical questions, the interviewer focused on situational scenarios, teamwork, adaptability, and working in an international environment. One moment I will never forget was when the interviewer told me, “It was great talking with you. I hope we can work together.” Hearing those words gave me confidence that I had made a good impression.
Getting the Results: Studying Japanese in India to Working in Japan
After my final interview, I waited anxiously for my mentor’s call. The result was supposed to arrive around 6:30 PM. But by 7 PM, I still hadn’t heard anything. It was the longest 30 minutes of my life. Finally, my phone rang. When my mentor said, “Congratulations, you passed!” I couldn’t believe it. Receiving an IT engineer job offer there truly felt like a dream come true. Even today, it still feels unreal.
My Advice for IT Students Who Want to Work in Japan
If you dream of working in Japan, don’t give up. There will be difficult moments while learning Japanese and preparing for interviews, but every challenge will help you grow. One piece of advice I would especially like to share is this: Don’t prepare only for technical questions. Study the company thoroughly. Learn about its history, products, business, and future goals.
When interviewers realize that you’ve taken the time to truly understand their company, they can see how serious you are about becoming part of their team. That preparation made a huge difference during my interviews, and I believe it helped me achieve my dream of starting my career in Japan.
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