Language Training and Interpretation Support in Japan: Which Tech Companies Offer It?

As a foreign professional in Japan, you might be able to find a tech job in Japan that doesn't require Japanese.

We’ve seen this happen in many modern companies with a diverse set of employees, like the ones we feature on Japan Dev. At these companies, Japanese language skills aren’t a prerequisite. 

But even if you get hired, that doesn't mean you won’t run into language barriers in the workplace. That's why learning Japanese is one of the most helpful things you can do when working in Japan.

Luckily, there are many companies that support the language training of employees and offer support. Today, we'll introduce some of the top companies offering these services.

So, below, you’ll find a list of companies that mostly do not require employees to speak Japanese, and provide language learning support. Some of these companies offer support in the form of classes and books, while others also offer interpretation support and translation services to improve communication among colleagues.

Without further delays, here are some of the best companies in Japan that use English and offer language training or translation support.

Axelspace

Founded in 2008, Axelspace operates in the micro-satellite industry. The company wants to extend the use of space technology to daily use, and their service Axel Liner helps Axelspace support companies that aren’t space-tech-based with their satellite projects.

The company’s language requirement depends on the specific position, but most positions at the company don’t require Japanese.

While Japanese isn’t a general requirement, the company still supports employees who want to learn Japanese and offers language training support in the form of Japanese classes for foreign employees. 

Money Forward

Money Forward launched in 2012 and offers personal and business-to-business SaaS (software as a service) products. With personal and corporate-level finance management solutions, the company is among the leading FinTech startups in Japan.

As the company’s primary language is English, speaking Japanese isn’t a requirement to work there. What’s more, the company also offers translation services from English to Japanese, as well as simultaneous interpretation support from English to Japanese to make sure foreign employees can communicate with Japanese colleagues properly.

Money Forward also offers language learning support for beginner-level Japanese speakers and their family members, which is detailed as “12 lessons per semester.”

In addition to these, the company also has a program that encourages foreign employees to socialize with Japanese coworkers and learn the language and the culture in the field.

Zeals

Zeals focuses on chatbots and the power of AI to help companies offer top-notch customer experiences and support. The company’s bots help customers shop online and receive flexible assistance during e-commerce experiences.

Zeals doesn’t require any knowledge of Japanese from their employees, although occasional instances where Japanese communication is needed may occur. Still, all meetings and correspondence are generally conducted in English.

That said, the company still offers language learning support for employees who want to learn Japanese to better adapt to the country.

Mercari

Mercari launched in 2013 and has quickly become Japan's most popular consumer-to-consumer marketplace. The company’s platform allows users to buy and sell previously owned items online, efficiently. Mercari is also known for being Japan’s first unicorn startup (a startup that’s valued at over a billion USD).

The company doesn’t have an official language. This means that speaking Japanese isn’t required to work there, and the engineering side of things majorly operates in English anyway.

Still, the company offers language learning support for both English and Japanese with programs specifically tailored for employee language training. 

What’s more, Mercari also provides a translation service for documents as well as an interpretation service with an in-house translation team of a whopping twenty employees. This allows employees to communicate with anyone, at any time, without any language barriers.

I should note also that Mercai has a subsidiary, Merpay, which is a FinTech startup that focuses on digitalized payment systems and other financial services, and offers the same language training and interpretation support offered by its parent company.

Cybozu

Inspiring a collaborative environment since 1997, Cybozu is a company that develops software solutions aiming to improve teamwork. The company’s office and mail service products, such as Cybozu Office, Mailwise, and Kintone, are used by over 115,000 companies around the world.

Although the company’s primary language is Japanese, the primary language for the engineering side of things is English. So, English-speaking developers can apply without any Japanese requirements. 

Cybozu’s language learning support is quite extensive, as the company doesn’t just support English and Japanese, but Chinese and Vietnamese as well. The support for learning these languages extends to book and learning material costs, as well as language school and exam fees.

What’s more, the company also has interpretation support between Japanese and English for meetings so that all departments can communicate without any issues.

Kraken Technologies

Kraken Technologies was established in 2015 as a subsidiary of Octopus Energy Group, a UK-based clean energy company. The company provides energy tech to businesses worldwide and allows them to switch to green energy easily, and in a cost-effective manner.

Kraken Technologies doesn’t have a single official language, as all communications are conducted in a mix of English and Japanese. That said, developers aren’t required to speak Japanese as they usually work in English.

As this bilingual approach can lead to miscommunication at times, the company also offers interpretation support between Japanese and English in the office.

Shippio

Shippio is Japan’s first digital forwarding company, established in 2016 with the aim of digitalizing the international trade space. The platform provided by the company allows all sides of an international trade operation to digitalize their shipping processes so companies have more control over international supply chains.

While Shippio’s primary language is Japanese, the product division operates in English. This means that engineers aren’t expected to speak any Japanese. 

Still, the company wants to maintain a standard in company-wide communication, so all announcements are made in both languages. To ensure everyone can communicate efficiently, there’s also a translation service for documents and an on-site interpretation service for meetings.

Rakuten

Rakuten is a technology and multimedia conglomerate from Japan that was founded in 1997. The company is the main holding that owns over 70 businesses in various industries like travel, e-commerce, digital content, and even insurance.

The primary language spoken at Rakuten offices is English, so Japanese isn’t a requirement.  

Still, the company provides support for language learning in the form of discounts, which employees can use to take classes for more affordable prices.

In addition to this, the company also offers translation and interpretation support between English and Japanese to ensure effective communication within the diverse environment of the company offices.

nanameue

A startup launched in 2013, nanameue helps people communicate through chat applications and social media. Today, the company is one of Japan’s top chat applications.

As the company operates internationally, the primary language used at the offices is English. Engineering teams don’t require any Japanese skills, which makes this a perfect workplace for foreign developers.

While Japanese isn’t a requirement to work at nanameue, employees can still benefit from the language learning support provided. This covers the cost of language classes, books, and even paid apps, which is how most people learn languages these days.

KOMOJU

KOMOJU is the hidden hero behind the payment systems of many popular services and apps, such as TikTok and Steam. Established in 2005, this payment provider has become the go-to option for all companies looking to enter the Asian Pacific market.

KOMOJU uses English as its primary language, and Japanese isn’t a requirement at all for the development teams. 

Even though it isn’t required, employees still have the option to take language classes. The company offers Japanese and English lessons once a week for all employees wishing to participate.

Cogent Labs

Cogent Labs is a Tokyo-based company that focuses on AI-based SaaS products. Established in 2014, it offers the DX platform COGENT DX and a document processing service called Smart Read.

The primary language spoken at Cogent Labs offices is English, so Japanese isn’t a requirement to apply for a position here. In fact, about 35% of the company’s employees are from overseas, which makes for a pretty diverse environment.

Despite there being no requirements, the company provides support for language training to all employees who want to learn.

PayPay

Launched in 2018, PayPay is a FinTech startup that set out on a mission to digitalize payments and contribute toward a less cash-dependent society. Today, the company is one of the largest online payment systems in Japan, with over 38 million users.

PayPay doesn’t require Japanese from engineers but acknowledges that there may be language-related communication errors from time to time. To mitigate this issue, the company provides both language learning support and translation services, which include on-site interpretation for meetings and a translation service for documents at its offices.

DMM Eikaiwa

DMM Eikawa is one of Japan’s most popular English language schools. The school's development team works on building an online language learning platform for DMM Eikawa.

The primary language spoken at DMM Eikawa is English, so there isn’t a Japanese requirement for engineers. What’s more, the school even provides free English and Japanese language lessons to employees. 

While the primary language is English at DMM Eikawa, the school still offers interpretation support and a document translation service.

Sansan

Established in 2007, Sansan has been spearheading digital transformation in business for a long time. The company’s expertise shines through its business card apps, contact database management service, and a very neat, cloud-based invoice management software.

While Sansan uses a combination of English and Japanese at its offices, employees are not required to speak Japanese. 

Still, the company cares deeply about language education and has a system called OCEAN aimed at language training for global business growth. Thanks to this system, book and learning material costs, exam fees, and language classes are all covered by the company.

Disclaimer: The language support opportunities and other information presented in this article are up-to-date at the time the companies posted their job openings on Japan Dev, but are subject to change over time.

To learn more about the specifics of the language support offered by each company, please ask them directly during your interview process.