Swift in Japan - Language Guide

The general-purpose programming language Swift popped up rather late on the scene in 2014. Developed by Apple, it has since become a prominent name in software development thanks to the company’s robust ecosystem of software and hardware.

The multi-paradigm language was developed as a spiritual successor to other popular languages such as C, C++, and Objective-C. Thanks to its approachable nature that accommodates both newbies and seasoned coders, Swift was quickly embraced globally.

As of 2024, Swift has secured the 15th spot in the TIOBE index, marking it as one of the top programming languages in the world. So, how are things in Japan?

If you want to get into Swift development and find a Swift job in Japan, this one’s for you.

Let’s explore Japan’s Swift development scene and see how the popular programming language is most commonly used here. I’ll also discuss the salary range for Swift developers in Japan and give you some tips for securing a job. 

First, let’s see how the language ranks in Japan.

How Popular Is Swift Programming Language in Japan?

Globally, Swift may have ranked 15th this year, but things are definitely looking brighter here in Japan. 

Considering that it has moved one spot lower from its 14th-place ranking last year in the global TIOBE index, Swift is following the opposite popularity trajectory in Japan.

The data we’ve collected over at Japan Dev has allowed us to provide insight into the popularity of programming languages in the country. We ranked them according to how frequently they appear in the job listings we receive on our job board. 

Not only does our data suggest that Swift is the 10th most popular programming language in Japan, but it also suggests that it has been rising in popularity in recent years.

See our full list below to find out how Swift compares to other popular languages:

This is a pretty good spot to be in, as it means that Swift gets a good number of mentions from developer job listings. Considering it has Apple’s signature on it and the fact that iOS development largely revolves around Swift, this isn’t a big surprise. 

What is a surprise, however, is that despite ranking in the 10th spot, Swift developers still seem to get paid more compared to some of the higher-ranking languages. Let’s talk about it.

Swift Salaries in Japan: How Much Do Swift Developers Earn?

The numbers you see in our list above are all median annual salaries of the languages they’re ranked next to. So, according to our data, Swift developers earn an annual median salary of ￥8.7 million, meaning it pays fairly well.

As I mentioned, Swift developers still earn more than top-five languages like Java and JavaScript. So, if you’re looking to become a developer here, I’d say that learning Swift is still a worthy investment of your time. 

If you want to move to Japan as a software developer, even better – the language didn’t experience a decrease in popularity here, which means you might end up with a better-paying job.

If you’d like a broader look at software developer salaries in Japan, check out my ultimate developer salary guide to see what types of companies pay the most handsomely.

Companies Using Swift IRL: How Is Swift Used in Japan?

As a programming language created by Apple for the Apple ecosystem of devices, Swift is most commonly used to develop software for Apple hardware. More specifically, the language is most commonly used for iOS/iPadOS app development for iPhones and iPads.

Things are about the same in Japan too, but some companies that can be best described as more traditional still use Objective-C. This is especially true for legacy codebases that were originally written several years ago.

Nevertheless, we can safely say that most Japanese startups and international companies in Japan today use Swift to develop new iOS applications.

This preference of Swift by startups and international companies also means that most job opportunities are offered by good companies with modern practices and good pay. 

Older, traditionally managed tech companies in Japan (see my post “Agile in Japan”), on the other hand, tend to have less than ideal employment practices and pay less compared to young, more modern, and more international companies.

Top Companies Using Swift in Japan

Because it’s Apple’s programming language and iOS development largely revolves around it, Swift is used by a wide variety of companies in Japan. Here are some notable examples.

• KOMOJU: The company provides the country’s leading payment gateway. KOMOJU uses Swift in its daily operations to provide a robust payment infrastructure to large companies such as TikTok.

• WealthPark: WealthPark’s products help investors and companies manage their assets. The global operation has offices in both Japan and the US, and relies on Swift to provide its services on iOS.

• Sagri: This company is all about combining satellite data and AI technology to address social and agricultural issues in the world. Using Swift allows the company to conduct its mobile operations smoothly. 

The companies above are great examples, but there are many more. Rest assured, those looking for Swift jobs in Japan are bound to find a job in a company they can get behind.

How To Find Swift Jobs in Japan

Reading that Swift is a fairly popular language that also pays rather well may have given you some peace of mind, but to provide some more actionable advice, I’ll show you where to start looking for Swift jobs in Japan.

First of all, if you’re looking for a good company to work at, this is exactly what Japan Dev is for. We hand-pick each company we feature on our job board, so they’re all verified to treat their employees well, have a modern work environment, and offer good pay.

Your starting point should be our Swift jobs page. This is where you’ll find the latest opportunities from the best companies, and we update the offers regularly.

If you don’t see something to your liking right away, you can also get involved with the Swift developer events in Japan, which makes for good networking. A simple scroll through my guide to the best tech conferences will show you events like try!Swift and many more.

There are many more events, meetups, and conferences in the Tokyo area, as well as in Fukuoka, Osaka, and Kyoto. You’re bound to make connections that can open up doors for you in the future.

Speaking of future opportunities, if you’d like to build a strong resume in the meantime, I also recommend working on open-source projects, which can boost your “brand” as a developer, not to mention the experience you’ll gain.

Final Word on Swift in Japan

In this post, I presented you with our own company data to show you how popular Swift is in Japan. While it may have experienced a slight decrease in popularity outside the country, things here are getting better. 

If anything, Swift seems to be getting mentioned more frequently in the job listings we feature on our job board as the years go by. In case you need a refresher, here are the main points I covered:

• According to Japan Dev data, Swift is the 10th most popular programming language overall in Japan

• Companies predominantly use Swift for iOS development 

• The annual median salary for a Swift developer in Japan is 8.7 million JPY

So, those who are proficient in Swift should have a generally easier time finding a job in a good company and getting paid fairly well. Those wishing to learn Swift, on the other hand, can rest easy knowing the language can open up many opportunities in Japan.

This is all I have on the Swift programming language, but if you’re wondering about the other popular programming languages in Japan, check out my post on the top 10 coding languages in Japan.