TypeScript in Japan - Language Guide

The open-source programming language developed by Microsoft, TypeScript, took the software development scene by storm upon making its debut in 2012. 

Since then, the multi-paradigm language’s approval rating has been through the roof. You can even find surveys claiming TypeScript is currently the number one fastest-growing language in the world. 

So, how does the object-oriented programming language’s popularity fare in Japan? 

In this post, I’ll explain how the country’s IT industry most commonly utilizes the language and how popular it is in Japan, all backed up with numbers. I’ll also talk about the economic aspect of working as a TypeScript developer here and how you can find a job as one in Japan. 

So, buckle up, and let’s see how TypeScript ranks against other popular programming languages in Japan.

The Popularity of TypeScript Programming Language in Japan

Since its initial release in 2012, TypeScript has been spreading fairly steadily worldwide, despite its popularity somewhat lagging in the US market upon its release for a while.

On the other hand, the language has been gaining popularity very quickly in Japan. According to the data we’ve collected at Japan Dev over the years, TypeScript ranks as the 6th most popular programming language in the country today. 

Take a look at our table below to see how it ranks compared to other languages:

This list was made according to TypeScript’s popularity among the job listings we feature on the Japan Dev job board. So, based on real-life job listings, TypeScript is the sixth most sought-after language.

TypeScript’s Use Cases: How Is TypeScript Used in Japan?

As it originated from certain shortcomings of JavaScript, TypeScript was quickly embraced by front-end developers all over the world, and the same goes for Japan’s tech industry. 

Today, TypeScript has become the go-to replacement for JavaScript and is popularly used for building front-end web applications. In addition, you’ll see it frequently used in combination with popular frameworks such as React.

Other than the extensive front-end use TypeScript gets in Japan, it’s also commonly used for server-side or backend applications. The language is commonly used by companies developing mobile applications, often in combination with the framework React Native.

TypeScript Salaries in Japan: The Financial Side of Being a TypeScript Developer

The data we collected at Japan Dev didn’t just allow us to rank the programming languages according to their popularity in job listings, but it also provided us with crucial information about the salary situation. 

So, we’ve crunched the numbers and concluded that TypeScript jobs on the Japan Dev job board pay an annual median salary of ¥9 million.

If you scroll through our list and check the median salaries for other languages, you’ll see that this number is certainly above average, as it’s at the higher end of the salary scale. 

In fact, despite being in the 6th spot, it still pays more on average to be a TypeScript developer than a JavaScript or Java developer, which both rank higher in popularity on our list. This is a true testament to TypeScript’s sudden rise in popularity in Japan.

While I’ve only included the median salaries for the top 17 programming languages on our list, I recommend checking out my developer salary guide (updated for 2024) to learn more about developer salaries in Japan.

Top Companies Using TypeScript in Japan

As I explained, TypeScript is a commonly used tool for building the front end of web applications, which makes its use far from being niche. Expectedly, TypeScript is used by a large variety of companies all over the world, including in Japan.

For instance, Datachain, a startup that focuses on the interoperability of different blockchains, is a known user of TypeScript. 

The language is also used by larger companies. In fact, Reazon Holdings, a corporation with a diverse range of businesses in gaming, social media, and ad tech industries, uses TypeScript in its daily operations and hires back-end engineers with TypeScript skills.

What’s more, even a company such as Cybozu that builds cloud-based collaboration platforms uses TypeScript in front-end development. So, the extensive use cases of the language allow for job opportunities in various industries, making learning TypeScript worth your time all the more.

All that said, these are merely a few examples, and the number of companies using TypeScript is, of course, more abundant than the companies I featured here. These are only a select few out of the many listed on our job board.

Speaking of which, if you’re looking for a broader view of companies using TypeScript and hiring developers, let’s talk briefly about how you can track down all the job opportunities out there.

Finding TypeScript Jobs in Japan: Our Tips

Being the 6th most popular programming language on our job board, there’s no denying that TypeScript jobs are abundant. 

The widespread use of the language means that all sorts of companies are using it, some of which may even have shady practices like the black companies we previously covered. 

So, if you’re looking for decent TypeScript jobs, you’ll want to start from our TypeScript jobs page. We update the page frequently with new listings, and the companies we feature on there are hand-selected by our team after a careful vetting process. 

This means that the companies you’ll see on there are all confirmed to have the most modern practices and offer the best benefits.

That said, our job board isn’t the only way to find good TypeScript jobs. The alternatives, however, require you to get a bit more personally involved with TypeScript and the community overall. 

I’m talking about joining TypeScript meetup groups or attending TypeScript community events, which is vital to your career as a developer, as I explained in my post on finding a job as a developer in Japan.

You can get started with my tech conferences in Japan post, but I also have separate detailed guides covering tech events and communities in specific cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, and Fukuoka.

Lastly, another overall tip I can give to any developer looking for a job is to work on open-source projects as much as possible. I talked about this in my open source in Japan post, but this is by far the best way to make your name known. It’s also a great way to build a public CV of sorts that simply speaks for itself.

Final Words on TypeScript in Japan

As one of the most popular programming languages in the world, it’s no surprise that TypeScript is wildly popular in Japan. To go over the main points I covered here:

• TypeScript is the 6th most popular programming language in Japan according to Japan Dev data

• TypeScript is most commonly used for front-end projects, but it also has been getting some use in server-side applications lately

• Our data suggests that TypeScript developers earn an annual median salary of ¥9 million in Japan

So, if you’re worried about your career prospects as a TypeScript developer planning to move to Japan, suffice it to say that you have nothing to worry about.

Just look at our TypeScript jobs page and take a scroll: the opportunities are plentiful, and these are the cream of the crop. Becoming a part of the community can open up even more opportunities.

If you’re considering learning TypeScript to find a job here, you can rest assured knowing it’s a good decision. This is all I have on TypeScript for now, but if you’re looking to expedite your learning process, check out my coding bootcamps in Tokyo post after this.