[Sangetsu]

JET would be a waste of time. You should consider going to graduate school and studying finance, business, or economics. These fields will open up more opportunities for you if you really want to work in Japan.

A degree in Japanese or Asian studies is about as relevant as a degree in basket weaving or flower arranging; there are plenty of Japanese in need of work who are fluent in both. You need something which is more marketable.

As for IT, many Japanese companies hire specialists from India. Much of this work is outsourced, and India provides competent technicians to Japan for a price that I'm sure you wouldn't want to settle for.

Most of my friends and associates are in finance, and are working for Japanese banks and investment houses. These companies see the economy in Japan as "mature" (meaning that they don't expect it will grow any further), and these companies are beginning to focus their attention outside Japan. The emerging markets are seen as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. Many believe that China is in the beginning or midst of a "bubble economy", and they are a becoming cautious with investing in China.

Your best bet is to get an advanced degree, and look for a job with an American or European company with a subsidiary in Japan, such as a large investment bank. Your Japanese and Asian studies will be more of an asset there, and American/European companies pay much better than Japanese companies do. They also hire more people. Japanese companies like SMBC, Nomura, or Daiwa are hiring fewer people now, due to the poor economy in Japan, and poor corresponding company profits. And, as these companies are Japanese, their pay systems are strictly seniority-based. The starting salary is puny, and, even if you work there for 20 years, the best you might hope for is a mediocre salary. An entry-level person at JP Morgan or Goldman Sachs is much more lucrative, and as American and European companies base their salaries on performance rather than seniority, you will have much more incentive to work hard, and more opportunities for advancement. Any experience with computers or logic is a plus in finance.

Outside finance, you might look for Japanese manufacturing companies which are interested in moving production outside Japan (which more are doing now due to the lopsided currency exchange rates). Companies like Sony, Panasonic, or the auto manufacturers are all interested in expanding their manufacturing overseas, what would you need to know to be helpful to them?

Passing the N1 test would be a big plus, but it's not that easy to pass. Of all of my friends who have taken it, not a single one has passed (and they all live here in Japan). If you feel you are somewhere "in between" N2 and N1, you are going to have to work hard to be ready by next year.

Don't waste your time teaching ESL in Japan unless you plan to do something similar to it in the future (don't aim that low!).