graphic designer in japan?
 

hi everyone.

i would like to live in japan (much to the surprise of everyone here i'm sure) and i would like to know what my chances are.

i graduated from college in digital media/communication design and now work as a graphic designer in a digital advertising company. my plan is to take more japanese classes here, then go do some work&travel in japan for a while and learn more of the language and look around to see if i can find a regular job then. I have a college degree and work experience so i hope it's not entirely impossible to find something.

being a graphic designer of course also means i have to deal a lot with typography, i.e. writing/characters. is there a reasonable chance for me to learn that enough so that i'd be able to work there in my profession? are there any foreigners working in advertising over there (especially as designers)?

what do you guys think my chances are? i'm usually quite good with languages, i speak 4 already quite fluently, just fyi.

thanks!

-andy

hey well the GFX industry is currently growing and jobs r always avaliable, i think u shud give it a shot

I think that is a great dream. You are going to run into some hurdles, but it seems like you see that.

One is language. You seem to be on the path to remedying that, but your best bet is going to be going to Japan. You have a couple options, but if you are serious about learning Japanese, the best thing to do is go there as a student, or go as an English teacher.

While you are there you may be able to get hooked up with people in the industry, but here's where the second problem comes in.

Visa. 98+% of Westerners working in Japan are English teachers. The rest are there on very specialized visas or are entertainers (athletes, etc). You would need to prove to a company that you have special skills that a Japanese person doesn't share. If that company has the classification to apply to sponsor you, then the process could start, but I would be surprised to hear of a graphic design companies with that status (maybe a film studio...). I have heard more than one friend say "The company wants me, but can't hire me."

Larger American firms might have Tokyo or Osaka offices... that might be a possibility.

In this case, your best bet is going to be marrying a Japanese citizen. Then any company could hire you once you have legal status.

Good luck!

careful
 

In this case, your best bet is going to be marrying a Japanese citizen. Then any company could hire you once you have legal status.

You may want to be careful with that plan... you could marry a Japanese citizen that does not like living in Japan.