Remote Work in Japan: 5 Popular Jobs

Have you ever wanted to work from home in Japan? You may think it's difficult to find an online job in Japan for English speakers. However, the fact is that Japan’s online job market has been increasing, and remote work is becoming more common!

This article will introduce you to typical online jobs you can apply for in Japan.

Online Jobs in Japan for English Speakers

Online English Teacher

In Japan, it is common for everyone from adults to children to learn English. While most opportunities are available in person in schools, there are some online options too.

Teaching Adults

Eikaiwa (English conversation schools) are particularly popular with adults seeking opportunities to gain English speaking experience. In most cases, eikaiwa class sizes are limited, ranging from one-on-one tutoring to small groups of 6 to 8 students at most.

Wage: 1,500 – 2,500 yen / hour

Teaching Children

Teaching children online is another common job for English speakers in Japan. The pay for teaching children appears to be on Japan’s higher end of online jobs, averaging around two to three times more per hour than teaching adults.

However, it is wise to remember that kids can often be quite a handful, and the difficulty of keeping them engaged in the lesson is magnified by the fact that you will not teach them face-to-face.

Wage: 2,000 – 4,000 yen / hour

Freelance Writer

Many magazines, newspapers, journals, and blogs now offer freelance writing jobs. You can write about anything from daily life in Japan to hidden culture. This is an ideal opportunity to earn some extra money if you are creative and love to write.

In fact, the recent surge in tourism has increased the demand for foreign-language content. Many companies are looking for writers who can handle a variety of foreign languages, including English!

Wage: Varies, paid per article or depending on article length (usually around 5,000 yen per 500 to 800-word article)

Translator (Japanese)

Translating work is always in demand, often freelance jobs rather than in-house translations affiliated with a specific company.

The language level of competence depends on the job’s language requirement. In many cases, Japanese level JLPT N2 is enough to start working as a translator in Japan to translate Japanese content into your native language.

Some translation companies, such as Joho Translation, hire freelancers directly from their website, so it's possible to check such companies and apply to increase your chances of getting translation work.

Typical salary: 1,500 – 3,000 yen / hour

Online Surveys

Taking surveys is one of the most straightforward online jobs you can do in Japan if you want to make a little extra on the side. All you need to do is click a few times online!

In Japan, survey agencies have gathered data for firms trying to get more insights about their market or customer demand. Companies are now looking for particular individuals to take surveys via advertisements based on ethnicity, gender, health status, job, or school status.

The pay can range from 500 yen to 10,000 yen per survey, depending on the type of survey you take, the uniqueness, and the number of questions. Typically, medical surveys tend to pay at the top end of this pay scale, and some may even require you to physically go to a location.

YOLOJapan is one of the most popular companies catering primarily to foreign residents. Each company does both online and offline surveys.

Wage: 500 – 10,000 yen per survey

Virtual Assistant

Many employers—especially smaller companies and startups—may not have the resources to hire full-time staff, but they still need extra support.

As a result, there is growing demand for virtual assistants across various languages. These roles usually don’t require previous experience and often involve helping with specific, clearly defined tasks.

The work you’ll do will depend on the project, but don’t worry—training is usually provided. These tasks are often delegated because business owners don’t have the time or capacity to handle them themselves.

Wage: Around 1,500 yen per hour depending on skill requirements

Ready to Grab an Online Job in Japan?

As you have seen, remote work is becoming more common in Japan and there are many types of jobs. Why not consider remote work as an option for working in Japan, and work in a way that fits your life!

Check out the remote jobs available on the Guidable Jobs website!