Isn’t it everyone’s dream to have the freedom to set their own schedule without someone dictating what, how, and when to do things? For some, working independently represents the ideal job, while for others, it can be overwhelming. Not everyone possesses the multitasking abilities and discipline required to manage marketing, accounting, sales, IT tasks, and core work responsibilities simultaneously. Additionally, embarking on a solo career in Japan adds the complexity of securing the appropriate visa to reside and work in the country.
Definition of Work has Evolved
As the world of work continues to evolve, the vocabulary has expanded to describe the different approaches to independent work. Terms like entrepreneur, freelancer, and solopreneur encompass a wide spectrum of individuals seeking to work autonomously.
Traditionally, an entrepreneur not only starts a business but tries to expand and potentially sell it at some future date. On the other hand, distinguishing between freelancers and solopreneurs can be less clear-cut. A solopreneur operates and manages their own business independently, while a freelancer is not tied to a single employer and may work for multiple clients concurrently.
Whether you reside in Japan or your home country, these distinctions hold true and resonate the same.
One of the first companies I worked for in Japan was a small IT consulting company. I would say that the owner, a foreign resident, embodied the true entrepreneurial spirit; he was able to grow the business to a vibrant company and capitalized on its growth, selling it for a profit at the height of the dot-com bubble in the late 1990’s. As a business owner, he was responsible for over 35+ employees, office space as well as multiple business contracts.
When launching a business in Japan, one of the initial priorities is defining your target customers. While offering services tailored to the foreign community can be lucrative in major cities, it may have limited results in smaller towns where the foreign population is smaller. Moreover, the number of foreign residents in Japan can shift due to economic factors, disasters and other unforeseen events. Serving both foreign residents and local Japanese customers can expand your potential market significantly.
Starting Small Scale
Not everyone wants to scale a business, but many seek independence. How can you venture out on your own? For some, a passion can be turned into a business. Tia Haygood has enjoyed photography since grade school. In her early years in Japan, she taught English and used photography to document her life in the country. When she made the decision to strike out on her own as a professional photographer, she prepared for worse case scenarios and adjusted her lifestyle by reducing expenses and maintaining a few English classes for a safety net.
Tia’s advice to newcomers includes keeping part-time jobs aligned with your passion—for her, it was working in a photo studio. Her photography work at events also helped with networking and brought in new clients. Her unique selling proposition (USP) statement, “to provide a visual catalog that enhances branding power for clients,” shows her focus on delivering a complete experience to her customers. She aims to set herself apart from the competition by emphasizing the value she brings to her clients.
During Tia’s career, in both English teaching and in photography, she updated her data with the immigration office in Japan to ensure that her visa remained valid and reflected her most current career.
Another ambitious individual who works solo is Phoebe Amoroso. She has high energy and thrives on handling multiple projects at once. Her short visit to Japan during her university days prompted her to apply for the Daiwa Scholarship which is a 19-month program of Japanese language study, work placement and homestay in Japan. She landed one of the spots and the language study and work placement helped propel her career in Japan.
As a multimedia journalist and food & travel consultant she has worked with a wide variety of companies including Reuters and NHK. Her Japanese language skills has given her an edge in the media industry. She refers to herself as a storyteller and says she really does enjoy talking with people to learn more about them and their experiences. Her strong networking keeps her busy with work, so she spends very little time pitching new projects.
She maintains a strong online presence, and this has helped to keep a steady flow of new connections. She isn’t bothered by the admin aspect of solo work since it is more time-consuming rather than difficult. Phoebe also keeps her visa renewals current to ensure she stays on the right side of Japan’s immigration. Her advice is to think beyond your comfort zone and be passionate about the work you choose. Additionally, strive to be easy to work with to keep the referrals coming.
Other Business Avenues
As a business owner in Japan, you don’t need to limit your customers to residents in Japan only. Currently, Japan’s global reputation is at an all-time high so even if people can’t visit the country, customers may be willing to buy merchandise sourced from here. It is now easier than ever to setup an ecommerce store and sell wares related to manga, food goods such as green tea and even homeware goods made with traditional Japanese fabrics such as upcycled kimonos. Several companies have developed monthly subscription programs to ship Japanese snacks to many places in the world. As a foreign resident, this is your opportunity to work with local suppliers in Japan and sell to friends and family back home.
Other income producing channels also exist. You may not have a physical product to sell but you can still leverage an online business to create and sell learning content, teach online classes, blog or create digital content among many other choices. Choose the method that best aligns with your skills, interests, and available time to maximize your potential for success.
Japan can offer unique work opportunities, however, there are also many capable local Japanese and foreign residents. To thrive, you will need to find your own niche and work hard to succeed, including earning enough to cover your monthly rent. Good luck in finding your path to success.
