Common Japanese Job Interview Questions (And How to Answer Them)

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Getting ready for a job interview in Japan can be a nerve-wracking experience. Irrespective of whether you are Japanese or not, there are certain business etiquette rules that you should try to follow. That doesn’t account for the questions that might come up during the interview process, which can be hard to answer in your native language, let alone in Japanese.

If you’ve already passed the first hurdle of resume screening (check out our guide on writing a great rirekisho to increase your chances of passing that!), that’s a sign that your skills and experience have made a strong impression. But that’s just the beginning.

While your resume may get your foot in the door, your ability to answer questions clearly and present yourself well is what truly determines your chances of moving forward and landing that dream job in Japan. In this post, we’ll cover tips on how to handle some of the most commonly asked questions in Japanese job interviews, as well as important cultural and professional points to keep in mind.

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Tips for Interviewing for a Job in Japan

Remember, while your resume highlights your technical and hard skills, the interview is your chance to show who you are beyond the paper. It’s an opportunity for recruiters to assess your personality, communication style, and cultural fit. That said, the impression you make often starts before you even say a word: your posture, tone, and how you greet the interviewer can all speak volumes. Check out some of our recommended tips to leave a positive mark.

1. Dress professionally for your interview

How formal you need to be depends on the company and industry. For example, if you’re applying for a tech-related role at a startup or an international company, you can usually dress more casually without needing a full suit and tie. However, for more traditional or client-facing roles like sales or customer service, formal attire is expected.

As a general rule of thumb, opt for a collared shirt and dress pants. For women, a clean blouse paired with slacks or a skirt that falls below the knee is a safe choice.

Otside of certain modern or international workplaces, Japanese companies tend to be conservative about work attire. That means avoiding anything too flashy or trendy. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a simple gray or navy suit, regardless of gender.

To avoid drawing the wrong kind of attention, make sure your appearance is neat, clean, and understated. Here are some key points:

Men: A clean-shaven look is still preferred (though this is becoming more relaxed). Keep your hair neat.
Women: Avoid flashy makeup, brightly colored hair, large accessories, long nails, or noticeable piercings. A tidy and professional appearance is best.
Tattoos: Tattoos are still often viewed negatively in Japanese workplaces, especially in traditional companies. If you have visible tattoos, like a full sleeve, it’s best to cover them during the interview.
Shoes: Low heels or simple flats are recommended for women. Men should wear clean, polished dress shoes or loafers.

We always recommend a clean, professional, and respectful look. Even if the company has a more relaxed dress code, showing that you’ve made the effort will leave a positive first impression!

2. Interview manners and etiquette

Good manners can go a long way in a Japanese job interview—and help you avoid unintentionally coming off as rude. While expectations vary by company, it’s best to follow standard etiquette, especially when interviewing with traditional or local firms.

For in-person interviews, be sure to arrive at least five minutes early (but not more than 10–15 minutes). Greet the receptionist politely and wait to be called in. When entering the interview room, knock and say “失礼します (Shitsurei shimasu),” which means “Excuse me,” and wait for “どうぞ (Douzo)” before entering. Once inside, bow and apologize again for the interruption, then sit only when invited. Maintain good posture throughout! Sit upright and avoid leaning back, as a relaxed posture may be seen as disrespectful.

If your interview is online, be sure to join the meeting at least one minute early. Keep your background neutral—consider using a virtual background if needed and avoid anything that might look unprofessional, like a messy bedroom. Dressing appropriately is still important, so wearing a collared shirt or blouse is a safe and respectful choice.

What Are Some Key Questions Asked at a Japanese Job Interview?

The key thing to remember is that the interviewer is more interested in how you answer their question rather than what your actual answers are. If you can deliver an answer with confidence and proper Japanese, this will indicate that you will be able to communicate with your potential future coworkers.

However, if your answers are vague or the delivery is not good, then it’s more likely that the interviewer will continue to ask more detailed questions, which can quickly lead you to an area that you might not be comfortable with.
To avoid this practice come up with detailed answers to the questions below, deliver your answers with confidence and you will stand a good chance of getting the job!

1. Please introduce yourself

One of the most common ways a Japanese interview begins is with the phrase: 自己紹介をお願いします (jikoshoukai o onegai shimasu), which means “Please introduce yourself.” This is often the very first question, and your response can set the tone for the rest of the interview. In fact, many follow-up questions will be based on what you share in your introduction.

Another variation you might hear is:

これまでやってきたことを簡単に教えてください
Kore made yatte kita koto o kantan ni oshiete kudasai.
Please briefly tell me what you’ve done so far.

The best way to introduce yourself is with a short monologue about your work history and why you came to Japan. Japanese companies like to hear that their employees are enthusiastic about Japan, so try to give a few key points about what drew you to working in Japan. Other things you can mention for your self-introduction includes:

Where you come from and what brings you to Japan
What you studied (if you are a new graduate) or your past work experience (if you are a mid-hire)

Avoid going on to talk about your personal achievements unless the interviewer employer specifically asked for it. This can come off as arrogant for some, which is the last impression you’d like to leave on your interviewer before walking out of the interview room.

Check out an example of a self-introduction below!

Japanese	Romaji	English
はじめまして、ジョンと申します。アメリカ出身です。日本の文化が好きで、2020年に来日しました。2021年から楽天でフロントエンドエンジニアとして働いています。このポジションに応募したのは、プロダクトの成長に貢献したいと思ったからです。趣味はサーフィンです。どうぞよろしくお願いします。	Hajimemashite, Jon to moushimasu. Amerika shusshin desu. Nihon no bunka ga sukide, 2020-nen ni rainichi shimashita. 2021-nen kara Rakuten de furonto endo enjinia to shite hataraiteimasu. Kono pojishon ni oubo shita no wa, purodakuto no seichō ni kouken shitai to omotta kara desu. Shumi wa saafin desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.	Nice to meet you, my name is John. I am from the United States. I came to Japan in 2020 because I love the culture. Since 2021, I have been working as a front-end engineer at Rakuten. I applied for this position because I want to contribute to the growth of the product. My hobby is surfing. I look forward to working with you.

Keep in mind that interviewers aren’t just interested in your past. They want to see if your background aligns with what they’re looking for. If you’re a foreigner, this is also often their first chance to evaluate your Japanese language ability, so how you express yourself matters just as much as what you say.

Since this is a common question that will be asked at most interviews, it is a good idea to practice your answers in advance with a native Japanese speaker. We also offer full training for job interview preparation through our Business Japanese Course.

Check out our complete guide to introducing yourself in Japanese for job interviews.

2. Why do you want to work here?

The interviewer might ask, “どうしてうちの会社(かいしゃ)で働(はたら)きたいんですか (doushite uchi no kaisha de hatarikitain desu ka)?”
This is your chance to show that you have done research on the company. Your answers should demonstrate that not only would you be a good fit for the role, but that the company can also benefit from your career objectives. Mentioning some recent updates about the company is also a good strategy to show that you can keep up with Japanese news.

The key here would be to try and draw a connection between how the company is performing versus how the economy is performing. From there, offer them some ways in which you can value-add to their company.
Japanese companies do not like to see large gaps in your work history. They also don’t like to see that you have switched companies frequently. If you do have large gaps between jobs or haven’t been able to keep a job for very long, prepare for some very good explanations in Japanese.

This would be since you would come off as someone who lacks commitment or wouldn’t want to commit to a job for very long. In turn, the interviewers may get turned off by the fact that you may not be able to last very long as an employee in their firm either.

3. Why did you leave your last company?

If you’re a mid-career hire—that is, you have previous work experience—you might hear the interviewer ask:
どうして前の会社を辞めたんですか？
Doushite mae no kaisha o yametan desu ka?
Why did you leave your previous company?

Another polite variation you might hear is:
前職を退職した理由は何ですか？
Zenshoku o taishoku shita riyū wa nan desu ka?
What is the reason you resigned from your last job?

Keep in mind that, although it’s becoming less common, many Japanese companies still highly value loyalty and uphold the ideal of lifetime employment. This is not a time to badmouth your previous employer, even if you did leave on undesirable terms!

Also, try to avoid lying about your performance or adaptability in the previous company. Your interviewers can simply conduct a background check on you by contacting your previous company, and this can make you look bad as an interviewee in general, so keep that in mind!
A better strategy, however, would be to use this question to talk positively about the company that you are interviewing. A safe answer would be that you enjoyed your time at your previous company and learned a lot, but you feel that you are ready for your next step in your career and that the new company can offer many more opportunities.

Once again, remember that it isn’t so much about what you say but how you say it. If you deliver your answer smoothly and with confidence, it the less likely that your interviewer would ask you more detailed questions.

Here’s a table with polite, softened ways to explain why you left your previous company, turning the blunt reasons into positive or professional answers:

Honest Reason	Polite / Professional Explanation
I don’t get along with my manager.	I was looking for an environment where I could collaborate more effectively with my team and grow professionally.
I was working a lot of overtime and had too many tasks.	I wanted to find a role with a better work-life balance to maintain high performance and well-being.
The company did not treat employees well.	I was seeking a workplace culture that better supports employee development and values open communication.
I was laid off due to company financials.	The company faced financial challenges that led to restructuring, and I am now looking for new opportunities to contribute my skills.

4. What do you want to do in your future?

This question is best answered by showing that your future career goals are something that you can build within the company.
For example, if you are a back-end engineer, your goal might be towards becoming a full-stack engineer and this is something that you can accomplish within the company you are interviewing for. Think of answers that can demonstrate that over time, by developing your skills and become a more valuable employee to the company. In short, try to keep your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based.

Example question:

将来どんな仕事をしていきたいですか？
Shourai donna shigoto o shite ikitai desu ka?
What kind of work do you want to do in the future?

5. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

A classic question you’ll often hear in job interviews is:

あなたの長所・短所を教えてください
Anata no chousho / tansho o oshiete kudasai.
Please tell me your strengths and weaknesses.

Just like with your self-introduction, interviewers are usually less interested in the specific strengths and weaknesses and more focused on how you answer the question. It’s best to limit yourself to two or three strengths and weaknesses each, and explain them clearly.

Before your interview, prepare a few strengths that relate directly to the job you’re applying for. Also, think about some weaknesses, but be strategic. You want to mention some weaknesses to show humility and self-awareness, but choose ones that can also be seen in a positive light for the role. For example, avoid cliches like “I’m a perfectionist” as these can seem insincere.

A useful tip is to mention how you’re actively working to improve on your weaknesses. For example, you might say that you used to struggle with delegating tasks but have learned to trust your team more by encouraging brainstorming and collaboration.

6. What do you know about us as a company?

Now that you’ve nailed the easier questions, the interviewer will likely move on to more challenging ones. One common question is about what you know regarding the company. Many candidates stumble here because they don’t do enough research beforehand.

You might hear questions like:

弊社についてどんなことを知っていますか？
Heisha ni tsuite donna koto o shitte imasu ka?
What do you know about our company?

Other variations also include:

弊社のどのようなところに興味を持ちましたか？
Heisha no dono youna tokoro ni kyōmi o mochimashita ka?
What interests you about our company?”

While interviewers don’t expect you to recite the entire company mission or vision statement, it’s important to demonstrate that you’ve done your homework. For example, mention their position in the industry, recent achievements, or even your personal experience using their products or services.

Note: Note: You may notice the use of 弊社 (heisha) instead of the more general 会社 (kaisha) to refer to a company. Heisha is a humble term used to refer to one’s own company, especially in formal or business settings. This word choice reflects the Japanese cultural distinction between uchi (内) and soto (外), where one’s own company is considered part of the “inside” group. We discussed that concept more in our guide to Japanese keigo.

7. What Work Experience Do You Have?

今まで何の仕事しごとをしてきましたか?
Ima made nan no shigoto shi-goto o shite kimashita ka?
If you get asked what kind of jobs you’ve done until now, try to stick with relevant experiences.

This question is usually asked of those with full-time work experience, but even if you’re new to the field, don’t worry! You might still be asked. In that case, you can talk about your past jobs and highlight the skills you developed that could be useful in your next role.

If you’re a recent graduate, you can mention volunteer activities, participation in committees, or part-time jobs — anything that demonstrates your organizational or management abilities.

You can also bring up any side projects or freelance work you’ve done. Companies often appreciate this kind of experience because it shows your passion and initiative beyond formal employment.

Common Job Interview Vocabulary

You don’t have to memorize all of the questions we mentioned, but at the very least, it’s helpful to know some common words and themes that often come up during Japanese job interviews..

English	Japanese	Romaji
Self-introduction	自己紹介	Jikoshoukai
Educational background	学歴	Gakureki
Employment history	職務経歴	Shokumu keireki
One’s dreams	夢	Yume
Personality	性格	Seikaku
Experience	経験	Keiken
One’s merits	長所 / 強み	Chousho / Tsuyomi
Weaknesses	短所	Tansho
Please tell me…	～教えてください	Oshiete Kudasai
Reason for applying	応募動機	Oubodouki
Motivation	志望動機	Shiboudouki
Statement of purpose (written by applicants)	志望理由書	Shibouriyuusho
Hobby	趣味	Shumi
Skills	スキル	Sukiru
Fit with the company	会社に合うか	Kaisha ni au ka
Follow-up questions	フォローアップ質問	Forou appu shitsumon
Work experience	職務経験	Shokumu keiken
Case / Project	案件	Anken
Achievement	成果	Seika
Accomplishments	実績	Jisseki
Job duties	仕事内容	Shigoto naiyou

Conclusion

The key thing to remember when answering these questions is to focus on having a smooth delivery and speaking with confidence. How you speak is as important as what you say when it comes to a Japanese job interview. Also, do remember to conduct a thorough look through of the company you are applying for to get a better understanding of what the company does. Rehearse one day prior to the interview, and you should be all set! We wish you all the best in your interviews!

If you are looking for more training on mastering business-level Japanese, check out our business Japanese course, which is specifically designed to help bilingual foreigners improve their career opportunities in Japan by improving their business-level communication, or fill in the form below, and we will contact you shortly. If you already have a Job in Japan, don’t worry, we also offer part-time Japanese courses to suit your daily schedule!

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FAQ

How do I prepare for a Japanese interview?

Research the company, practice common interview questions in Japanese, and learn proper business etiquette.

What is the common question in a Japanese interview?

A common question is “自己紹介をお願いします” (Please introduce yourself).

How to impress a Japanese interviewer?

Show respect through polite language and manners, demonstrate your knowledge of the company, and clearly explain how your skills fit their needs.

What are the 10 main interview questions?

They typically include questions about your strengths and weaknesses, reasons for applying, future goals, work experience, teamwork, problem-solving, overtime availability, and any questions you have.

Want to work in Japan? Check out our work-related series:

English	Japanese	Romaji
What kind of work do you want to do in the future?	将来どんな仕事をしたいですか？	Shourai donna shigoto wo shitai desu ka
What do you hope to achieve if hired?	採用されたら、当社で達成したいことは何ですか？	Saiyou sare tara, tousha de tassei shitai koto wa nan desu ka
What do you hope will happen in the next year?	一年後どうなりたいですか？	Ichi nengo dou naritai desu ka
What do you value when working in a team?	チームで働くときに大切にしていることは何ですか？	Chīmu de hataraku toki ni taisetsu ni shite iru koto wa nan desu ka?
How have you overcome difficult situations?	困難な状況をどのように乗り越えましたか？	Konnan na joukyou o dono you ni norikoemashita ka?
Are you able to work overtime?	残業はできますか？	Zangyou wa dekimasu ka?
Do you have any questions?	質問はありますか？	Shitsumon wa arimasu ka

Most Common Japanese Job Interview Questions (And How to Answer Them)