You’ve passed document screening. Now comes the part where cultural differences cost people offers — not because their skills are weak, but because they answer a Japanese question as if it were a Western one.
This article covers the shape of a Japanese interview process, what common questions are really asking, and something almost no English guide mentions: the 14 topics Japan’s own government guidelines say employers should not ask about.
The usual shape
Most mid-career engineering processes in Japan run something like this:
| Round | Who | What they’re deciding |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | HR, sometimes with an engineer | Do the basics fit? Can this person communicate? |
| 2nd | The hiring team’s engineers, and your future manager | Can you do the work? Will the team work well with you? |
| Final | A department head or executive | Will you stay, grow, and fit the company? |
Two things surprise people:
- It’s usually a conversation, not a whiteboard exam. Live coding tests exist at product companies and foreign-owned firms, but many Japanese companies never ask you to code in the interview. They ask you to explain your work instead — which makes how you describe past projects far more important.
- The final round is rarely technical. By then the technical judgment is made. What’s being checked is stability and fit.
The questions behind the questions
“Why do you want to join our company?” (志望動機, shibō dōki)
The most important question in a Japanese interview, and the one foreign candidates most often underestimate.
- What it sounds like: small talk about motivation.
- What it’s asking: have you looked into us specifically, and are you likely to stay?
- Weak answer: “I love Japan and want to live here.” (True for everyone in the room. Says nothing about this company.)
- Strong answer: name the product or the technical problem, and connect it to what you’ve built. “You’re running a service at a scale where deployment safety matters, and that’s the part of infrastructure I’ve spent three years on.”
“Tell us about yourself” / “Walk us through your career”
They want a structured summary, not your life story. Two or three minutes: what you do, where you’ve built it, and what you’re strongest at.
“What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
The strength should be demonstrable through your work, not a personality claim. For the weakness, say something real, then what you do about it. Both extremes fail here: false modesty reads as no self-awareness, and inflated claims read as risky.
“Do you have any questions for us?” (逆質問, gyaku shitsumon)
Always have questions. In Japan, having none is commonly read as a lack of interest. Good ones for engineers:
- “How is the team organised, and who would I work with day to day?”
- “What does the deployment and on-call process look like now?”
- “What is the first problem you’d want me to work on?”
- “What language does the team use for meetings, documents and chat?” (see why this matters)
Asking practical questions about the work is safe and welcome. Asking only about salary and holidays in a first interview is not.
What the interviewer is actually weighing
From the hiring side, two things decide it — and neither is your JLPT level:
- Can this person deliver results? Can you say specifically what you’re good at, and how you’d use it in this role? Concrete beats general every time.
- What kind of person are you? The team works with you every day. Being clear, straightforward and easy to communicate with counts for a lot.
Related to the second point: Japanese teams place real weight on hou-ren-sou (報連相 — report, inform, consult). If you can show, with examples, that you keep people informed and raise problems early, you’re answering a question they care about before they ask it.
The 14 topics they should not ask about
Here’s the part most guides miss. Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare asks employers to base selection only on aptitude and ability, and lists 14 topics that risk discrimination. Companies are asked not to raise them.
(a) Things you’re not responsible for
- Registered domicile (本籍) or birthplace
- Family — their jobs, health, income, assets, education
- Housing situation — the type of home, number of rooms, the neighbourhood
- Living and home environment
(b) Things that should be free
- Religion
- Political party support
- Personal philosophy or values
- People you admire
- Ideology
- Labour unions and social or student movements
- Newspapers, magazines and books you read
(c) Selection methods
- Background investigations
- Application forms that ask for information unrelated to aptitude and ability
- Health checks without a rational, objective need
Source: MHLW — matters requiring consideration in hiring selection (Japanese). The ministry notes that family-related questions are the most common violation, often asked casually to build rapport.
What to do if one comes up
Most interviewers who ask about your family aren’t hostile; they’re making conversation, and many don’t know the guidance. So you have options:
- Answer briefly if you don’t mind. “Just me here for now” is a complete answer.
- Redirect politely. “Nothing that affects my availability — I can start from March.”
- Note it. A company whose interviewers repeatedly probe personal areas is telling you something about how it’s managed.
You are not required to answer, and refusing politely is legitimate. Also worth knowing: the government’s own resume form dropped the fields for spouse, dependants and commuting time, and made gender optional — the same principle.
Practical details
- Punctuality: arrive 5–10 minutes early, no more. Very early is awkward for the receptionist.
- Dress: a suit is still the default at traditional companies. Product companies and foreign-owned firms are often business casual — ask the recruiter; asking is normal.
- Online interviews: now common. Test your setup, use a plain background, and log in a few minutes before.
- After: a short thank-you email is appreciated, not required.
Summary
- Expect two or three rounds, mostly conversation, with the final round about fit rather than skills.
- Shibō dōki — “why us” — carries more weight than in most countries. Be specific about the company.
- Always prepare questions. Having none reads as no interest.
- They’re weighing results and character more than language level.
- 14 topics should be off-limits, family being the most commonly breached. You can answer briefly, redirect, or decline.
This article is general information based on the official sources linked above and my own experience in the Japanese tech industry. Practice varies by company.
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