Relocating to Japan with Your Company: How to Prepare Your Japanese
If your company is transferring you to its Japan office, start learning Japanese as soon as the move is likely, even if your job will be in English. Three to six months of regular lessons before you leave is enough to handle daily life, introduce yourself at work and understand the basics of how a Japanese office runs. Focus first on survival Japanese for the first month, then on workplace phrases, and include your partner or family if they are moving too, because they often need Japanese more than you do.
Why learn Japanese if your job is in English?
Many people on an intra-company transfer work in English. Japanese still makes a big difference:
- The first month is full of paperwork. The city office, a bank account, a phone contract and health insurance. See the moving to Japan checklist.
- Your colleagues talk in Japanese. Lunch, the corridor and after-work drinks are where relationships are built. See small talk at work.
- Daily life outside the office. Shops, doctors, neighbours and your children’s school rarely operate in English.
- It shows respect. A manager who greets the team in Japanese is received very differently from one who doesn’t.
A timeline before the move
| When | Focus |
|---|---|
| Six months before | Hiragana and katakana, basic greetings and numbers. See learning kana. |
| Four months before | Weekly lessons on everyday situations: shopping, transport, restaurants, asking for help. |
| Two months before | Your self-introduction at work, office greetings and the vocabulary of your role. |
| Last month | Role-plays for the city office, bank and doctor; practising the first conversations with your new team. |
| After arrival | Keep lessons going online, now built around real situations from your week. |
If you have less time, see our study routine for busy adults and prioritise the first month.
Your first days in the office
Prepare a short self-introduction (自己紹介) for your first morning. Many offices hold a short 朝礼 (chōrei, morning meeting) where new staff introduce themselves. A simple version:
本日より〇〇オフィスから異動してまいりました、〇〇と申します。至らない点もあるかと思いますが、よろしくお願いいたします。
“My name is ○○, and as of today I have transferred from the ○○ office. I’m sure there will be things I don’t yet know, but I look forward to working with you.”
Learn the office greetings too: おはようございます in the morning, お疲れさまです throughout the day and お先に失礼します when you leave before others. Our guide to your first week at a Japanese company covers more.
If you will manage a Japanese team
Managing in Japan is different from managing at home. Teams often expect consensus-building before decisions, detailed instructions and regular check-ins. Direct criticism in front of others is usually avoided. Understanding job titles and hierarchy and workplace culture helps you read situations even before your Japanese is fluent.
Your partner and family
A partner who doesn’t work in Japan often faces more Japanese than the person who was transferred: schools, the doctor, deliveries and neighbours. Children starting at a local school or nursery need support too. Lessons for the whole family, or separate lessons for a partner, are often the best investment of the move. See Japanese for parents in Japan.
Ask your employer about language support
Many companies support Japanese lessons for transferees and their families as part of a relocation package or a training budget. Ask HR what is available before you move. If your company is setting up a programme for several staff, see Japanese language training for employees.
Common questions
How much Japanese can I learn before I go?
With weekly lessons and daily practice over a few months, most people can manage everyday situations and introduce themselves confidently.
Should I keep studying once I arrive?
Yes. Progress is fastest once you live in Japan and can practise every day, and lessons help you make sense of what you hear.
My move date keeps changing. When should I start?
As soon as the move is likely. The basics are useful whatever the date.
If you are relocating to Japan, our online Japanese tutors can prepare you and your family for the move, before and after you arrive. For company programmes, you can get in touch for a free consultation.