There are many roads to Rome, or more specifically, Japan, but let’s talk about the Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) route and its pros and cons. But like a recipe on the internet, we need a bit of a backstory before we get to the good part.

Why I Wanted to Live in Japan

I’ve always wanted to live in Japan for at least part of my life. Apart from the appeal of the touristy aspect of Japan and the pop culture, I always thought it was a beautiful country and wanted to live there as a local.

There were three things that held me back:

• Finding a job in Japan, because everyone needs money to exist.

• The logistics of moving to and being a resident of Japan seemed overwhelming.

• And the biggest overarching issue, my Japanese was conversational at best, which exacerbated the above two points.

What Is an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in Japan?

Becoming an Assistant Language Teacher, otherwise known as an ALT, was what I found to be the most tried-and-tested route for an English-speaking foreigner to work and live in Japan.

Dispatch companies hire ALTs who function as contractors and are placed in English classrooms around Japan. There are many dispatch companies, but they tend to have the following base requirements:

• Native English speaking ability

• A bachelor's degree (can be in any major)

For many people looking into teaching English in Japan, becoming an ALT is one of the most accessible pathways.

The Pros of Becoming an ALT in Japan

1. Visa Support and Help Settling in Japan

One of the main pros of becoming an ALT through a dispatch company is the support you receive in getting to and getting settled in Japan.

This may vary depending on the company, but so far the company I am with have assisted with obtaining the necessary visa, housing, car, health insurance, and all the bits and pieces needed to become a resident in Japan. And let me tell you, that support is invaluable.

When taking up residence in Japan, you need to register at city hall to obtain something akin to a social security number.

Naturally, this entire process was in Japanese. My high school Japanese, which went as far as how are you and what are your hobbies, was shook.

Thankfully, we had a native Japanese person to assist us through this whole process, explaining the lengthy paperwork we had to fill out, and conferring with the city hall workers on our behalf. All we had to worry about was writing our names in Katakana 870923 times.

This process took nearly 3 hours and took place in entirely rapid Japanese. I couldn’t be more appreciative of her help, even more so when it came to the equally lengthy process of opening a bank account.

2. Assistance With Housing and a Car

Another pro of becoming an ALT is the assistance with finding housing and a car.

Japan has an interesting system for renting, where it is a requirement to have a guarantor. This guarantor has to be a Japanese person. There are actually companies in Japan where you can pay someone to be your guarantor to the tune of about $100 AUD a month on top of your rental cost.

Even then, anecdotal stories have told us that even with a guarantor, it can be tricky to obtain a suitable location. One of the managers of the company I’m with, who is also an Australian but moved to Japan almost 15 years ago and stayed after marrying a Japanese woman, encountered difficulties finding housing even with a guarantor.

Thankfully, with this dispatch company, they manage the trouble of finding you a suitable housing location, so all you need to do is move in and convince your partner that you need a coffee table and that using a moving box as a viable replacement is nigh insanity.

3. You Get to Live in Japan

Let’s not gloss over the main pro and probably why you’re reading this article: you get to live in Japan.

The seasons each have their own distinct beauty, so it’s a real pleasure to be able to experience them as a local. Spring beckons cherry blossoms for only 14 days or so: melancholy symbols of the fleeting nature of beauty in its short life span.

See, 2–3 months in and I wax poetical about spring. Which was already my favourite season but now even more so due to the abundance of flowers I see in Japan.

Omotenashi culture, which, in its most precise definition, is hospitality on steroids, is another beautiful aspect of Japan that is lovely to experience.

Being able to live in Japan is an incredible life experience, exploring off the beaten path, discovering more cute characters you need all the merchandise under the sun of, and easy day trips to see lots of new and intriguing places.

The Cons of Becoming an ALT in Japan

1. Japanese Work Culture

Now onto the cons, although your mileage may vary with this one: the work culture.

Japanese work culture is definitely the beast that you’d expect it to be if you’ve heard about it at all. Strict adherence to punctuality, staying late, and busy work are aspects of working in a Japanese school that take some getting used to.

As an ALT you’re shielded from the most intense aspects of the work culture, such as staying late beyond your scheduled hours, but don’t expect to be allowed to leave early even if you have nothing to do.

Looking busy is an art form I’ve honed over the past few months because for my role at least, when I’m not in classes, I basically just hang out in the staff room for about 5+ hours a day. As I’ve knocked off a sizeable chunk of my to-read list I’m not mad about it, but it does get tiring.

Another aspect is punctuality, if you’re 10–15 minutes early, you’re on time, and if you’re on time, you’re late. It even goes as far as your relationships with your colleagues and school can be damaged if you’re consistently late (by which I mean a start time of 8:00 am and arriving at 8:01 am).

Students are generally excited and interested in learning English, so this requires enthusiasm and a liking for working with kids to get you by.

2. ALT Salary in Japan

If you have dreams of accumulating heaps of money and buying a Tesla for every day of the week, you may not be suited to the ALT life.

The pay itself is average, but if you budget smart and live within your means, you can have an enjoyable year in Japan. Which to be honest, is not too different to how anyone would reasonably manage their salary anywhere else.

And with Japan’s low cost of living, it’s more than manageable to live and enjoy your time.

However, this leads me to my main point to consider: what do you want out of becoming an ALT?

If you’re looking for a long-term career in Japan, this may not be the route for you. There’s not a lot of growth for ALTs themselves unless you enter the corporate/management side where there are gaijin (foreigners) who have been in Japan for more than 10 years but started as ALTs.

But this role itself I don’t think is viable for the long term, financially, and in terms of career fulfilment. As an ALT you are just that, an assistant, so depending on the school you’re placed in you may not have the full autonomy of a regular teacher.

But if you want to spend a year or two living in Japan, soaking up all the sights and experiences you can in your time here, then I definitely think the assistance and stable income will help you have a smoother time moving to Japan.

I planned to spend my 175 days off in the year exploring as much of Japan as I can.

3. You Can’t Choose Your Placement

One of the qualities highly emphasised in the interview process is flexibility, not only the necessary adaptation to a new culture (see the above) but also where you’ll actually be living.

Tokyo is everyone’s dream of course but unfortunately, it's everyone’s dream (read: highly competitive). My cohort have ALTs placed on islands 2 hours ferry ride from the mainland, and others in far-off rural locations.

The major con with being an ALT is not being able to choose where you’re specifically placed, as it depends where the company needs you.

Is Becoming an ALT in Japan Worth It?

Now, let’s talk about the work itself.

It should be pretty obvious, but if you don’t like teaching, kids, or have a strong desire to live in Japan that you’ll take any job that provides you that opportunity, you’re probably not suited to becoming an ALT.

The underlying main role of an ALT is to get Japanese students excited and interested in learning English, so this requires enthusiasm and a liking for working with kids to get you by.

If you have dreams of accumulating heaps of money and buying a Tesla for every day of the week, you may not be suited to the ALT life. The pay itself is average, but if you budget smart and live within your means, you can have an enjoyable year in Japan. Which to be honest, is not too different to how anyone would reasonably manage their salary anywhere else. And with Japan’s low cost of living, it’s more than manageable to live and enjoy your time. However, this leads me to my main point to consider: what do you want out of becoming an ALT?

If you’re looking for a long-term career in Japan, this may not be the route for you.

There’s not a lot of growth for ALTs themselves unless you enter the corporate/management side, where there are gaijin (foreigners) who have been in Japan for more than 10 years but started as ALTs. But this role itself I don’t think is viable for the long term - financially, and in terms of career fulfilment. As an ALT you are just that, an assistant, so depending on the school you’re placed in, you may not have the full autonomy of a regular teacher.

But if you want to spend a year or two living in Japan, soaking up all the sights and experiences you can in your time here, then I definitely think the assistance and stable income will help you have a smoother time moving to Japan. 

Written by Susan Craggs for Colin Magazine Edition 8

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