Dec 21, 2024
Japan no longer a viable place to work for expats from some countries
I saw an interesting article via Nippon.com yesterday, which looked at the weak yen and how it's reducing the appeal of Japan as an employment destination for many international workers. The article had a specific focus on Vietnamese workers in Japan, and mentioned that people now typically feel that they don't have a chance to get ahead, especially compared to years gone by.
One direct quote from the article noted that up until February 2022, ¥1 was worth more than 200 dong, but by June this year it had dropped below 160. You can see that's a pretty sharp decline, and I'm noticing it in currency conversions with my home country, too. While I don't send money home to family or friends, 1 Australian dollar doesn't even equate to 100 yen now – at the time of writing this, it's just under 98 yen to the dollar. The amount I get paid per hour here is not even touching minimum wage over there, so obviously I have concerns that I'm getting further and further behind from a financial standpoint if I was to move home.
Do you find that Japan's appeal as an employment destination has diminished due to the weak yen? Does it factor into your considerations of keeping Japan as your long-term home as a result?
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