Looking for a job? Try Japan.

If you're looking for a great paying job, Japan just might be the answer for many of today's English teachers, hotel front desk service and customer service employee's, engineers, web site designers, administrators, or health care worker to include nursing.

Japan's population declined in 2005, which marks the first time since the country began keeping demographic records in 1899. The decrease occurred two years earlier than had been expected. This is important because Japan needs people to handle the important careers that keep the country innovative and competitive.

The trend seems to be that foreign talent is sought from America, England, France, Canada, Italy, Australia, and other countries.

Women of Japan have reduced their fertility rate dramatically. Japanese women's fertility rate is currently 1.29 per lifetime birth per women. In this case, the declining fertility rate in Japan is due to women's conscious choice. They simply do not want to get married in today's Japan. It's just not that attractive anymore.

Many of today's Japanese women simple would rather stay single and live the life of fun and happiness. The last 15 years showed that the percentage of singles increased by 10 percentage points every 5 years, which is alarming.

In my position interviewing Japanese women who are seeking employment in Tokyo, Japan - I asked over 1000 women in Japan in 2005- why the no-interest in getting married?

The top three answers received are as follows: 1.) Many Japanese women in their twenties do not want to get married because they want to enjoy being single. They call it " The New Singles Life". Japan puts a lot of pressure on married women to take care of the household and grandparents on both sides - while still holding a full time job and taking care of the children. The men on the other hand spends most of the time at the office, and expects his wife to take care of the rest of life's little problems.

2.) Many women in Japan are a lot more educated than that of Japanese men. Education is a very large part of the mix. Women are so much more educated than Japanese men, that the women simple do not care to marry on that level. Uneven as it is. Some Japanese women opt to live in another country to find her soul mate. Many women just stay single and work hard to obtain what the men use to purchase for them, i.e., houses and security.

3.) Many Japanese women, over time, make more money than Japanese men. Japanese women are highly educated and therefore make more money due to the seniority system in Japan. Unmarried women tend to remain unmarried these days because they can make about 20 to 35% more money than Japanese men in the same jobs. There is no incentive for Japanese women to get married - as there was in the past.

Yet, another reason to work in Japan...

Now, at the same time - many of Japan's teens and early twenty something's and even thirty something's - have no interest in education, married life, or working at the " normal " Japanese company, as they did historically. This in itself poses a big problem. However opens up the door for foreigners to work in Japan.

The NEETs in Japan ( Not educated, employed, Trained ) make up about 2% of Japan's 33 million teens to thirty something's. These are the people who do not want or not seeking employment in Japan. They are being taken care of by their parents or have dropped out of society all together.

Currently, the NEET's do not pose a problem, however they could in the years to come as the population shrinks and the youth show no signs or have the ability to work in today's international arena.

Overall, Japan needs foreign talent to ease the burden of the lack of skilled workers. If you are thinking of living and working in Japan, now may be the time to take that first step.

Now, Japan needs foreign talent more than ever.

End ~