Finding a job in Hokkaido

Mapping Hokkaido

Geography 

The Japanese archipelago is composed of 5 main islands: Hokkaido, in the north (it is the northernmost island of Japan), Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa, in the south. In addition to these islands, the country counts many small and large islands, inhabited or not.

Japan counts 47 prefectures, which are grouped into larger regions that include:

• Honshu, the largest island, 
• Tôhoku, 
• Kantô, home to the capital Tokyo, 
• Chûbu, 
• Kansai, where Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe are located, 
• Chûgoku, which has Hiroshima as the main prefecture,  
• Shikoku the 3rd island, 
• Kyushu, 
• Okinawa,
• Hokkaido, in the north. 

The latter literally means "way of the North Sea". The island has given its name to the region it harbors, just like Kyushu and Okinawa.

A large part of Hokkaido's territory has been preserved in its natural state with its mountains and volcanoes, some of which are still active. The region is also an agricultural one, par excellence. The fauna and flora take advantage of the island's climate. The surrounding seas, namely the Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean, favor the development of fish farming.

Population 

The island of Hokkaido has 5.2 million inhabitants. Most of them are located in the southwestern city of Sapporo, the capital of the island. Sapporo is home to 1.9 million inhabitants and is far ahead of the two other cities with the largest populations in the region: Asahikawa lies a little further north with 329,306 inhabitants and Hakodate, in the extreme south, is home to 251,084 souls. The other cities have between 170,000 and 110,000 inhabitants. (Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan)

How many foreigners live in Hokkaido?

Most foreigners live in Sapporo. They were a little more than 15,000 in 2020. They come mainly from Asia, with a little more than 5,000 from China, about 2,800 from Korea and 1,600 from Vietnam. Some came to study and fell in love with life in Sapporo and never left. Others were here just for work and were seduced by Hokkaido. Others simply loved the culture and the island's way of life.

The Ainu: The first inhabitants of Japan?

For decades, Japanese governments have tried to construct the story of a homogeneous people with a single identity. But Japan is a country of diverse ethnic origins. Ainu means "man" and the Ainu people have been present in Japan for several thousand years. 

Historically, they originally lived on the island of Hokkaido, but nowadays, they are scattered all over Japan, and there are a little more than 24,000 of them left. The reason behind this so-called ugly history is the colonization, discrimination and displacement policies implemented by the government. The Meiji era, which marked the Japanese restoration, promoted the unification of the empire but consequently forbade the Ainu to speak their language and to live by their culture. Nevertheless, the Ainu language was transmitted orally. 

It was not until 1997 that a law on the Promotion of Ainu Culture and Dissemination and Enlightenment of Knowledge About Ainu Tradition, was passed. In 2019, the Ainu were legally and officially recognized as an indigenous people of Japan. A law that caused a lot of commotion but failed to pronounce any apology or any commitment to restore the rights of the Ainu.

Read also Working in Japan

The economy of Hokkaido 

Hokkaido's economy is based on four main pillars: agriculture, bio-industry and biotechnology, green industry and tourism.

Agriculture

A quarter of all Japan's agricultural land is exploited in Hokkaido. The "Made in Hokkaido" label is a guarantee of quality. It sells well and is successfully exported. Farmers in Hokkaido own plots of land that are generally 13 times larger than in other regions and Japan's majority of farmers are found there. The region, known for its rice and dairy production, is also the leading producer of beef cattle and dairy cows. Hokkaido, whose agricultural production is worth about 1250 billion yen, accounts for about 14% of Japan's total production and 23% of the country's fishing industry. The food and agribusiness sector constitutes 34.9% of Hokkaido's market while being only 9% elsewhere in Japan. The green breadbasket of Japan is also more than 200% self-sufficient.

Bio-Industry

The bio-industry represents all industrial activities that involve biotechnology, where the latter is the science of using living organisms, or parts thereof to develop or create different products. It extends beyond the strict framework of research laboratories, with applications in the economy, health and food sectors, etc. In fact, all sectors can use biotechnology.

Hokkaido has entered the race for responsible and sustainable innovation. As early as 1985, it created HOBIC, Hokkaido Bio-technology Information Club. In 2002, another organization was created, the Hokkaido Bio-Industry Association (HOBIA). Facing the demographic, environmental and economic challenges, HOBIA promotes regional bio development. Hokkaido and its abundant natural resources are a prime location for the establishment of bio-industries. Many of them have established themselves in Sapporo, such as the giant Bio Do. More than 120 companies convened in Sapporo for the " Hokkaido Biotechnology Industry Cluster Forum".

Green Energy 

Hokkaido is also investing in the green industry.  The region is once again looking to make the most of its natural environment while preserving nature. Wind power and biomass are particularly well suited to Hokkaido's territory. The island could even provide, in the long run, at least a quarter of the country's renewable energy. Following the March 11, 2011 tragedy, the authorities set up the "Hokkaido Energy Transition 100 Project", which aims to turn 100% of Hokkaido's energy green. In July 2022, Hokkaido Electric Power, Green Power Investment, Nippon Steel Engineering and Air Water Inc (gas supplier), set up a green hydrogen production center in Ishikari, a city north of Sapporo. The site is expected to be operational by March 2024. The plan is to supply energy locally and then sell it elsewhere in Japan.

Tourism

Hokkaido is the third most important tourist region in Japan, after Tokyo and Osaka. Before the health crisis, it used to welcome up to 35 million visitors (39 million for Osaka, 66 million for Tokyo). Tourism in Hokkaido relies heavily on nature, including its forests, hot springs, and farms. Festivals there remind visitors of the importance of respecting the seasons. There too, Sapporo acts as a showcase for Hokkaido. In 2018, it broke a record by welcoming 2.7 million visitors. An attractiveness that benefits local employment, namely in restaurants, hotels, farms, and museums. This is indeed one of the many ways how the entire region's economy benefits from the fallout of tourism.

Sapporo, the economic heart of Hokkaido

Economy of Sapporo

Sapporo is the business core city of Hokkaido. It is in Sapporo that young people come for higher education. The city is also a major gateway to international trade, thanks to its air and sea ports.

The diversity of the job market in Sapporo attracts researchers, entrepreneurs, academics, start-ups, specialists in agribusiness, health professionals, etc. Education accounts for nearly 10% of the market. Scientific and technical services, 8%, just ahead of specialized contractors (7.8%), hospital services (6.3%) and ambulance services (5.8%). Food represents nearly 6% of the market, ahead of real estate (5.33%). Next come administrative services, engineering and civil engineering, transport, construction, personal services, social assistance, and so on. In recent years, Sapporo has established itself as a key player in back-office and customer support. Call centers are multiplying in the city. Companies are also setting up their head offices here.

The demographic challenge

Japan is facing an unprecedented demographic challenge. The already alarming birth rate figures have fallen further with the health crisis. In Hokkaido, the median age is 48 years. The largest age groups are 45-59-year-olds (about 1.1 million) and 60-74-year-olds (just over 1 million). After peaking in the 2000s, with about 5.7 million people between 2006 and 2010, the Hokkaido population has been steadily decreasing. Young people are leaving for Tokyo or elsewhere, and immigration appears to be the best solution for repopulating the territories.

Promoting multiculturalism in Hokkaido

In February 2022, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Hokkaido Prefecture signed an agreement to promote "multicultural coexistence". According to JICA, the number of foreigners settling in the prefecture is growing faster in Hokkaido than in other regions of Japan. At the same time, the population curve is falling faster in Hokkaido than elsewhere. For JICA, Hokkaido must take another step towards immigration, and reach out to foreign residents to promote their integration. 

In 2021, the city hosted 60 technical trainees from China, Vietnam, and Thailand to celebrate Christmas and the recent opening of a center for foreign trainees. In 2020, 934 people had left Monbetsu. Nine hundred forty-seven people settled there, among them 232 foreigners. In January 2021, the city was home to 501 foreign residents, an increase of about 200 people over 5 years. Most of them work in the agricultural and fish farming sectors.  

Read also The Japanese labor market

Finding a Job in Hokkaido

Are you a professional in biotechnology, agriculture, or fish farming? If so, you should definitely move to Hokkaido. As mentioned earlier in this article, the prefecture is, at the same time, the green breadbasket of Japan and a place where much investment in research to preserve the environment are being made. Therefore, jobs in research, engineering, agriculture and agribusiness, as engineer, agronomist, farmer or qualified technician can be yours, provided that you speak Japanese.

Careers in agriculture: the Tokachi example

The region, located in the southeast of Hokkaido, is one of the few flat areas of the island. It is mainly made up of farms and is nicknamed "the green granary of Japan". All kinds of crops are grown in Tokachi, ranging from wheat to potatoes, corn, rapeseed, sugar beets, Azuki beans and soybeans, which are sold all over Japan. Tokachi has fertile land and an ideal climate for crops. 

If you want to work in the agricultural sector in Hokkaido, the following opportunities exist in Tokachi: farmer, crop manager, farm machinery operator, agricultural consultant, plant experimentation engineer, market gardener, farm equipment mechanic, forestry worker, marketing specialist, sales representative, communication officer. These jobs are wide-ranging and go beyond the strict framework of land cultivation and breeding.

Engineering  

The same diversity of jobs exists in engineering. One can be an electrical designer, automation engineer, mechanical project manager, electrical foreman, climatic engineer, energy efficiency engineer, or hydraulic engineer in Hokkaido. These are cutting-edge jobs that respond to the island's investments in terms of sustainable innovation. But here again, you will first need to master the Japanese language.

Teaching 

Teaching professions are also much in demand in Hokkaido, mainly in Sapporo. Be careful, however. These are not just small jobs where one teaches how to sustain a conversation in a cafe (for example). In fact, you will need a university degree to be able to teach in Japan. 

The brewing industry

Sapporo is known abroad, like in the rest of Japan, for its beer. Indeed, Sapporo beer is one of the 3 most consumed beers in the archipelago (with Asahi and Kirin). Its success has not been compromised since 1876, and it is constantly innovating. For example, to fight pollution and reduce its costs, Sapporo Breweries recovers the waste from the brewing process to make jeans. So, the brewery does not produce new beer recipes only but also eco-friendly jeans in partnership with the manufacturer Shima Denim Works. A technological feat that has already seduced several thousand customers.

Tips for landing a job in Hokkaido

Learn Japanese

This time, dodging won't be an option. One may think that English is enough, or one may have somehow survived an experience in Tokyo or Osaka. But living in Hokkaido without knowing the language will cut you off from everyday life. Finding a job will be much more complicated, and when you understand how difficult it already is to find work in Tokyo or in any other big Japanese city, you naturally need to put all the chances on your side.
Learn Japanese before you arrive in Hokkaido or at least have the basics to make yourself understood. Improve your Japanese when you arrive, even if it means spending a year or more in a language school.

Learn the Japanese culture 

Take the time to discover your new city, to venture into the countryside. Take an interest in the Ainu culture. In July 2020, Upopoy, the national Ainu Museum, opened in Shiraoi, southwest Hokkaido. 

Meet the locals

Upon your relocation in Hokkaido, take the time to develop your professional and social networks. Take part in the activities of your new city, and join clubs and associations. Meet the locals and allow them to share experiences with you.

Useful links:

Bio Do, bio-industry company (in Japanese)

Guide to looking for work in Sapporo 

Living and working in Hokkaido  (in Japanese)

Working in Hokkaido: job offers and testimonials  (in Japanese)

Working in Tokachi – job offers 

Job offers in the agricultural sector