# Job interviews in Japan for foreigners: what employers may ask and what to show

URL: https://japanhow.com/work/jobs/job-interview-japan-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 28, 2026

## Summary

For a job interview in Japan, the labor ministry tells employers to judge aptitude and ability only, and not to probe your family, birthplace, religion or political views. Employers should check your residence status orally or in writing during selection, and confirm it with your residence card after the offer. Once you accept, they must state wages and hours in writing, in a form you understand. These are official guidance, not interview etiquette tips, as of October 2026.

## Key facts

- Basis of selection: Aptitude and ability only
- Residence card check: After the job offer
- Offer terms: Wages and hours in writing
- Cancel if terms differ: Immediately (Art. 15)

A **job interview in Japan** is meant to test your aptitude and ability (適性・能力) for the job, and nothing else. The labor ministry (厚生労働省) tells employers not to probe your family, birthplace, religion or politics. If you are a foreign resident, your residence status is checked during selection, and the employer confirms your residence card (在留カード) after the job offer. Once you accept, wages and hours must be stated in writing. All as of October 2026.

This guide covers the official rules. It does not cover dress, bowing or typical questions, because we found no official source for them.

## What should an employer not ask in a Japanese job interview?

The ministry's "fair recruitment" guidance (公正な採用選考) says selection should respect your basic human rights and use criteria based on aptitude and ability. Knowing unrelated facts can affect a decision even when the employer doesn't mean it to, so the guidance says not to collect them on forms or in interviews.

| Type | Examples the ministry lists |
|---|---|
| Matters outside your control | Birthplace or registered domicile (本籍・出生地); family (jobs, health, education, income, assets); housing; home and living environment |
| Matters of belief | Religion, political party, outlook on life, admired people, union membership, books and newspapers you read |
| Selection methods | Background checks (身元調査), application forms with unrelated items, health checks with no clear need |

It also says employers should not exclude people for origin, disability, serious illness or sexual minority status. This is guidance for employers, not a list of offenses, so you may still meet these questions. You can decide how much to answer.

## Can they ask about my nationality or visa?

**Visa status: yes, in a limited way.** The ministry's Q&A says residence status should be confirmed orally or in writing during selection. It says asking applicants to show a residence card or special permanent resident certificate at that stage is not desirable, because the card shows details unrelated to aptitude. The employer then confirms you can work, using the card, after the job offer (採用内定).

Employers also have a duty here. The ministry's guideline for foreign workers says they should confirm in advance that your residence status allows the work, and must not hire people who aren't permitted to do it.

**Nationality: it depends.** The Q&A says capturing nationality may lead to discrimination, but is not necessarily improper where there is an individual, reasonable and necessary professional reason. After you're hired, the Labor Standards Act (労働基準法), Article 3, bars unequal wages, hours or conditions because of nationality.

So be ready to say three things clearly: your status of residence, its expiry date, and whether it allows the job. Whether it does is a real question for work visas. See the [Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa](/visa/visas/engineer-humanities-visa-japan/), and [changing jobs on a work visa](/visa/visas/changing-jobs-visa-japan/). If you are a graduate still searching, see the [job-hunting visa guide](/visa/visas/job-hunting-visa-japan/).

## What about my résumé?

Outside new graduates, the ministry recommends its own résumé template (厚生労働省履歴書様式例). Employers that design their own form or online entry sheet are told to leave out items unrelated to aptitude. The ministry also advises employers to set interview questions and scoring criteria beforehand.

## What happens after the job offer?

Under Article 15 of the Labor Standards Act, the employer must state wages, working hours and other conditions when the contract is made. If the stated conditions differ from the facts, you may cancel the contract immediately. If you moved home for the job and return within 14 days of cancelling, the employer must pay necessary travel costs.

The ministry's guideline also says the document should be in a form you can understand, and that employers should not hold your passport. For benchmarks to check an offer against, see [salary negotiation in Japan](/work/jobs/salary-negotiation-japan/) and the [minimum wage guide](/work/rights/minimum-wage-japan/).

**Where to get help:** The labor ministry lists Foreign Employment Service Centers (外国人雇用サービスセンター) in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka, which also support international students, and a list of Hello Work offices with interpreters. Check the ministry's foreign-employment page for current contacts.

If a job goes wrong later, see [labor rights for foreign workers](/work/rights/labor-rights-foreign-workers-japan/) and [quitting a job in Japan](/work/jobs/quitting-job-japan-visa/).

## Questions people ask

### What questions can't a Japanese employer ask in a job interview?

The labor ministry says employers should not learn matters unrelated to aptitude, such as birthplace, family details, housing, religion, political party, outlook on life or union membership. This is guidance to employers, and asking can lead to hiring discrimination.

### Do I have to show my residence card at the interview?

The ministry's Q&A says asking applicants to show a residence card during selection is not desirable. Residence status should be confirmed orally or in writing, and the card is checked after the job offer.

### Can an employer ask my nationality?

The ministry says capturing nationality may lead to discrimination, but not necessarily where there is an individual, reasonable and necessary professional reason. Employers must still not treat you differently in pay or conditions because of nationality.

### Do I need a written contract before I start?

Yes. The Labor Standards Act requires the employer to state wages, hours and other conditions when the contract is made. The ministry's guideline for foreign workers says the document should be in a form you can understand.

### Where can I get help finding a job as a foreigner?

The labor ministry lists Foreign Employment Service Centers in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka, and Hello Work offices with interpreters. The centers also support international students.

## Sources

- [公正な採用選考の基本](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/koyou_roudou/koyou/newpage_56780.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [よくある質問 - 公正採用選考特設サイト](https://kouseisaiyou.mhlw.go.jp/question.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [外国人労働者の雇用管理の改善等に関して事業主が適切に対処するための指針（抄）](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/bunya/koyou/gaikokujin13/dl/index01_0002.pdf), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [労働基準法 (Labor Standards Act), Articles 3 and 15](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/322AC0000000049), e-Gov Law Search (Digital Agency) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)
- [外国人雇用対策](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/koyou_roudou/koyou/gaikokujin/index.html), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 28, 2026)