Social workers play a crucial role in addressing various social issues and supporting people through difficult times. In Japan, the role of social workers is becoming more important than ever.
FIrst Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2024-01-09
Table of Contents
- A Look at Social Work in Japan
- How to Become a Social Worker in Japan
- Social Worker Salary in Japan
- High Demand for Caregivers and Care Workers in Japan
- Find Care Worker and Social Welfare Jobs in Japan with WeXpats
Japan’s social welfare system consists of universal healthcare, pension, long-term care, child welfare, community-based welfare initiatives, and various support for housing, education, and disabilities. As and when the need arises, for example natural disasters or epidemics, various social welfare support is also provided by the national government, local governments, and organisations.
A Look at Social Work in Japan
Among the many people involved in the vast social welfare system, there is the social worker who plays an important role. Social workers are high in demand in a variety of fields, from nursing care facilities to medical institutions, and even private and public institutions.
There are 3 main types of social workers in Japan. There’s the 社会福祉士 (Shakai Fukushishi) that covers a wide range of social welfare issues, the 介護福祉士 (Shakai Fukushishi) that specialises in nursing care and elderly care, and the 精神保健福祉士 (Seishin Hoken Fukushishi) that specialises in mental health.
According to JACSW, certified social workers and care workers are
“those who provide counselling, advice, guidance and other services with social work knowledge and skills for those who are physically or mentally disabled and cannot lead a normal daily life due to environmental reasons.”
There are many people who need help from social workers. They may be the elderly in need of nursing care services, disabled people who require assistance with their individual disabilities, vulnerable children requiring saving from abuse or abuse, and more. There are also social workers who assist and collaborate with communities and organisations in dealing with various problems.
How to Become a Social Worker in Japan
Want to become a social worker in Japan? It is not an easy path but not impossible with hard work, determination and a strong will and heart to do good and mend lives.
Below are what you need to achieve in order to become a social worker in Japan.
Education : Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or Related Field
To become a social worker in Japan, you must have completed studies in a relevant field. Social workers in Japan typically hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in social work or a related field. Furthermore, in order to qualify to become a certified social worker, you must have completed social welfare related subjects that have been designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. As such, it is important to study the right course that prepares you to become a certified social worker.
※ Japanese Society for the Study of Social Welfare, “Social welfare / work education”
A recommended course of action is to study a social work course in Japan. There are several institutions in Japan that offer this course and accept international students. However, the courses that prepare students to become certified social workers are taught in Japanese only, so proficiency in Japanese language is required. Check the course details carefully before applying.
Here are some Japanese universities that offer social worker/social welfare courses:
- Shukutoku University School of Social Welfare
- Meiji Gakuin University Department of Social Work
- Nihon Fukushi University Faculty of Social Welfare
- Niigata University of Health and Welfare Department of Social Welfare
You can use JASSO’s Japanese Universities Search Tool to find more institutions that offer social welfare courses.
Qualification : Certified Social Worker National Qualification from Japanese Association of Certified Social Workers (JACSW)
Once you have completed your education in social welfare or social work, the next step is to become a certified social worker in Japan by obtaining the national qualification from JACSW. There are 3 categories of qualifications, each with their relevant national qualifications and examinations:
- 社会福祉士 (Shakai Fukushishi) : Certified Social Worker
- 介護福祉士 (Kaigo Fukushishi) : Certified Care Worker
- 精神保健福祉士 (Seishin Hoken Fukushishi) : Certified Mental Health Social Worker
The certification involves passing an examination that includes the following subjects, which subject is required depends on the category you are aiming for:
- Structure and Function of the Human Body and Diseases
- Psychological Theory and Support
- Social Systems and Theory
- Contemporary Society and Welfare
- Basics of Social Research
- Social Work Foundations and Professionals
- Social Work Theory and Methods
- Community Welfare Theory and Methods
- Welfare Administration, Finances and Planning
- Organisation and Management of Welfare Services
- Social Security
- Elderly Support and Long-term Care Insurance
- Disability Support and Services for Persons with Disabilities
- Child and Family Support and Welfare
- Low Income Support and Public Assistance
- Healthcare Services
- Employment Support Services
- Rights Advocacy and Adult Guardianship
- Offenders Rehabilitation
※ Japanese Society for the Study of Social Welfare, “Social welfare / work education”
This is why picking the right course to study at an accredited institution is so important. By picking the right course, the curriculum will cover the subjects you will need to learn in order to pass the examination.
Japanese Language Proficiency
A high level of Japanese language proficiency, JLPT N1, is highly recommended. Not only will the examination be conducted in Japanese only, there are many medical and technical terms that you will need to learn. It is also crucial when you are working as a social worker in Japan. Undoubtedly, many people you will be working with are Japanese, and so you will need to be able to communicate fluently in order to help people to the best of your abilities.
Social Worker Salary in Japan
How much does a social worker earn in Japan? The average annual salary for social workers in Japan is 3.65 to 4.1 million yen a year. For fresh graduates, the starting salary is around 2.7 to 3.1 million yen a year for a university graduate, and 2.3 million to 2.8 million yen a year for a junior college or vocational school graduate.
The greatest factor to salary for social workers is the type of facility worked at and academic background. Social workers work in a wide range of facilities, but apparently salaries at probation offices & local rehabilitation centres are the highest. In the case of academic background, university graduates receive higher starting salaries than junior college or vocational school graduates.
High Demand for Caregivers and Care Workers in Japan
Among the many social worker jobs and facilities there are, caregivers and care workers are the highest in demand at the moment in Japan. It is common knowledge that Japan is suffering from an ageing population. As a result, the country does not have enough caregivers and care workers to support the large number of elderly care and nursing facilities required to sustain the equally large number of elderly. The solution is to hire foreign nationals to become caregivers and care workers.
Read more about Caregiver and Care Worker Jobs in Japan here.
Find Care Worker and Social Welfare Jobs in Japan with WeXpats
WeXpats operates a service for foreign nationals who want to work in Japan. There are jobs in a variety of industries including Caregiver, Nursing, Welfare, and Medical Care jobs. There are 3 patterns for finding jobs with WeXpats:
① Search Jobs Yourself
WeXpats Jobs is a job site for foreign nationals who want to work in Japan. You can search for jobs in 11 languages (English, Vietnamese, Korean, Indonesian, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Burmese, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese), including Japanese. Find jobs that suit you by specifying your Japanese language level, occupation, location, and etc.
② Receive Job Offers from Companies
Complete this short questionnaire on WeXpats Jobs to receive updates about jobs that match your desired work conditions. It’s completely free to use, so register as a member using the button below to find a job that suits you!
※ You can register from outside Japan, but only those living in Japan can apply for jobs.
③ Speak to a Career Advisor
WeXpats Agent is a career support service brought to you by WeXpats Jobs. Speak to our bilingual career advisors in English or Japanese, and get introductions for full time positions to companies that best fit you. As we receive job ads with the intention of introducing them to foreign nationals in Japan, we can suggest jobs to you right away.
※Currently, WeXpats Agent is only available to those living in Japan. ※The languages we currently support are English and Japanese. ※Only full time job recommendations are available on WeXpats Agent. For part time jobs, please check WeXpats Jobs.
If you are particularly interested in caregiving jobs, you can check the list of caregiver job openings available by clicking on the button below. There are both part-time and full-time positions available.
