Japan IT hiring rose 23% in a month, but the weekly pace has eased from its peak
146 open roles across 58 employers, with Rakuten alone holding close to a third of them. The busiest week was 19 October; postings have since slowed.
is what the typical role asks for. 6% ask for 10 years or more.
53% of open roles state years32 new roles in the last 30 days, against 26 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreat 58 companies hiring in Japan.
Issue of 2 November 2026This week's read
This week there are 146 open IT and infrastructure roles in Japan, spread across 58 employers. New postings over the last 30 days rose 23% compared to the 30 days before that, 32 new roles against 26. But the week by week count tells a different story: postings peaked at 12 roles in the week of 19 October, then fell to 9 the following week, a drop of 25% from that peak. So the monthly trend is up, even as the most recent week has cooled from its high point.
Rakuten dominates this market. It alone lists 46 open roles, far more than any other employer. The top 8 employers together, including DXC Technology, Amazon, Capgemini and Kyndryl, hold 56% of all open roles between them. If you are applying broadly, a large share of your options will come from a small group of companies.
Roles sit open a median of 47 days, and most ask for real experience. The median minimum is 5 years, and 6% of postings want 10 years or more. Only 53% of roles state a years requirement at all, so many postings leave this open. Remote work is rare here: just 3% of open roles are remote.
On the technical side, Linux is the most asked for skill, named in 38% of postings, ahead of AWS at 27% and Python at 24%. Google Cloud and Azure both sit close together at 21% and 20%. Among ways of working, ITIL appears in 14% of postings and root cause analysis in 13%, more common asks than Agile or Jira in this market.
Looking at seniority, mid level titles make up 65% of postings, the largest group by far. Senior titles are 11%, principal 12%, and lead and junior roles are smaller slices at 7% and 5%. This is a market built mostly around the middle of the career ladder, not the very top or the very start.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Monthly hiring is up, weekly pace cooled
New postings rose 23% over the last 30 days, but the most recent week fell 25% from the 19 October peak. Expect some week to week swings even as the broader trend points up.
- Rakuten is the center of this market
Rakuten holds 46 of the 146 open roles, and the top 8 employers combined hold 56% of all openings. Widening your search beyond this small group may open up more of the market.
- Remote options are scarce
Only 3% of open roles are remote. If you need to work remotely, plan for a much smaller pool of openings in this market than roles overall.
Momentum
New IT / Infra roles each week
Last 30 days: 32 new roles, against 26 the 30 days before (+23%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 9 |
| 14 Sep | 5 |
| 21 Sep | 1 |
| 28 Sep | 7 |
| 5 Oct | 6 |
| 12 Oct | 5 |
| 19 Oct | 12 |
| 26 Oct | 9 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open IT / Infra roles
58 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 56% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten | 46 | |
| DXC Technology | 10 | |
| Amazon | 6 | |
| Capgemini | 6 | |
| Astroscale | 4 | |
| Kyndryl | 4 | |
| Celestica International | 3 | |
| Palo Alto Networks | 3 |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology IT / Infra roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 143 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Telecommunications 5%, Data centers 4%, Semiconductors 3%. Certifications named: CCNA 7%, PMP 4%, CCNP 3%. 3% of open roles say they are remote.
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