research jobs japan

Job posting search

Research field

Research field Select 

• Plant nutrition and soil science
• Applied microbiology
• Applied biochemistry
• Bioorganic chemistry
• Food sciences
• Applied molecular and cellular biology
• Forest science
• Wood science
• Aquatic bioproduction science
• Aquatic life science
• Animal production science
• Veterinary medical science
• Animal life science
• Laboratory animal science
• Molecular biology
• Structural biochemistry
• Functional biochemistry
• Genome biology
• System genome science
• Cell biology
• Developmental biology
• Plant molecular biology and physiology
• Morphology and anatomical structure
• Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology
• Evolutionary biology
• Biodiversity and systematics
• Ecology and environment
• Physical anthropology
• Applied anthropology
• Neuroscience-general
• Anatomy and histopathology of nervous system
• Function of nervous system
• Pharmaceutical chemistry and drug development sciences
• Pharmaceutical analytical chemistry and physicochemistry
• Pharmaceutical hygiene and biochemistry
• Pharmacology
• Environmental and natural pharmaceutical resources
• Clinical pharmacy
• Medical biochemistry
• Pathological biochemistry
• Human pathology
• Experimental pathology
• Parasitology
• Bacteriology
• Tumor biology
• Tumor diagnostics and therapeutics
• Basic brain sciences
• Cognitive and brain science
• Pathophysiologic neuroscience
• General internal medicine
• Radiological sciences
• Embryonic medicine and pediatrics
• Gastroenterology
• Respiratory medicine
• Dermatology
• Hematology and medical oncology
• Connective tissue disease and allergy
• Infectious disease medicine
• Metabolism and endocrinology
• General surgery and pediatric surgery
• Digestive surgery
• Cardiovascular surgery
• Respiratory surgery
• Anesthesiology
• Emergency medicine
• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedics
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Otorhinolaryngology
• Ophthalmology
• Plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Oral biological science
• Oral pathobiological science
• Conservative dentistry
• Regenerative dentistry and dental engineering
• Prosthodontics
• Surgical dentistry
• Developmental dentistry
• Social dentistry
• Medical management and medical sociology
• Hygiene and public health: including laboratory approach
• Hygiene and public health: excluding laboratory approach
• Forensics medicine
• Fundamental of nursing
• Clinical nursing
• Lifelong developmental nursing
• Gerontological nursing and community health nursing
• Rehabilitation science
• Sports sciences
• Physical education, and physical and health education
• Nutrition science and health science
• Biomedical engineering
• Biomaterials
• Medical systems
• Medical technology assessment
• Medical assistive technology
• Mechanics and mechatronics
• Robotics and intelligent system
• Theory of informatics
• Mathematical informatics
• Statistical science
• Computer system
• Information network
• Information security
• High performance computing
• Computational science
• Perceptual information processing
• Human interface and interaction
• Intelligent informatics
• Soft computing
• Intelligent robotics
• Kansei informatics
• Life, health and medical informatics
• Web informatics and service informatics
• Learning support system
• Entertainment and game informatics
• Science in plant genetics and breeding
• Crop production science
• Horticultural science
• Plant protection science
• Insect science
• Conservation of biological resources
• Landscape science
• Rural sociology and agricultural structure
• Rural environmental engineering and planning
• Agricultural environmental engineering and agricultural information engineering
• Environmental agriculture
• Environmental dynamic analysis
• Radiation influence
• Chemical substance influence on environment
• Environmental impact assessment
• Environmental load and risk assessment
• Environmental load reduction and remediation
• Environmental materials and recycle technology
• Social-ecological systems
• Sound material-cycle social systems
• Environmental policy and social systems
• Metallic material properties
• Inorganic materials and properties
• Composite materials and interfaces
• Structural materials and functional materials
• Material processing and microstructure control
• Metals production and resources production
• Nanometer-scale chemistry
• Nanostructural physics
• Nanomaterials
• Nanobioscience
• Nano/micro-systems
• Applied physical properties
• Thin film/surface and interfacial physical properties
• Applied condensed matter physics
• Crystal engineering
• Optical engineering and photon science
• Fundamental physical chemistry
• Functional solid state chemistry
• Structural organic chemistry and physical organic chemistry
• Synthetic organic chemistry
• Inorganic/coordination chemistry
• Analytical chemistry
• Green sustainable chemistry and environmental chemistry
• Polymer chemistry
• Polymer materials
• Organic functional materials
• Inorganic compounds and inorganic materials chemistry
• Energy chemistry
• Bio chemistry
• Chemistry and chemical methodology of biomolecules
• Chemical biology
• Fundamental plasma
• Nuclear fusion
• Applied plasma science
• Nuclear engineering
• Earth resource engineering, Energy sciences
• Quantum beam science
• Mechanics of materials and materials
• Manufacturing and production engineering
• Design engineering
• Machine elements and tribology
• Fluid engineering
• Thermal engineering
• Power engineering
• Communication and network engineering
• Measurement engineering
• Control and system engineering
• Electric and electronic materials
• Electron device and electronic equipment
• Transport phenomena and unit operations
• Chemical reaction and process system engineering
• Catalyst and resource chemical process
• Biofunction and bioprocess engineering
• Civil engineering material, execution and construction management
• Structure engineering and earthquake engineering
• Geotechnical engineering
• Hydroengineering
• Civil engineering plan and transportation engineering
• Environmental systems for civil engineering
• Building structures and materials
• Architectural environment and building equipment
• Architectural planning and city planning
• Architectural history and design
• Social systems engineering
• Safety engineering
• Disaster prevention engineering
• Aerospace engineering
• Marine engineering
• Philosophy and ethics
• Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Buddhist philosophy
• Religious studies
• History of thought
• Aesthetics and art studies
• History of arts
• Theory of art practice
• Sociology of science, history of science and technology
• Japanese literature
• Chinese literature
• English literature and literature in the English language
• European literature
• Literature in general
• Linguistics
• Japanese linguistics
• English linguistics
• Japanese language education
• Foreign language education
• Historical studies in general
• Japanese history
• History of Asia and Africa
• History of Europe and America
• Archaeology
• Cultural assets study
• Human geography
• Cultural anthropology and folklore
• Legal theory and history
• International law
• Criminal law
• New fields of law
• International relations
• Economic theory
• Economic doctrines and economic thought
• Economic statistics
• Economic policy
• Public economics and labor economics
• Money and finance
• Economic history
• Business administration
• Social welfare
• Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living
• Sociology of education
• Childhood and nursery/pre-school education
• Education on school subjects and primary/secondary education
• Tertiary education
• Special needs education
• Educational technology
• Science education
• Social psychology
• Educational psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Experimental psychology
• Agricultural and food economics
• Area studies
• Tourism studies
• Gender studies
• Library and information science, humanistic and social informatics
• Cognitive science
• Basic analysis
• Mathematical analysis
• Basic mathematics
• Applied mathematics and statistics
• Mathematical physics and fundamental theory of condensed matter physics
• Semiconductors, optical properties of condensed matter and atomic physics
• Magnetism, superconductivity and strongly correlated systems
• Biophysics, chemical physics and soft matter physics
• Theoretical studies related to particle-, nuclear-, cosmic ray and astro-physics
• Experimental studies related to particle-, nuclear-, cosmic ray and astro-physics
• Space and planetary sciences
• Atmospheric and hydrospheric sciences
• Human geosciences
• Solid earth sciences
• Biogeosciences
• Life Science
• * Job postings with only research area specified (all research discipline)
• Informatics
• Environmental science
• Nanotechnology/Materials
• Energy Engineering
• Manufacturing Technology
• Social Infrastructure
• Frontier Technology
• Humanities & Social Sciences
• Natural Science

* How to select a research field

All research area.

Institution type

Institution type Select

• National university
• Public university
• Private university
• Junior college
• Technical college
• Professional training college
• Other educational institution
• National research institute / Independent administrative institute
• Public research institute / Local government, etc.
• Semigovernmental corporation / Authorized corporation
• Public corporation
• Private corporation
• Overseas university / institution
• International organization

Work location

Work location Select

• Tohoku district
• Kanto district
• Hokuriku and Koshinetsu district
• Tokai district
• Kinki district
• Chugoku district
• Shikoku district
• Kyushu and Okinawa district

Hokkaido district

Job type select.

• Professor level
• Associate Professor
• Lecturer level
• Assistant Professor level
• Researcher/Postdoc level
• Lecturer (part-time)
• Research/Educational Assistance
• Research Administration
• R&D/Engineer
• Communicator
• Chief Researcher level
• Planning manager (private company)
• Technical manager (private company)
• Sales manager (private company)
• Administrative manager (private company)
• Planning staff (private company)
• Technical staff (private company)
• Sales staff (private company)
• Other staff (private company)

Employment Type *

• Regular employee
• Contract employee
• Side Worker
• Outsourced Worker
• Tenure-track
• Non-tenure track

Annual Salary *

Application Considerations

• Those who live in distant places such as overseas
• Those with disabilities

Online Submission

• JREC-IN Portal web application
• E-mail Application
• Recruiting Institution's Web application system

Particular condition

• New Job postings
• Job postings nearing deadline
• Include past end of application period

When specifying conditions with * , job postings registered after July 2023 are eligible.

Research and Innovation jobs in Japan

Dive into the latest research and innovation jobs in Japan. If you are passionate about roles in scientific research, product development, data analysis, or innovation management, connect with forward-thinking companies actively hiring in Japan to meet your career goals.

IT Tech Jobs Engineer Jobs Sales Jobs Marketing Jobs Finance Jobs HR Jobs Management Jobs Entry-Level Jobs Internships All Jobs

2024 COPYRIGHT © HIREPLANNER.COM | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

• Research Programs
• Global Initiatives
• PR Activities
• Career Opportunities

Research scientist position

Positions for research scientists are posted on a regular basis. Please refer to this link for details on available positions and application information. Recruitment of permanent research scientists 【PDF:174.7KB】 Application deadline: July 26 th , 2024 Job Starting date: April 1 st , 2025 You can apply for the post indicated in Japanese . In this case, you have to fill in the entry sheets in Japanese and have an interview in Japanese as well.

Limited term research position

Positions for limited term full-time research scientists are posted on a regular basis. Please refer to this link for details on available positions and application information. Recruitment of fixed-term research scientists【PDF:174.7KB】 Application deadline: July 26 th , 2024 Job Starting date: April 1 st , 2025 You can apply for the post indicated in Japanese . In this case, you have to fill in the entry sheets in Japanese and have an interview in Japanese as well.

Post-doctoral position

Positions for post-doctoral research scientists are posted on a regular basis. These positions are open to qualified persons with native-level of competence in the Japanese language, or willingness to acquire Japanese language. Please refer below for details on available positions and application information.

Foreign researchers can also apply for post-doctoral research positions via the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program . There are two application channels: (1) through open recruitment in Japan (application by a Japanese host researcher) and (2) through an overseas nominating authority. Details are available at the JSPS website.

Internship position

Internship positions for students from universities, colleges or graduate schools are posted on a regular basis. These positions are open to students who would like to deepen their understanding on research in agrobiological sciences from April to October. Application must be channeled through the institution where the student is affiliated. Please refer to this link (in Japanese only) for details on available positions and application information.

Centers・Institutes

• Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, NARO
• Research Center for Agricultural Robotics, NARO
• Research Center of Genetic Resources, NARO
• Research Center for Advanced Analysis, NARO
• Institute of Food Research, NARO
• Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO
• National Institute of Animal Health, NARO
• Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, NARO
• Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO
• Central Region Agricultural Research Center, NARO
• Western Region Agricultural Research Center, NARO
• Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, NARO
• Institute of Agricultural Machinery, NARO
• Institute of Crop Science, NARO
• Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science, NARO
• Institute of Vegetable and Floriculture Science, NARO
• Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO
• Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO
• Institute for Rural Engineering, NARO
• Institute for Plant Protection, NARO
• Center for Seeds and Seedlings, NARO
• Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution, NARO

NARO Site Map

• Message from the President
• NARO Executive Board
• Organization
• NARO 5th Mid-term Plan
• Publications
• NARO Research Prize
• NARO Research Achievements - MAFF
• International Events
• International Peer Review
• International Visitors
• Information for Visitors
• Research Exchange Forum
• R&D Activities
• Open Resources
• Symposiums & Seminars

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Skip to job results

Skip to refine results

• Skip to main menu
• Skip to user menu

Jobs in Japan

• Refine results

Broaden your search

Refine your search.

• Applied Science   1
• Biomedicine   1
• Chemistry   2
• Engineering   2
• Environmental Science   1
• Life Science   8
• Bioinformatician   2
• Director   3
• PhD Position   1
• Postdoctoral   3
• Japan Remove selection
• $30,000 - $39,999   2
• Full time   8
• Permanent   3
• Fixed term   5
• PhD   7
• Masters   1
• Direct Employer   8
• Academia Remove selection

Found 8 Academia jobs

Postdoctral researcher for microbial electron transfer study.

• NIMS is at Tsukuba (Ibaraki) by Tokyo (JP)
• Monthly salary 330,000 ~ 400,000 yen
• National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)

Elucidation and engineering of biological electron transfer in biofilm for medical and environmental applications.

View details Postdoctral Researcher for microbial electron transfer study

• Save Postdoctral Researcher for microbial electron transfer study You need to sign in or create an account to save

Osaka University Immunology Frontier Research Center Postdoctoral Researcher

• Suita Campus, Osaka University in Osaka, Japan
• Annual salary: Commensurate with experience + Grant for original research: JPY 3M per year
• Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University

IFReC, Osaka University in Japan offers Advanced Postdoc Positions for Immunology, Cell Biology, Bioinformatics and Bioimaging.

View details Osaka University Immunology Frontier Research Center Postdoctoral Researcher

• 14 days ago
• Save Osaka University Immunology Frontier Research Center Postdoctoral Researcher You need to sign in or create an account to save

PhD/master's Candidate

• Kanazawa University

PhD/master's Candidate    Graduate School of Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University is seeking candidates for PhD and master's students i...

View details PhD/master's Candidate

• Expiring today
• Save PhD/master's Candidate You need to sign in or create an account to save

Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24017),RIKEN BRC

• Ibaraki (JP), RIKEN Tsukuba Campus (3-1-1 Koyadai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074)
• Salary commensurate with experience, ability, and performance.

RIKEN is moving forward with the establishment, operation, and advancement of world-class research infrastructure. As part of those activities, at ...

View details Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24017),RIKEN BRC

• 11 days ago
• Save Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24017),RIKEN BRC You need to sign in or create an account to save

Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24015),RIKEN BRC

View details Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24015),RIKEN BRC

• Save Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24015),RIKEN BRC You need to sign in or create an account to save

Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24016),RIKEN BRC

View details Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24016),RIKEN BRC

• Save Seeking a Division Director (Professor Level, Indefinite-term) (T24016),RIKEN BRC You need to sign in or create an account to save

Post-doctoral research positions

• 4,467,000 + benefits
• OIST Graduate University

Post-doctoral positions to investigate circuit physiology and functions of the mouse olfactory system at OIST, Japan

View details Post-doctoral research positions

• 35 days ago
• Save Post-doctoral research positions You need to sign in or create an account to save

Postdoctoral Researcher

• Competitive salary with benefit including relocation, housing and commuting allowances
• Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Luscombe Unit

Join our lab as a computational biology postdoc to help us analyse the genome sequences of marine zooplankton!

View details Postdoctoral Researcher

• 51 days ago
• Save Postdoctoral Researcher You need to sign in or create an account to save

• Bahasa Indonesia
• မြန်မာဘာသာစကား

Finding a Research Job in Japan Online

Japan has consistently attracted many people who consider it as the prime model for success in acquiring the discipline, diligence, and genuineness of doing research work. Expats who desire to engage in doing fulfilling research work in Japan can avail themselves of such job opportunities online. 

Types of research jobs in Japan 

Japan offers many various types of research jobs for foreigners who wish to experience how it is to live in one of the most highly-developed countries of the world whose technological progress has been achieved and maintained through intensive and dedicated focus on research and development. Many websites provide online search engines for people who seek research jobs offered by Japanese companies and institutions. 

Many of these research jobs are offered to multifarious post-graduate or post-doctorate degrees, such as those involving Stem Cell research for purposes from basic science to clinical applications. Universities, where some of these jobs are offered and located, provide conducive environments for focused and intense collaborative research work with other scientists. For this particular position, a Ph.D. or equivalent professional experience in a related area is required, as well as a background in actual academic research and participation in published works or any pertinent field of specialization, such as in "bioethics" or "science and technology studies (STS)." 

Other relevant qualifications include adaptability to work collaboratively and the capacity to address real-life issues on bioethics or other pertinent concerns in stem cell biology. Good organizational skills and strong ability to work independently is also a must for a candidate. Fluency in written and oral English is expected of the applicant.

Another research job example is that of Safety Senior Clinical Research Specialist required by a large medical-device manufacturer. The job entails drafting reports based on research evaluations for submission to the supervisor in-charge, prepare regular safety reports and quality checks with other safety member evaluations and supervise evaluations performed by junior safety members and other related tasks.

Those who wish to apply must be have a science or nursing degree and must possess knowledge of relevant drug and medical regulatory stipulations. The applicant must also have a minimum of 2 years of job experience in clinical safety or the pharmaceutical or medical device industry. Moreover, good working knowledge of English is required, as well as the natural ability to be a team player and being a safety-conscious person at work.

Lastly, there is a Postdoctoral Fellow or Project Researcher position for a major laboratory company that is engaged in brain networks that underlie predictive coding and creativity. The work involves the utilization of EEG in humans and ECoG in marmoset to investigate how the brain networks store information and predict statistical structures in multisensory sequences. Likewise, EEG is used to evaluate how brain networks produce creative thinking and its incubation.

Applicant must have a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree in a related field and must be willing to work a 3-year contract, with a 6-month probationary period from the date of arrival in Japan. A good facility of communicating in English is also required. Experience in the performance of human EEG or monkey ECoG experiments is necessary. 

Comparing these three distinctive research positions, we can see a few main differences offhand. One is that some involve academic-based researches directed toward the theoretical formulation of ethical behavior of research scientists as well as practitioners of science. While the research itself may involve what is considered experiments in pure science, applications in medicine and other fields can either be investigated as to their purely social or psychological consequences, in their purely scientific uses or value, or in their ultimate economic or practical worth.

Another distinction between these 3 cases is the environment where the research is conducted. One is a university; another is the Research & Development workroom of a private company while the other is a laboratory engaged in research for the benefit of others in the general scientific community engaged in developing economically-viable applications.

Although these examples involve highly-specialized scientific fields, research using purely statistical or mathematical analysis of data from various fields of scientific interest, such as economics, finance, social science, biology, climate change or political governance, require equally-engaging and challenging research practices. It must be said that there is no limit to the application of academic and scientific tools and methods in determining any and all aspects of humans, whether physical or not, that affect their pursuits, activities, issues, and overall environment. 

Writer's Pick

Japan’s Rainy Season Tsuyu (梅雨): What to Expect and Surviving It

Himawari (向日葵), Visiting the Most Beautiful Sunflower Fields in Jap...

Ajisai (紫陽花), Japanese Hydrangea is the Symbol of Japan’s Rainy Sea...

7 Must-Attend Summer Events in Tokyo (2024)

A Second Home: Interview with Filipinos Living & Working in Kumamoto,...

What are the minimum qualifications required.

As seen from the examples above, pure and applied scientific research usually requires a Post-Graduate Degree. However, research work in such areas as marketing research or financial research, an undergraduate degree is often sufficient. Nevertheless, experience in actual research work on a specific field is required by the company. 

Proficiency in the use of specialized equipment or software required for the job, as exemplified by our previous examples above is expected. High English ability is widely considered a must in research for foreigners working in Japan. However, an appropriate level of Japanese language proficiency is also required, especially when collaborating with Japanese research workers on a daily basis.

Other specific information for interested applicants 

The appropriate institution usually determines expected salary ranges for desired research positions according to Japanese income standards. However, the average entry-level can range from 5 to 6 Million Yen annually, and some companies offer transportation, living allowance and other benefits as part of the package. 

Working as a research worker can include opportunities for training on the job based on the requirements of the employer, as well as opportunities for overseas travel if the company requires. 

Note also that many of the research jobs offered are mainly engaged in pure scientific research. However, there are also many involving designs, creative and collaborative projects for manufacturing companies as well as other related or correspondingly applicable endeavors, such as in telecommunications, broadcasting, and advertising. 

The level of investment made by any country in R & D (Research and Development) inevitably determines the readiness of that country to compete with confidence, if not with guaranteed success, in most of its endeavors, whether domestically or globally. Japan, as a nation, has shown the world the way to that economic and industrial viability founded on solid research and innovative use of science and technology. With that enviable tradition, Japan seeks to maintain its global reputation as the world community faces many challenges in the present.

Related articles 関連記事

How to Become a Mechanic in Japan

How to Become an Architect in Japan

Top IT Companies in Japan (2024) & Average Annual Salary for IT Indust...

Between Codes and Designs; the Scope and Salary of Web Developer Jobs...

Animation Jobs in Japan: How to Become an Animator in Japan

Accountant Jobs in Japan for Foreigners

How to Become a Writer in Japan

Acting in Japan: How to Become an Actor/Actress in Japan

Features 特集.

Japan in Summer: Surviving the Heat and more

Top articles 人気記事.

What is the average salary in Japan for foreigners? (2024)

19 Types of Working Visa in Japan

Work and Travel in Japan with a Working Holiday Visa (2024)

Japanese Business Attire: Grooming and Workwear Standards in...

Japan’s Work Culture: Things to Know Before Working in a Jap...

Japanese business attire: grooming and workwear standards in japanese..., japan’s work culture: things to know before working in a japanese comp..., our social media ソーシャルメディア.

Where we share the latest news about Japan in 9 languages!

Our YouTube channel brought to you from Shibuya! Don't miss our videos, covering everything from culture, entertainment, Japanese lessons, sightseeing, etc.

We share both useful and the latest information about Japan. Please give us a follow before coming to Japan!

Our WeXpats Team share their experiences and things they love in Japan. A must-check for people interested in the latest trends & the real side of Japan.

Fun videos covering Japanese lessons and relatable experiences in Japan. You can pick up many practical phrases and information you can't find in textbooks.

일본의 최신 뉴스 & 도움되는 정보를 전합니다. 일본에 오기 전에 꼭 팔로우해두세요!

Kênh YouTube từ thành phố Shibuya! Có rất nhiều video mà bạn không thể bỏ lỡ, chẳng hạn như tiếng Nhật, văn hóa, thông tin giải trí và địa điểm tham quan,v.v...

Chúng tôi chia sẻ những thông tin hữu ích và mới nhất về Nhật Bản. Hãy theo dõi chúng tôi trước khi đến Nhật Bản nhé!

Các video thú vị bao gồm các bài học tiếng Nhật và trải nghiệm thực tế ở Nhật Bản.Nơi chứa đầy những thông tin, kiến ​​thức thực tế mà bạn không thể tìm thấy trong sách giáo khoa.

ဂျပန်နိုင်ငံ၏နောက်ဆုံးရသတင်းများနှင့်အသုံးဝင်မည့်အချက်အလက်များကိုတင်ဆက်ပေးပါမည်။ ဂျပန်နိုင်ငံသို့ မရောက်မီ ကျွန်ုပ်တို့pageကိုFollowလုပ်ပါ

Kami Berbagi informasi berguna dan terbaru tentang Jepang. Jadi Follow dulu sebelum kalian datang ke Jepang!

Tim WeXpats kami berbagi pengalaman dan hal-hal yang dialami di Jepang. Jadi orang-orang yang tertarik dengan tren terbaru dan sisi nyata dari Jepang harus banget Check!

起源於澀谷的YouTube頻道！日語、文化、娛樂情報、街頭訪問等等，各種影片不容錯過。

介紹日本最新資訊和實用情報。來日前請追蹤吧！

WeXpats團隊分享日本生活點滴。想了解最新潮流和真實的日本生活的人必看。

Le ofrecemos las últimas noticias e información útil sobre Japón. Asegúrese de seguirnos antes de venir a Japón!

Canal do Youtube direto do centro de Tóquio, no bairro de Shibuya! Não deixe de conferir nossos vídeos sobre cultura, entretenimento, lugares turísticos, aulas de japonês e muito mais!

Nós trazemos informações úteis e também as últimas tendências do Japão! Siga-nos para não perder nenhum detalhe!

เราแบ่งปันข้อมูลที่เป็นประโยชน์และข้อมูลล่าสุดเกี่ยวกับประเทศญี่ปุ่น เพื่อที่จะไม่พลาดข่าวสารสำคัญ อย่าลืมกดติดตามเราที่ WeXpats Thailand!

คลิปสนุกๆเกี่ยวกับภาษาญี่ปุ่น เรื่องแปลกๆในญี่ปุ่นและประโยคเด็ดที่คุณไม่สามารถหาได้จากหนังสือเรียน

Our website uses Cookies with the goal of improving our accessibility and quality. Please click "Agree" if you agree to our usage of Cookies. To see more details about how our company uses Cookies, please take a look here.

All Japanese could be surnamed Sato in 500 years, study predicts

Japan’s legal requirement for married couples to share a surname drives the dominance of the name sato..

Sujita Sinha

A couple visiting traditional Japanese temple.

In a striking prediction, Professor Hiroshi Yoshida of Tohoku University foresees a future where every Japanese citizen will share the same surname: Sato. 

This projection suggests a dramatic shift in Japan’s societal fabric over the next five centuries. It is based on current social trends, cultural norms, and legal stipulations.

Yoshida’s research focuses on the impact of aging on society, and his findings indicate that the dominance of the surname Sato is already well underway. 

As of March 2023, 1.529% of Japan’s people were named Sato, making it the most popular surname in the country, closely followed by Suzuki. This percentage rose by 0.83% from the previous year, influenced by marriages, divorces, births, and deaths.

Legal framework and cultural significance

In Japan , according to Article 750 of the Civil Code, married couples must use one surname, usually the husband’s. This rule reflects long-standing cultural traditions from Japan’s samurai times, where family lineage and property were passed down through the male line.

A major reason for this trend is Japan’s law that says married couples must have the same last name, as written in Article 750 of Japan’s Civil Code. This law, unique to Japan, mandates that nearly all couples adopt the husband’s surname. 

In 2022, approximately 504,000 couples married, with 94.7% of them taking the husband’s family name. Consequently, the maiden names of around 478,000 women were effectively erased, leading to the gradual disappearance of some ancient family names, particularly in families where the daughter is an only child.

“This is very much part of the cultural heritage of the samurai era in Japan,” Yoshida explains, as reported by the South China Morning Post ( SCMP ). 

“In the old days, only a man could be a samurai, and only his son could continue the family name, so women effectively did not have their own names.” 

Despite the law allowing couples to choose the woman’s family name, deep-rooted cultural norms result in most couples opting for the husband’s surname. Yoshida attributes this to Japan’s slow progress in gender equality, noting that the country has never had a female prime minister.

The implications of a homogeneous surname society

Yoshida believes that if all Japanese people have the surname Sato in the future, it could cause problems. He thinks it would be inconvenient and make people feel less important. It might also make it harder to remember family and regional history.

He is part of the Think Name Project, a group dedicated to addressing the implications of the government’s refusal to allow women to retain their maiden names after marriage. 

On International Women’s Day, March 8, the group, along with various businesses and social organizations, submitted a petition to the government seeking to amend the law.

However, despite past promises from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party to examine the issue, meaningful change seems unlikely. The party’s members are predominantly male, old, and deeply conservative, showing little real desire for reform. 

As reported by SCMP , the influential Japanese Trade Union Confederation supports the push for change, with research indicating that more than 60% of people would prefer to keep their names after marriage or permit their spouse to do so if selective surnames were legally permitted.

Yoshida’s studies show that if more people were allowed to have different last names, only about 7.96% of Japanese might be named Sato by 2531. But even if this change happened, the name Sato would still become more common, and by 3310, everyone in Japan might have the last name Sato.

A demographic decline: Japan’s future population

Parallel to the surname study, Yoshida also conducted a demographic projection that paints a bleak picture of Japan’s future population. If Japan’s population continues to decrease as it is now, there would only be about 281,866 people in Japan by 2531 and just 22 people by 3310.

This dramatic decline implies that the Japanese population might disappear entirely before everyone adopts the surname Sato.

This combination of cultural traditions and a shrinking population brings attention to important problems in Japanese society. The possibility that everyone might have the same last name shows bigger issues with fairness between genders and how people see themselves in society. Also, the shrinking population means Japan needs to think about ways to keep its population steady in the long term.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

The blueprint daily.

Stay up-to-date on engineering, tech, space, and science news with The Blueprint.

By clicking sign up, you confirm that you accept this site's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Sujita Sinha A versatile writer, Sujita has worked with Mashable Middle East and News Daily 24. When she isn't writing, you can find her glued to the latest web series and movies.

POPULAR ARTICLES

With lizard-like self-amputation, yale robot detaches arms and fuses at will, world’s first ai lego robot head that talks like human gets new life, 100% effective against hiv: new drug exhibits exceptional results in trial, us could get low-cost clean hydrogen from offshore wind farms: study, related articles.

China claims new radar penetrated toughest US jamming jet in South China Sea

German Navy ditches epic floppy disks from its warships after 30 years

CO2 to stone: Startup plans to inject 100 tons of carbon 1 km inside Earth

Startup’s tricks drop methane emissions from rice cultivation by 35%