Hi,
I am really interested in coaching and physical education in Japan, I would actually love to get a job in this field. I am a certified basketball coach and certified as a physical education teacher in my country.(Romania)
I have never dared to think about working in my profession in Japan but maybe it is not impossible so I would ask the people here about it. Sports ethics in Japan is amazing from what I can see so it would be an ideal place for me.
I am guessing that a requirement would be to speak Japanese fluently. I am not at that level yet but I should be if I go to a language school.
Would foreigners even be considered for those jobs in the first place?
I don’t have high hopes and I am also a certified English teacher and I love that job too so I can try to experience Japan that way but it is worth asking about it at least.
Thanks!
4 comments
To the best of my knowledge, here is your best option
1. Get a working visa as an English teacher in Japan
2. While in Japan working as an English teacher go to a university to get a Japanese teaching license as a P.E. teacher
3. Take the employment exam for P.E. teachers (notoriously difficult to pass that one, because there are a ton of people who want to be P.E. teachers, and the demand is low) but it is not impossible
4. Become a P.E. teacher
I am sure there are other ways to get into the sports coaching world, but I have no idea about that
The first general reality that will be a hard, no compromise, barrier for you is that Japan generally doesn’t recognize anything from outside of Japan when it comes to certifications, licenses, degrees, or education. To do anything that requires a license in Japan, as a general rule, you have to get that license in Japan.
This comes to the practical and more immediate barrier, you’d have to go through all of those processes in Japanese. Language school will get you “functional” but not fluent, actual fluency that is high enough to remove any doubts about misunderstanding or miscommunication during your assessment for these certs and licenses takes time and few people really get there.
It’s not all doom and gloom, and it’s not impossible, but if you want to teach or coach directly under your own license and certs not as an assistant, it’s a tough road that very few have walked.
I met one guy that started as an ALT English teacher, now he’s a swim coach at an international school.
Also once met a guy that is a tennis instructor (private lessons), he too started as an English teacher.
I think working at an international school would be the easiest way.
Look into the JET Program as an SEA.