Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) — Japan

Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) — Japan Employer: Interac Location: Nationwide across Japan — 13 regional branches Salary: ¥2,400,000 – ¥3,000,000 per year Contract: 1 year, renewable Start dates: Spring (March–June arrival) and fall (August–December arrival) Applications: Accepted year-round

About the role Teach English in Japanese public elementary, junior high, and senior high schools as an Assistant Language Teacher with Interac — Japan's largest private provider of ALTs, with 3,600 teachers across 13 regional branches.

You'll deliver interactive English lessons alongside Japanese Teachers of English, becoming a genuine part of your school community. For most ALTs this is their first classroom, and Interac is built around that: the training, onboarding, and support structure all assume you're new to Japan and new to teaching.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in any subject from an accredited, established university. Field of study doesn't matter. Note: technical and IT diplomas described as "degree equivalent" are not recognized by Japanese immigration and cannot be used.

Native or native-level English. Japanese immigration defines this as at least 12 years of formal education in which every subject except foreign languages was taught in English. This is satisfied by being born and raised in an English-speaking country and schooled through compulsory education, or by 12+ years of English-medium schooling elsewhere.

Age 20–58. Contracts must be completed before Japan's statutory retirement age of 60.

Good health, sufficient for the demands of living and working in Japan.

Applicants are individually assessed on accent, diction, and pronunciation, and sit a standardized test of grammar, spelling, and usage. Japanese schools use standard American English conventions.

Not required: Japanese language ability at any level. TEFL, TESOL, PGCE, or a teaching license — these strengthen an application but aren't necessary. Interac provides its own training and certification.

Please note: TOEFL, TOEIC, CEFR, and Cambridge results cannot be used as proof of English proficiency for the visa application.

Salary and contract terms

¥2.4–3 million per year, paid across 12 monthly payments so income is consistent year-round

Taxes, health insurance, and national pension are deducted from pay

Approved commuting costs reimbursed monthly

Teachers in driving positions receive a vehicle allowance and may lease a car through Interac, free to use in personal time

No application fee

Standard contract runs April to end of March. Mid-year joiners run from their start month to the following March. Recontracting is by mutual agreement, with no limit on renewals — some teachers have been with Interac for decades.

Housing Interac sources apartments for incoming ALTs, typically close to your assigned schools and central to daily life, and supports you through the lease process. ALTs are responsible for rent, utilities, furnishing, and move-in costs.

Average rent for Interac ALTs nationally: ¥53,000/month

Typical move-in cost for a one-bedroom: ¥250,000–300,000, which may include deposit, key money, and rent prepayment

Apartments may be unfurnished or semi-furnished and may not have internet connected on arrival. Interac staff will point you to providers and shops.

Airfare Flights to Japan are the ALT's responsibility. Unlike government programs such as JET, private ALT providers in Japan do not typically cover airfare.

Interac is Japan's largest private provider of Assistant Language Teachers, with 3,600 teachers placed in public elementary, junior high, and senior high schools nationwide. It has 50 years in education, 13 regional branches from Sapporo to Fukuoka, and has been wholly owned by Link and Motivation Inc. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 2170) since 2014. That branch network means placements almost anywhere in Japan — and Interac staff based near you rather than a head office hours away.

You'll be placed in a Japanese public school under contract with the local Board of Education, teaching alongside Japanese Teachers of English. School staff communicate with ALTs in English, and no Japanese is required to do the job well. The schedule is a standard 9–5 built around the Japanese school calendar.

Most assignments are suburban, semi-rural, or in regional cities like Sapporo, Sendai, or Kumamoto rather than central Tokyo or Osaka — which means lower living costs, closer ties to a local community, and usually other ALTs in your town or a neighboring one. Each branch runs regular training events where you'll meet teachers in your area.