Informational conversations
Speak with people working in fields, industries or roles you are curious about before making a major commitment.
Best fit: Explorer
See Step 1 →
Turn reflection into experience
Opportunities to take the next step.
Step Up Japan is a public guide, not a closed program. This page helps connect your current stage with practical ways to learn, contribute, work, build and grow in Japan.
Ways to move forward
Choose experience that matches your current step.
The best opportunity is not always the biggest one. It is the one that gives you the right kind of experience for what you need to learn next.
Courses & skill-building
Choose focused learning that supports a real goal: Japanese, digital skills, professional communication, technical capability or business knowledge.
Best fit: Learner
See Step 2 →
Internships & real projects
Join a team where your work contributes to an actual outcome and where other people can give you feedback on how you work.
Best fit: Contributor
See Step 3 →
Part-time & professional roles
Build consistency, responsibility and workplace confidence through roles where people depend on your performance over time.
Best fit: Performer
See Step 4 →
Freelance & side projects
Try a small paid service, tutoring, content project, reselling activity or other low-risk way to test independent value creation.
Best fit: Side-Hustler
See Step 5 →
Small business development
Strengthen an offer, customer base, workflow, brand or operating system so independent work becomes more repeatable and sustainable.
Best fit: Builder
See Step 6 →
Team leadership
Take responsibility for helping other people succeed through delegation, supervision, collaboration or project leadership.
Best fit: Leader
See Step 7 →
Startup & innovation projects
Test a real problem, build a prototype, launch a pilot or develop a new service, system, venture or product.
Best fit: Innovator
See Step 8 →
Mentoring & backing others
Share knowledge, connections, credibility, time or resources with someone earlier in their journey.
Best fit: Backer
See Step 9 →
One optional pathway
Need real project experience?
For people at the Learner, Contributor, Performer or Builder stages, Aoyama Professionals is one possible place to apply skills through real projects, professional development and evidence of work.
02
LearnerPractice skills in a more applied environment.
03
ContributorJoin real projects and learn how teams work.
04
PerformerStrengthen professional habits and evidence.
06
BuilderApply capability to venture and business work.
How to evaluate an opportunity
Ask what you will actually get to do.
01
Real responsibility
Will you produce, decide, contribute or solve something — or mostly watch other people work?
02
Useful feedback
Will someone help you understand what you are doing well and what needs to improve?
03
Evidence of growth
Will you leave with stronger capability, better judgment, a deliverable, a reference, a result or a clearer next direction?
Future opportunity directory
This page can become a curated Japan opportunity hub.
Explore the types of experience that fit your current step. Specific openings and eligibility are confirmed with the relevant organizer or provider.
Not sure what kind of opportunity fits?
Find your step first.
Once you know what kind of growth you need, it becomes much easier to choose an opportunity worth saying yes to.
One Possible Next Step
Build evidence through real project work.
If your next step is practical experience, Aoyama Professionals offers a free 4-week internship entry point built around real projects. It is one option among many — use it if it matches where you are now.
What you could work on
- Project-based experience
- Practical deliverables
- Exposure to Japan-related ventures
- Potential progression if there is mutual fit