What life is like for immigrant factory workers in Japan

Summary

Janna moved from the Philippines to Japan to help her family pay off debts. She had heard that Japan offered better work and living opportunities, and took a chance on a training-and-recruitment route that included Japanese-language study and machining skills.

After being selected by a Japanese company, she moved to Nagano. She was excited to see snow but found the area quiet and rural. She enjoys its mountains and calm, though getting around without a car can be difficult; she often relies on a bicycle and walking.

Janna has worked for nearly six years as a machinist producing bearings. Her job involves operating a lathe, keeping production running, and checking measurements—roughly every 300 pieces. A stopped machine can halt the line, and the work is physically demanding and potentially dangerous. Shifts alternate between days and nights, with workdays ranging from about eight hours to longer when overtime is needed.

Workplace takeaways

• Pay close attention to safety procedures, especially when doing repetitive work around machinery.
• Ask for clarification when instructions are unclear; in Janna’s job, misunderstandings can be dangerous.
• Factory work can be hard on the body, particularly when it involves heavy parts and long periods on your feet.

Janna has found it challenging to communicate with some coworkers because of language differences and local dialects. She has also built friendships at work and a community with other Filipinos in Japan.

She is grateful that her job has let her support her family, but says the physical demands are significant. She has moved from a technical intern status to a specified skilled-worker visa. She is considering a break in the Philippines and may try a different line of work if she returns to Japan.

Janna began posting on TikTok after previously hoping to become a YouTube creator. An early video of her cycling home from grocery shopping through the countryside went viral, helping her realize that viewers were interested in her everyday life, work, and travels.

Her humorous bread reviews became popular with Filipino viewers. She often reviews leftover bread available at work, describing its appearance and taste in an unfiltered, playful style. She likes croissants and recommends 7-Eleven’s cheese buns.

Janna says living in Japan is different from visiting as a tourist. Although she values the lifestyle and opportunities, she misses her family and recognizes that moving abroad involves trade-offs. She describes Filipinos as friendly, resilient, and willing to take on different kinds of work.

Notable locations, products, and speakers

• Locations: Nagano, the Philippines, Haneda Airport, Chiba, Tokyo, and Osaka
• Products and work: Machined bearings, Japanese convenience-store bread, croissants, and 7-Eleven cheese buns
• Speakers: Janna of Janna Japan Diaries and Toby, host of Unpacking Japan