The Lexical Press daily teaching-abroad briefing — what's happening in Japan on October 1, 2026, and what it means if you want to teach English there.
What's happening in Japan today
Business confidence just improved. The Bank of Japan's quarterly Tankan survey, released today, showed big manufacturers' sentiment rising to +24 in September from +22 in June — a sign the economy is weathering global headwinds better than feared, and a data point the BOJ will weigh as it considers further rate hikes after raising interest rates to a 31-year high last month. Source: Reuters
The factory floor is still expanding, just more slowly. S&P Global's September manufacturing PMI eased to 54.1 — the weakest pace in six months — but it was still the ninth straight month of expansion, employment rose for a 22nd consecutive month, and new export orders grew for a ninth straight month on strong Asian and U.S. demand. Source: S&P Global via Reuters
The yen is in the spotlight. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Thursday her government will boost Japan's economic competitiveness to underpin the yen, adding that she personally told President Trump the yen's undervaluation is a problem. The yen sat around ¥157 to the dollar this week. Sources: Reuters, Wall Street Journal
Grocery prices are pinching. Food inflation is the everyday story: tuna is up nearly 25%, cabbage 45%, and green tea 31.5%, with roughly 20,000 food and drink products expected to raise prices this year. Some families are swapping meat and fish for cheaper protein like tofu and eggs. Source: The Times
Teaching There
The job market: JET's next intake is open. The government-run JET Programme has opened 2027 applications in several countries (deadlines vary by country — one reported intake closes October 16, 2026), placing graduates as Assistant Language Teachers in public schools with a starting package around ¥3.36 million/year. Private ALT dispatchers like Interac are recruiting year-round for arrivals through December 2026 at ¥200,000–¥230,000/month with visa sponsorship. Sources: Global South Opportunities, GaijinPot
Visas. Teaching jobs sponsor your work permit and visa as standard — typical requirements are a bachelor's degree and a native-level English background; most quality employers expect a TESOL/TEFL certificate.
Cost of living. Food inflation is real, but the weak yen cuts the other way for newcomers: rent, transit, and dining remain affordable by Western standards, and a weaker yen means startup savings in dollars or euros stretch further. Health insurance is split with your employer under the national system.
Safety check
Japan remains safe for travel and teaching — the U.S. State Department rates it Level 1 ("Exercise normal precautions"), its lowest advisory level, per recent advisory coverage by The Traveler.
Ready to teach in Japan? Enroll here — American TESOL Institute's Japan guide has more on the market, salaries, and getting started.