The “LIFE IN JAPAN” series showcases the lifestyles of PayPay employees who have moved to Japan from 50 countries and regions. For this first installment, we talked with John Wu from Taiwan about his life in Japan and the secret to living a lifestyle that suits him while working at PayPay!
John Wu
Payments & miniApp Team, Technology Department 2, Payment Product Division, Product Group
Hello, guys. I am John, a backend software engineer in the Payment Product Division at PayPay. I have been with the company since July 2021 and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, both in terms of the work and the opportunities for personal and professional growth.
What brought you to Japan?
Since I was a child, I always loved learning languages and wanted to work abroad someday if I had the chance. In my previous job, I was working as a backend engineer for a cybersecurity-related company in Taiwan, but my desire to work overseas and experience various cultures grew stronger, which is why I decided to change jobs.
I also considered the U.S. and Europe, but ultimately chose Japan because it is close to Taiwan. Plus, PayPay has engineers from all over the world, so I thought I could hone my engineering skills while learning both English and Japanese.
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan?
In terms of daily life, I was worried about the language barrier. I can speak English at work, so that’s not a problem, but I would have to be able to understand Japanese when shopping, paying for utility bills, and so on.
But when I actually started living here, I noticed that I often had no problem despite my inability to speak Japanese, as many places have cashless payment systems and self-checkout machines. Also thanks to the translation service when I needed it.
How is your life in Japan?
Very satisfying! I particularly like Japan’s four seasons.
I grew up in New Taipei City, which has a mild climate throughout the year, so there is no distinct seasonal scenery. Japan, however, has four seasons, so it is interesting to me that the same place looks different depending on the time of year.
I especially loved Ginzan Onsen where I took a trip not too long ago! It was snowing heavily that day, and the scenery with house roofs covered with snow was beautiful. In Taiwan, snow falls only on the mountains, so what I saw at Ginzan Onsen left quite an impression on me.
What is the key to adjusting to life in Japan?
Taiwan and Japan have many similarities, so I could naturally adjust to life in Japan. Sometimes I am surprised at how strictly banks and some other places adhere to protocol, but other than the language, I have no issues.
In terms of food, I have been going to Japanese restaurants since I was in Taiwan, so I am familiar with Japanese cuisine. Tokyo also has authentic Taiwanese restaurants, so I can easily go out to eat on days when I’m in the mood for Taiwanese food.
I recently found a great Taiwanese restaurant in Nakano!
I loved their gua bao (pork belly bun) and lu rou fan (braised pork rice bowl)! I was relieved to find that the taste was similar to what I used to eat at home.
There are other places that remind me of Taiwan. For example, the Tokyo Mazu Temple in Okubo is a temple from Taiwan. It feels odd to see a temple decorated with Taiwanese ornaments in the streets of Tokyo.
Is there anything you would like to do while in Japan?
I want to learn Japanese more and make more friends to get used to Japan!
There are several Taiwanese communities in Japan, so I can make friends there, but since I moved to Japan, I would like to learn Japanese ASAP and make Japanese friends.
To study the language, I also participate in a language learning program called Japanese Boot Camp, which PayPay employees can attend for free! I get to practice words and phrases I learned through self-study, which helps to cement what I’ve studied.
What is it like to work in PayPay?
I am a backend engineer for offline payments in the Payments & miniApp Team. Since my team is made up of engineers from various countries, it is a lot of fun to communicate and work with members from different cultures!
It is a very international team, and it is extremely exciting to exchange ideas with people from the U.S., India, China, Bangladesh, and other countries.
I’ve heard stories of strict hierarchical relationships in traditional Japanese companies, but I didn’t have to worry about that at PayPay. PayPay has a great culture of discussion regardless of your position. Members from different countries have different ideas, so we always have meaningful discussions.
A word to those who want to come to Japan and work for PayPay?
PayPay is a great workplace for foreigners!
PayPay is also a product that grew rapidly in a short period of time, so many things are still being improved and there is no time to be bored. If you like change and challenging tasks, I encourage you to consider moving to Japan.
The ability to get by on your own is crucial when living abroad, but if you are good at it, it is worth moving here. I look forward to working with you at PayPay!
Next issue..
We will be talking with Mark from France!
Current job openings
*The recruitment status is current at the time of the interview.
Special Thanks: John Wu / Editor, Author : Moe
*Employees’ affiliations are as of the time of the interview.