Employment Situation in Southern California
There are a number of Japanese companies such as manufacturing and logistic industries in Southern California due to a large population of Japanese-Americans in the area. Although these companies often seek bilingual candidates, many Japanese companies have a tendency to hire a staff that is already authorized to work in the U.S. However, some companies offer a visa sponsorship, especially for IT and accounting positions.
LA Downtown
There are job openings in industries such as finance, trade and government organizations. We often see openings for administrative positions as well as accounting positions including audit and tax accounting, as there are major accounting firms in the region. However, many Japanese companies are relocating from Downtown to South Bay and Orange county, thus job openings are decreasing in this area. Many residents of West Los Angeles and the North side of Downtown are commuting to Torrance where there are more job opportunities.
South Bay (Torrance, Gardena, Long Beach, etc.)
Known for the largest Japanese-American community in Southern California, there are many Japanese companies of different industries in Torrance including manufacturers, logistics, IT, accounting firms and trading. There are various positions where you can utilize your linguistic abilities or technical skills. Compared to other areas in California, many companies offer a visa sponsorship to candidates that qualify.
Orange County (Cypress, Costa Mesa, Irvine)
There are many Japanese companies (mainly manufactures). In recent years, more and more Japanese companies are moving further south from South Bay, and the number of Japanese companies has increased remarkably, especially in Irvine. However, due to localization of those Japanese companies, available job categories are limited compared to South Bay, and the need for Japanese bilingual candidates are decreasing.