Japanese is the language of education throughout Japan, which somewhat narrows the possibilities for foreign teachers who are not familiar with the language to teach abroad in Japan. However, although speaking at least some Japanese is generally preferred of teaching applicants, there are still plenty of teaching jobs in Tokyo that do not require teachers to speak the language.

Opportunities to teach in Tokyo are offered for international teachers at a variety of levels, and at both private and public schools. Many schools that focus on recruiting English teachers will require applicants to have TEFL certificates, but this is not always a necessity. Teaching jobs in Japan are available for individuals who want to teach English as a Foreign Language, to children, high school students, college students, or adult learners. Individuals can teach in Japan through both structured classroom placements and in private tutoring lessons. English is the language of International Business worldwide, so in such a global city, the opportunity to learn English is highly valued and there are plenty of eager students.

There are also many positions for international teachers to teach in Japan at bilingual or international schools in Tokyo. These schools typically range from kindergarten to grade 12, and offer foreign teachers an opportunity to teach subjects outside of English (i.e. Math, Science, History).