Built for Companies Entering and Expanding in Japan
No Local Network Required
Skip the months of introductions. Post your first role and verified agencies with market-entry experience see it the same day, while your contact details stay private until you accept a proposal.
Fees in Writing, From the First Proposal
Every proposal states its fee and timeline before any conversation takes place. Because each engagement is exclusive, agencies can commit their best terms from the start.
Free for Companies, Start to Finish
Post roles, review proposals, and accept a partner at no charge. No payment details are ever requested.
From First Role to First Hire
Define Your Search
Set your salary range, target fee, and timeline. You can start before your Japanese entity is live, and your role is visible only to verified recruitment agencies.
Compare Proposals
Review fees, timelines, experience, and candidate commitments side by side in a standardized format. Make informed decisions in minutes, not days.
Choose Your Partner
Accept the proposal that fits, and contact details are exchanged. Nothing fits yet? Leave the job open or close it anytime.
Compare Standardized Proposals Side by Side
Every proposal follows the same format: fees, exclusivity timelines, candidate commitments, recruitment approach, relevant experience, and services. No marketing decks to decode.
Country Manager, Japan
Submitted by Elite Recruitment Partners
Proposal Terms
8 weeks
18%
Fee calculated on base salary
Recruitment Approach
Relevant Experience
Country Manager
US SaaS company making its first Japan hire
Headhunting
11 weeks
- •No local brand recognition and no entity at kickoff
- •Bilingual leadership network and an offer process that works with an employer of record
Country Manager, Japan
Submitted by TechTalent Solutions
Proposal Terms
10 weeks
22%
Fee calculated on base salary
Recruitment Approach
Relevant Experience
General Manager, Japan
European medical device maker opening its Tokyo office
Job change websites
13 weeks
- •Candidates hesitant to join an employer they have never heard of
- •A structured story for why the company is entering Japan, plus references from earlier first-hire searches
Negotiate Without a Single Call
Adjust fees or timelines with a single click, and the other side accepts, declines, or counters in-platform. No calls to schedule, no email threads to manage. You know where you stand in minutes, not days.
Head of Sales, Japan
Submitted by Elite Recruitment Partners
Proposal Terms
10 weeks
Fee calculated on base salary
Recruitment Approach
The Full Cost of a Contingency Search
Agency fees are only part of the picture. Add coordination time and the cost of an unfilled role, and the totals shift. Adjust the numbers below to see your own.
Job Details
Enter the base information about the job
Contingency Search
Multiple agencies working the same role and higher fees
External Fee:
￥0
Internal Admin:
￥0
Vacancy Cost:
￥0
Total Cost:
￥0
Exclusive Search
Single trusted agency and lower fees
External Fee:
￥0
Internal Admin:
￥0
Vacancy Cost:
￥0
Total Cost:
￥0
Know the Market Rate Before You Post a Role
Median salaries for more than 180 roles in Japan, built from published salary guides. Pick a function and an engagement model to see the agency fee and total hiring cost for each role.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions companies ask before their first Japan hire.
Do we need a Japanese entity before we start?
You can run the search before your entity is live. Many entrants search in parallel with incorporation and sign the offer once the entity or an employer of record is ready. Agencies on AirTA work with both setups.
What do recruitment agencies charge in Japan?
Contingency fees typically run 30% to 40% of first-year base salary. Exclusive engagements usually close lower, at 20% to 30%, because the agency starts with certainty. Every proposal on AirTA states its fee upfront.
Is AirTA really free for companies?
Yes. Posting roles, comparing proposals, and accepting a partner cost nothing, and no payment details are ever requested.
Can we search without announcing our Japan plans?
Yes. You can hide your company name until you accept a proposal, so you can run a full search without announcing your market entry.
How does the exclusive search partnership work?
Agencies submit structured proposals covering fee, timeline, and sourcing approach. You accept exactly one, and that agency becomes your exclusive partner for the search. Every other proposal is released.
How do counterproposals work?
If you like a proposal but want different terms, submit a counterproposal in two clicks. Adjust the fee or timeline, and the agency accepts or declines in-platform. The whole negotiation happens asynchronously, without calls or email threads.
Why does AirTA operate only in Japan?
Japan is the market we know and the one where foreign companies need the most help hiring. Focusing on one market keeps our agency network and salary data deep rather than broad.