People who have a sense of mission to protect Japan and its people. People who are interested in other cultures and societies, including languages, and who can accept them with an open mind. Have good communication skills and be able to express their opinions clearly.

Diplomats are employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the national agency in charge of diplomacy (activities related to relations with foreign countries). Among them, diplomats are especially those who work at Japanese embassies and other "diplomatic missions" overseas. The duties of diplomats are to negotiate (discuss) with the governments of other countries and coordinate with them to ensure good foreign policy, including exports, imports, and security, in order to protect Japan's national interests of peace and prosperity. Information gathering for this purpose, support for local Japanese companies, and public relations activities to promote Japanese culture are also important duties. In addition, they are also responsible for protecting the lives and property of Japanese nationals operating abroad. To the other country, this is an important job, as they are the "face" representing Japan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) employees repeat overseas assignments and domestic assignments every few years. When working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) headquarters in Tokyo, they analyze information gathered from Japanese embassies in various countries, coordinate with other ministries, and plan and formulate foreign policy. In addition, they draft articles for bilateral and multilateral agreements and negotiate with other countries at international conferences. To strengthen relations with other countries, diplomats are also involved in Official Development Assistance (ODA), which provides aid to foreign countries, and in activities that address international environmental conservation issues.

To work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a national agency, one must pass the National Civil Service Examination. There are three types of examinations for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the future job description varies depending on the examination passed. The second is the "National Civil Service Recruitment Examination (college graduates, high school graduates, and working adults)," in which candidates are expected to work as "consuls" overseas and as accountants, correspondence and document managers, secretaries, etc. in Japan. The third, the "Examination for Specialized Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," is expected to enable candidates to make use of their language skills and in-depth knowledge of diplomacy in various countries and regions. Each of these examinations has a specific age and educational background requirement, but for the National Civil Service Recruitment Examination and the Specialist Recruitment Examination for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, candidates over 21 years of age are not required to have any educational background. However, there is an upper age limit. Incidentally, non-Japanese nationals are not allowed to take the National Civil Service Examination, and foreign nationals are not allowed to take the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Examination.

Not being able to speak a foreign language does not preclude you from working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is possible to acquire it through training even after entering the Ministry. However, since discussions with representatives of various countries and reading documents in foreign languages are a common part of the job, the higher your language skills, the better. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs handles more than 40 foreign languages from around the world, and even has specialists in each language. However, diplomats are required to have not only language skills but also various other abilities, such as communication skills to convey one's feelings properly, judgment to make quick decisions on the spot, and the ability to think. It will be necessary not only to study the language, but also to gain experience in reading to come in contact with various ideas and to value the human mind through interactions with friends. In addition, diplomats will be living in countries with nature and culture very different from those of Japan, so they will need to have the mental and physical strength to work well in any environment.

Conflicts, terrorism, environmental pollution, climate change, infectious diseases, and many other issues that must be addressed by the world as a whole are becoming more serious every year. To address these issues, Japan is promoting various international contributions based on the concept of "human security" to realize the rich potential of each and every human being. A typical example is Official Development Assistance (ODA), which provides funds and technology to developing countries and international organizations. Achieving the SDGs, the international goals for a sustainable and better world by 2030, is also an important initiative for protecting the earth. In order to actively promote such international activities, the role of diplomats will become more important.

The average income is 4,397,000 yen. Earnings for domestic and overseas assignments vary depending on the country or region to which the worker is dispatched. If dispatched out of the country, various allowances are provided to maintain a living environment equivalent to that in Japan.

Saturdays and Sundays are off, and annual paid vacation and sick leave are provided. Overseas workers are allowed medical leave, leave to return home, etc. In case of emergency, employees are required to work until late at night or early in the morning, and sometimes work on holidays.

For domestic assignments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located in Tokyo. For international assignments, embassies and consulates in 195 countries around the world.

It's a chart that shows at a glance the main routes to a diplomat's job!

外交官の仕事につくために役立つ資格を紹介しているよ。