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Administrative and managerial workers of corporations and organizations

How to become a General Affairs Manager

Manages and supervises the work of the general affairs section in a national or local government body, company, association, foundation or other organisation.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualifications are required. Whether hired as new graduates or mid-career, few people work in general affairs from their first job onwards. Knowing about the work of many departments is thought to help the job run smoothly, so many have experience in other departments. In manufacturing, people often handle accounts and administration at a factory or other site before moving to general affairs at head office. After some years in the general affairs section, people usually go through middle management posts such as subsection chief or assistant manager before being promoted to section manager. When promoted to a management role, people usually take some kind of management training, such as training on workplace compliance (including sexual harassment and power harassment), on HR management such as assessing staff performance, and on showing leadership, supporting staff and building a better workplace culture. The qualification organisations most often ask managers to gain is health officer (eisei kanrisha). Another qualification it is good to have is fire prevention manager. Most of the knowledge needed for the job is learned while doing it. Knowledge of the Companies Act, the Industrial Safety and Health Act, the Fire Service Act and local by-laws is usually seen as something to pick up when a task calls for it. The abilities and qualities needed include communication skills to understand others accurately and express your own views clearly, the coordination skills to get things done while taking on board the views of everyone from directors to ordinary staff, the time management skills to handle several jobs at once, and flexible crisis management skills.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a General Affairs Manager?

No particular education or qualifications are required. Whether hired as new graduates or mid-career, few people work in general affairs from their first job onwards. Knowing about the work of many departments is thought to help the job run smoothly, so many have experience in other departments. In manufacturing, people often handle accounts and administration at a factory or other site before moving to general affairs at head office. After some years in the general affairs section, people usually go through middle management posts such as subsection chief or assistant manager before being promoted to section manager. When promoted to a management role, people usually take some kind of management training, such as training on workplace compliance (including sexual harassment and power harassment), on HR management such as assessing staff performance, and on showing leadership, supporting staff and building a better workplace culture. The qualification organisations most often ask managers to gain is health officer (eisei kanrisha). Another qualification it is good to have is fire prevention manager. Most of the knowledge needed for the job is learned while doing it. Knowledge of the Companies Act, the Industrial Safety and Health Act, the Fire Service Act and local by-laws is usually seen as something to pick up when a task calls for it. The abilities and qualities needed include communication skills to understand others accurately and express your own views clearly, the coordination skills to get things done while taking on board the views of everyone from directors to ordinary staff, the time management skills to handle several jobs at once, and flexible crisis management skills.

How much does a General Affairs Manager earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥9,667,600 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Administrative and managerial workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a General Affairs Manager?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 54% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Business & Commerce degrees.

Will AI change the work of a General Affairs Manager?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026