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Sales clerks

How to become a Trade Administration Clerk

Also called: Customs clearance clerk, Import and export clerk

Works with the sales department on business with other countries, such as exporting and importing raw materials and goods, organising the data and information needed, preparing contract documents and arranging freight.

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 qualification is required to start, but language skills are needed for the work, and some companies expect a certain level of language ability when hiring. Many companies run language training after you join to improve your skills. Mid-career hires are usually expected to have experience. Sometimes your posting is decided during induction training based on your aptitude and wishes. If you hold a related qualification such as licensed customs specialist, you may be assigned to a trade-related department. After that, a wide range of training programmes, including languages, trade practice and accounting, help you build your skills. As well as interest in and responsibility for the business you handle, you need knowledge of other countries' languages, laws and business customs.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Trade Administration Clerk?

No particular education or qualification is required to start, but language skills are needed for the work, and some companies expect a certain level of language ability when hiring. Many companies run language training after you join to improve your skills. Mid-career hires are usually expected to have experience. Sometimes your posting is decided during induction training based on your aptitude and wishes. If you hold a related qualification such as licensed customs specialist, you may be assigned to a trade-related department. After that, a wide range of training programmes, including languages, trade practice and accounting, help you build your skills. As well as interest in and responsibility for the business you handle, you need knowledge of other countries' languages, laws and business customs.

How much does a Trade Administration Clerk earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,251,400 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Sales clerks, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Trade Administration Clerk?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 49% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Trade Administration Clerk?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, 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