Video game job market in Japan

Hello everyone,

I am currently entering my senior year in high school. College is approaching soon :-D.

Anyway, I am planning to major in computer science: video game design and minor in Japanese language and culture. I really want to become a game developer because video games are my passion.

I am a sucker for the Japanese game industry in comparison to the American one. Not to mention all my other loves for Japan (anime, manga, sushi, fashion, cosplaying, etc...). I have no doubt that I would be suited to live in Japan when the time would arise. I will most likely study abroad in college in Japan, hopefully specifically in my major, but I will be going regardless :-).

After completing a 4 year degree and becoming very strong with the language, I think that I would be prepared to move to Japan.

My question is however, do you think that I would be able to find a stable and good job in the video game industry, or anything in the technology business (the degree is good for anything related to programming, software development, other computer related jobs). The average salary for a game programmer out of college is about $50,000 now. Do these kind of jobs pay as well as an American one? I am not too concerned about a lot of dough, but I can't lower myself too much. But my main question is, as stated before, do you think an American with a well educated degree in the video game design field and sufficient Japanese language skill be able to work for a big name Japanese game company?

Thanks

Though I don�ft really know anything about the video game programming industry in Japan, I think its safe to assume its on par with other programming there - which is highly competitive.
Being very efficient in Japanese on level 5 would certainly help a lot I should imagine and if you have your bachelors then its looking good.
Interestingly that industry is exploding in the UK, many graduates from Australia are heading out that way so that might help with finding such a job in Japan

Pop off a few questions to such large companies you are looking at.