Work as MSL/MR in Japan

Hi all. I would like to ask. So I am in the middle of the process to get MEXT scholarship to Japan cor my master degree. Afterwards I am planning to work as MSL (medical scientific Liaison) or MR (medical representative) in a pharmaceutical company in Japan (maybe gaishikei?). Is it possible to get into these role ? I am still working on my Japanese tough (I am aware that I must have N1 level. Now,I am arround N3). I have finished my studies and earn my pharmacist title here in Indonesia tough. I also have 2,5 years of working experience in pharma commercial field. Thanks before.

I work in a CRO in Japan.
Working as a MR or MSL in Japan without being absolutely fluent in Japanese (more than N1 ) I think will be complicated. Because your job is to speak to Japanese doctors about scientific concepts of a drug.
However there are other job profiles in Pharma and CRO industry that require slightly less Japanese knowledge. For most you would still need at least N2 , better N1.

You might look at something like CRA or in-house CRA or maybe something in medical writing departments. There are many options.
In my previous company (a Japanese CRO) we did hire every year (in April) a few new university graduates from China who had competed their university in Japan. They did work initially in Japan to learn the trade and then moved to China.
In my current company we are also hiring foreigners. Mostly I would say mid career people who already know the trade plus have a reasonable command of Japanese.

Do you go to university in Japan? If yes, that’s probably your best entry.
If not, you might still want to go to some of the many job fairs that exist for this field. Currently the hiring for new graduates for 1/Apr/2026 (!) has started.

Thank you @LikeBike for the kind response. If it is possible, I would like to ask you another question: it is necessary to obtain a Japanese issued pharmacist license to be able to work in the Pharma industry there ? because it is the norm here in Indonesia (even if you are applying to the commercial team!). Thanks in advance!

No. To work in Pharma industry or in a CRO you don’t need to be a registered pharmacist. You even don’t need to be a pharmacist at all. I am for example a biotechnology engineer from Germany.

However there are certain positions for which you will require a local registration as pharmacist. Obviously if you work in a pharmacy but I could think that there are also some tasks in pharmaceutical industry that might require this. Probably for a position as a QP (Qualified Person) or some other tasks that are governed by regulations.

But for a ML, MSL, CRA … position no such registration is needed.