Is English Necessary for Offshore Development? Benefits of Using It and How to Learn

"I am considering offshore development, but do I need English skills?"
"I am worried about the troubles that may arise from language barriers."
"I would like to know the key points to keep in mind to smoothly progress the project in English."

Are you wondering whether English is necessary for offshore development, and to what level it is required?

In conclusion, offshore development can be carried out without speaking English, as there are offshore development companies that can handle projects in Japanese.

However, using English can provide benefits, so if your company has personnel capable of communicating in English, it may be a good idea to use English.

In this article, we will explain the benefits and points to be aware of when using English in offshore development. We also summarized study methods for those who wish to learn, so please refer to them.

Author Profile

Akira Shimazoe

CEO of Solashi Japan LLC. Engaged in the development and operation of internal systems at Suntory. Founded Yper Inc., serving as CTO and CPO, contributing to product launch and growth.

Offshore Development Can Be Done in Either English or Japanese

Offshore development is a method of outsourcing software, apps, or web system design and operation to overseas companies, which are more cost-effective than domestic companies.

The outsourcing destinations vary, including Vietnam, the Philippines, India, China, etc. However, if the outsourcing company can handle Japanese, you can proceed with the project in Japanese. On the other hand, using English may sometimes allow the project to progress more smoothly, so it's worth considering depending on the situation.

There Are Companies That Can Handle Projects in Japanese

There are offshore development companies that can handle projects in Japanese.

For example, if the project manager (PM) is Japanese, communication can be done in Japanese.

If the bridge SE or local engineers who act as intermediaries between the offshore team and the client are fluent in Japanese, smooth communication can be ensured.

Moreover, nowadays, you can use chat tools and web conference systems with translation features, which make communication easier. Even if there are unfamiliar words, they can be quickly looked up.

For these reasons, if the client only speaks Japanese, it is still possible to proceed with an offshore development project smoothly.

At our company, Solashi Co., Ltd, which conducts offshore development in Vietnam, the customer support language is 100% in Japanese.

We have staff who can handle Japanese and have extensive experience working with Japanese companies, so there is no language barrier when communicating with us.

If you want to proceed with offshore development in Japanese without stress, please contact us.

Sometimes Using English Can Help the Project Progress More Smoothly

English is not a mandatory skill for offshore development. However, using English may allow for smoother communication in some cases.

Even if the offshore team can handle Japanese, not all team members may be able to understand Japanese.

Depending on the development content, using English as the primary language may allow for closer coordination with local engineers.

Also, if your company is responsible for project direction or management tasks without relying on a bridge SE or interpreter, communication should be conducted in English instead of Japanese.

If English Is Not Understood, The Local Language Will Be Required

In some outsourcing destinations, the official or semi-official language may not be English, so you must be cautious.

If the local staff cannot speak English, communication in the local language will be required.

The client's instructions will be translated into the local language, and within the offshore team, communication will be carried out in the local language.

If your company does not have personnel who can speak the local language, it is necessary to assign a bridge SE or interpreter fluent in Japanese.

Three Benefits of Using English in Offshore Development

Here are the advantages of using English in offshore development. The following three main benefits are highlighted:

1. Improved quality and potential cost reduction
2. Ability to recruit talented engineers from English-speaking countries
3. Ability to communicate without relying on bridge SEs or interpreters

Improved quality and potential cost reduction

By using English in offshore development, you can expect an improvement in quality.

Many programming languages such as HTML, JavaScript, and C have their official documentation in English. By communicating in English with offshore team members, mutual understanding becomes easier.

Since there is no need for translation mediation, responses become quicker. If active communication is maintained, any issues that arise can be reported promptly, allowing for a swift response. This ultimately improves the quality.

Furthermore, cost reduction can also be expected.

For instance, when developing a multilingual web system, using English for development eliminates the need to secure resources for translation or display verification, which could lead to a reduction in labor costs.

Additionally, if you conduct direction and project management with your own resources, you can cut costs.

Offshore development companies provide only the development resources. You need to issue instructions to the local engineers or tech leaders.

Related Article: "Offshore Development Costs | Country-specific Price Ranges and Cost-saving Methods"

Solashi Co., Ltd has the following cost differences:

▼ If the customer is the director/PM:

• Vietnamese team: 3-6 members expected to work
• Estimated cost: ¥1,000,000 to ¥2,600,000 per month

▼ If our company takes on the director/PM role:

• Japan/Vietnam team: 4-10 members expected to work
• Estimated cost: ¥1,600,000 to ¥4,400,000 per month

Ability to recruit talented engineers from English-speaking countries

The second benefit is the ability to recruit talented engineers from English-speaking countries.

There are approximately 1.53 billion English speakers globally, whereas there are only about 130 million Japanese speakers.

(Reference: Source (INTERNET WORLD USERS BY LANGUAGE) | Internet World Stats)

Moreover, in popular offshore development countries such as India, Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia, English is the official or widely spoken language. These countries have many engineers who are proficient in English.

In Vietnam, where our company is based, cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh offer high-level English education, and many IT professionals are proficient in English.

While there are many IT professionals who can speak English in these regions, there are not many who can speak Japanese. Even if there are excellent engineers, it would be difficult to communicate with them if they cannot speak Japanese.

However, if communication can be done in English, the possibility of securing highly skilled engineers increases.

Ability to communicate without relying on Bridge SEs or interpreters

Another advantage is that you can communicate directly with on-site engineers without relying on Bridge SEs or interpreters.

In offshore development, instructions are given to the development team through a Bridge SE or interpreter, who acts as a liaison between the client and the development site.

The role of a Bridge SE is not limited to translation, but also includes progress management of deliverables, local supervision, and management tasks.

While projects proceed smoothly thanks to the involvement of Bridge SEs or interpreters, it is important to be aware of the risk of dependency on them, especially when dealing with highly skilled personnel.

If the Bridge SE or interpreter quits midway, there is a risk that the project could stall. By proceeding with development in English, this dependency risk can be eliminated.

Two ways to address concerns about English in offshore development

While English is not an essential skill for offshore development, some may feel uneasy if there are no English-speaking staff members in their company.

Here are two ways to address concerns about English in offshore development.

1. Look for contractors who support Japanese
2. Use translation tools

Look for contractors who support Japanese

Let's find contractors who support Japanese.

Some companies can handle tasks such as preparing necessary materials or data analysis in Japanese.

If you choose a company that can assign Japanese-speaking PMs, Bridge SEs, or interpreters, you can proceed with the project even without English-speaking personnel in your company.

However, avoid completely outsourcing the work to PMs, Bridge SEs, or interpreters. To maintain quality and be prepared for any issues, it is necessary for the client to have at least a basic understanding of the progress and shared matters of the project.

At “Solashi Co., Ltd,” which has worked with Japan for over 10 years, we have Bridge SEs who handle two or more languages, including Japanese. We also have Japanese PMs with experience in business startups and CTO roles.

In the first 2-3 months of a project, senior Bridge SEs or Japanese staff will participate in the project to help catch up on the progress and details of the tasks being handled.

If you're worried about language and cultural barriers or project initiation, rest assured that we provide full support throughout the process.

We provide services in Japanese, so feel free to contact us about the system or service you would like to develop.

Use translation tools

Using translation tools is also an option.

Recently, the accuracy of translation tools and AI-based automatic translations has greatly improved, and even without advanced English skills, basic conversations can be conducted successfully.

For example, if you're using communication tools like Chatwork or Slack, you can install plugins that support translation to enable communication between multiple languages.

Also, online meeting services such as Zoom now offer features that automatically translate in real-time. Recently, paid translation services tailored for businesses have also been released.

If you can make good use of these translation tools, communication for work-related conversations and emails will proceed without problems.

Four things to be aware of when using English translation tools in offshore development

While translation tools are very convenient, they are not perfect. There are four points to keep in mind when using English translation tools in offshore development. Here are the four points to consider.

1. Japanese-specific abbreviations
2. Double negatives
3. Japanglish (Japanese-English hybrid words)
4. Spelling and typographical errors

Here is the translated text in English, keeping the WordPress HTML tags and comments intact:

Japanese-Specific Abbreviations

General translation tools often do not support Japanese-specific abbreviations, which can lead to misunderstandings if translated incorrectly.

Examples of Japanese-specific abbreviations are as follows:

【Examples of Japanese-Specific Abbreviations】

• クレカ (Credit Card)
• ボールペン (Ballpoint Pen)
• コピペ (Copy and Paste)
• インフレ (Inflation)
• ステマ (Stealth Marketing)
• スト (Store)
• ブログ (Blog)
• ATM (Automated Teller Machine)
• リスケ (Reschedule)

Common words you use might not stand out, but be cautious in offshore development communications.

Double Negation

Double negation, a feature unique to Japanese, is another expression that translation tools can easily misinterpret. Double negation refers to the use of two negative words to express a softer form of negation.

In Japanese, this can be used to soften the impact of a negative statement. However, it can lead to misunderstandings when communicating with people from other countries, and it is not suitable for business communication.

Let's take a look at examples of double negation and their improved expressions.

【Examples of Double Negation】

• 条件によっては、譲歩できないこともない (Depending on the conditions, it is not impossible to make a concession.)
• 都合がつかないわけではない (It's not that it’s impossible to make arrangements.)
• 修正せざるを得ない (I am forced to make a correction.)

【Improved Expressions】

• 条件によっては、譲歩できるだろう (Depending on the conditions, I can make a concession.)
• 都合がつくだろう (I can make arrangements.)
• 修正の必要がある (A correction is necessary.)

Wasei Eigo (Japanese-English Words)

Some Japanese-English words used in Japan have meanings and nuances that differ from their original English meanings.

Be careful when using wasei eigo, as it may be translated incorrectly and convey a different meaning than intended.

【Examples of Wasei Eigo】

• クレーム (Complaint)
• キャッチフレーズ (Catchphrase)
• ノートパソコン (Laptop PC)
• アフターサービス (After-sales service / After-sales support)
• タッチパネル (Touch screen)

Typographical Errors

Be cautious of typographical errors and input mistakes caused by human errors. While some translation tools automatically correct mistakes, they are not foolproof.

In communication through translation tools, it is difficult to pick up on nuances as we do with native languages, so it’s important to carefully review the text for typographical errors before sending it.

English Skill Levels Required for Offshore Development

The required English skills for offshore development include the ability to communicate in daily work and email exchanges.

If you are planning to learn English for offshore development, here are the skills you should aim to develop:

• Basic communication skills
• Understanding of industry-specific terms
• Ability to understand technical documents
• Discussion skills
• Ability to create reports and presentations

Having English skills directly related to your job will make communication smoother, leading to easier project progress and improved quality.

3 Ways to Learn English for Offshore Development

For those who are considering offshore development, here are three ways to learn English:

1. Read English technical documents
2. Listen to radio or podcasts
3. Use online English conversation lessons

Let’s go into more detail on these three methods.

Read English Technical Documents

This is the method of reading English technical documents.

In offshore development, communication is often text-based, using tools like chat. Therefore, focusing on reading and comprehension skills is more important than conversational skills.

One effective way is to read technical documents written in English.

By reading IT-related materials, you can improve your reading comprehension in a practical way. For example, for infrastructure, technical manuals and user guides for network equipment will be useful for study.

If you find it difficult, start with easier materials such as news articles or novels to practice reading.

Listen to Radio or Podcasts

If you want to improve your listening skills, using radio is also recommended.

By listening to tech-related podcasts aimed at IT engineers, you can get used to both everyday conversation and specialized terms.

Radio is useful because you can listen while doing other tasks or during commutes, making it easier to utilize your spare time.

Some apps allow for double-speed playback, which can help improve listening skills.

Use Online English Conversation Lessons

If you want to improve your speaking skills, online English conversation lessons are recommended.

You don’t have to visit a physical classroom. Short lessons of about 30 minutes are manageable even for busy professionals.

By choosing services that offer native-speaking instructors with IT knowledge, you can acquire more specialized conversation skills.

Some online services offer courses specifically for IT engineers, so you can consider them if needed.

Solashi: Offshore Development in Japanese!

Offshore development can proceed without English-speaking personnel, but using English opens the door to recruiting excellent IT talent and reducing costs.

In English communication, a basic level of English proficiency is necessary. Recently, translation tools have lowered the barriers for communication in English.

Use the study methods shared here to improve your English skills.

If you have concerns about English and want to proceed with offshore development in Japanese, trust Solashi Co., Ltd., a Vietnamese offshore development company.

We have several Japanese PMs with experience in business startups, and our Japanese-speaking bridge SEs translate and communicate your requirements and detailed instructions to local engineers.

We hire IT engineers who graduated from top-tier universities like Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Vietnam National University.

With Solashi, you can assign talented Vietnamese engineers and have progress updates and task reviews in Japanese, ensuring smooth communication without feeling the culture gap.

If you prefer offshore development in Japanese, please contact Solashi Co., Ltd.



Akira Shimazoe



Representative of Solashi Japan LLC. Born in April 1989 in Fukuoka Prefecture. Graduated from the Graduate School of Information and Mathematical Sciences at Osaka Prefecture University. Joined Suntory System Technology Co., Ltd., an IT subsidiary of Suntory Holdings, in 2014. Broadly responsible for the development, operation, and implementation of vending machine delivery management, efficiency improvements, and sales management systems. Founded Yper Inc. in 2017, serving as CTO and CPO. Contributed to the launch and growth of the app-linked delivery bag "OKIPPA." Selected for Toyo Keizai's prestigious "Amazing Venture 100" and Forbes' "Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2019."