Side jobs paid in U.S. dollars gain popularity in Japan

Gigs range from trip arranging and letter writing to eBay sales

20241204 side job paid in dollars

A mother in Tokyo, currently on parental leave, juggles childcare for her daughter with a lucrative side job. (Photo by Shihoko Nakaoka)

KEIICHI KAMEI and MARIMI KISHIMOTO, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO - The renewed decline of the Japanese yen is fueling the popularity of side hustles in Japan that pay in U.S. dollars, as the domestic currency continues to be exposed to weakening factors such as uncertainty surrounding the economic policies of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, causing it to hover around 150 yen per dollar.

Examples of these jobs include coordinating a client's visit to Japan, which has earned some around $1,733 (260,000 yen), while writing a letter on someone's behalf can bring in $400 (60,000 yen). Japanese listings for such gigs on international auction sites are also booming.

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