The weak yen has prompted many young Japanese people to travel abroad in search of higher pay on working holidays.

About half of them are choosing Australia, driving the number there to record highs.

The Australian government issued more than 14,000 working-holiday visas to Japanese citizens in the 12 months through June last year, an all-time high. More than 12,000 have already been issued during the nine months since then to March.

Australia’s minimum hourly wage will rise by 3.75 percent from July to just over 24 Australian dollars or about 16 US dollars. That is two-and-a-half times higher than Japan’s nationwide average.

Associate Professor Oishi Nana at the University of Melbourne says not everyone is making that much, however. She pointed out that many young people from different countries come to Australia in search of work. She added “But, Japanese people don’t negotiate even if they get offered lower wages.”

Oishi says it is important to be well prepared, including acquiring good language skills.