Hello everyone,
So I want to go to Japan to get my phd in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tokyo. However, I was wondering if getting my phd would help me with a job back here in the States, or if it is only going to be of use to me if I decide to pursue work in Japan.
As a rule, only very few foreign degrees are sufficiently recognized outside of the granting countries. There are few exceptions to this. (I got a MA at a very fancy school in France and it did not help me to get a job in the US, in large part because in-house job interviews prior to graduation are the chief way many in grad school take advantage of their degrees.) That being said, if your specialty is in demand, particularly in a company that wants Japanese contacts, method, etc., then it could be an asset.