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Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Old Feb 9th 2010, 8:55 am
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

A colleague who has lived in Japan recommended Yokohama and also said there was a large foreigner population there (which would make things easier).

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost
There are many stories of people who have landed in Japan without a degree and have done OK working in an Eikawa.
I know there is one that employs people situated in Kanagawa prefecture, but if it is difficult to get a work permit unless you're applying for an English teaching job and yet they do not want the hassle of getting the work permit for you, it must be rather challenging! However, with the salary my husband would be getting it would be possible to finish my last year and it is an English-related degree. I think that would be the best course of action if I want to work.

I wonder though... If I am qualified (not through a university) to correct native English speakers' English, would that help me at all?

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost
I don't think that you would draw any attention there either, at least not negative anyway.
That's good to know.

It is funny that both of you say your Japanese partners could never live in Japan again. In the beginning I also said to my husband I could never live in Britain again!

Originally Posted by slapphead_otool
Sorry Sesame, I made a mistake. When you said Kanagowa Prefecture I assumed, since you hadn’t explicitly said Yokahama, that you meant the more rural towns and cities of the Prefecture.
I am sorry too. I should have been more specific from the beginning.

Originally Posted by slapphead_otool
I suspect that your main problem will be the same thing – the Japanese will assume you speak the language. I doubt it will be an issue.
Yes, you're right: it does not sound like it will be an issue at all. It isn't difficult to explain that I am foreign and do not understand everything!

Thank you for the link to Noriko's blog! I think it would be even better if she wrote it herself. I've seen plenty of blogs from westerners living in Asia, but none from Asians living in the west. It would be interesting to see our world through their eyes.
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Old Feb 9th 2010, 10:49 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Originally Posted by SesameBun

Thank you for the link to Noriko's blog! I think it would be even better if she wrote it herself. I've seen plenty of blogs from westerners living in Asia, but none from Asians living in the west. It would be interesting to see our world through their eyes.
It is always interesting to see the world though my wife Misakos eyes.

She pretends to be Westernised, and yet whenever she moves out of her comfort zone she slips back into Japanese mode....

(I guess i am the same re England...)

I took her on holiday at Christmas to Vanuatu. She took a great deal of persuading to leave the resort, and was scared of even talking to the locals. She also has a Japanese type obsession with attending all of the organised activities.
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Old Feb 10th 2010, 9:37 am
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Exactly the same here, my OH and I go out to eat Chinese or Korean food at lunchtime almost every Saturday (kind of like a weekly date sort of thing even though we have lived together for around 18 months now) and at first she was extremely annoyed when all of the restaurant staff spoke to her in Mandarin but now she's used to it and has realised that it even gets us a discount and different treatment in the restaurants.

She loves her family, her friends and where she came from but could never live in Japan again because of what is expected of her over there in terms of conformance and behaviour. For example she has tattoos which were done in Japan and she will quite happily show off in the west but she spent all of her time in Japan last year in long sleeves because when people see a girl with a tattoo over there they immediately assume the worst. Still, those little parts of her culture still pop out every day, most of her friends here in the UK are fellow Japanese, and I'm in the dog house usually if I say anything which could even be remotely understood as being slightly less than favourable about Japan or their culture.

I could live there but I think that it could only be for a year or two. Even though I work in IT my skills are not anything which would be considered outstanding yet and my limited Japanese ability would mean that all I could do there would be to teach English which I don't (no disrespect to anybody intended) honestly consider to be a real job, especially not as a long term option anyway.

SesameBun, if you finished your degree then the fact that it would be a BA in English would definitely help but it wouldn't really be a deciding factor in most Eikawa's going by the information I have seen on Gaijinpot etc.

Last edited by DigitalGhost; Feb 10th 2010 at 9:42 am.
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Old Feb 10th 2010, 10:43 am
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Only in Japan.....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-industry.html
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Old Feb 10th 2010, 10:45 am
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

I always thought that this invention summarised some parts of Japanese culture brilliantly:

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Old Feb 10th 2010, 2:33 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost
She loves her family, her friends and where she came from but could never live in Japan again because of what is expected of her over there in terms of conformance and behaviour.
Sorry to go off on a rant, but I feel similarly about the UK. Well, probably the west in general. I am naturally a shy person and rather easy-going (which is seen as being submissive since I'm okay with whatever anyone wants to do). I also try my best to be kind to others. For example, if I am getting a plastic bag for fruit/vegetables in the supermarket and I see someone is waiting behind me I will often pass it to them first before getting one for myself. I find that European and North American people in general assume me to be weak, stupid, pathetic, abnormal and a host of other negative things. I'm always told I should change the way I am. In a way I feel pressure to transform into an outgoing, bossy, demanding, self-centred bitch to be respected. I wouldn't know where I would be accepted and respected as I am, so it's something I try to live with: often being told my personality means there is something 'wrong' with me or getting pitying looks from those that think I'll cry if they tell me that.

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost
Even though I work in IT my skills are not anything which would be considered outstanding yet and my limited Japanese ability would mean that all I could do there would be to teach English which I don't (no disrespect to anybody intended) honestly consider to be a real job, especially not as a long term option anyway.
To be honest, it isn't my dream job nor is it what I want to do for the rest of my life. It's more of a 'back up'. What I really want to do are creative pursuits. Writing being my first (and probably my easiest) choice. However, it isn't exactly a steady income unless you are also a journalist (not good at that) or get famous. I've tried to crack into the publishing world through other avenues, but there has been little success and people take ages to pay me (normal for that type of work) so it's not reliable either!
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Old Feb 10th 2010, 2:40 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

I know what you mean, I've often felt like I can be a little too polite for my own good sometimes and I've never really been the type of person to make a lot of noise about myself or to try to draw attention and I'm usually uncomfortable around the type of people who are like that.

I actually wanted to be a journalist myself but I ended up going down the IT route in the end as journalism is a difficult and expensive career to pursue and the rewards in most cases are not great unless you are either extremely gifted or extremely lucky. The one problem with me though is that a lot of the things which most people in IT love and have a passion for, I couldn't really give a toss about, for example databases, programming and anything remotely web-related.
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Old Feb 11th 2010, 11:09 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

How can you not have a passion for databases? Have you no love for SQL? Have you forsaken Oracle? No feelings for Teradata?

One on going mystery for me is how Japanese girls can appear submissive and yet get their way and have such hidden strength and fortitude. I have had several Japanese GF before I married Misako, and it was always the same. I felt I was in charge, but the outcome didn’t reflect that.

And I only have to see a girl in a Kimono to fall head over heels – yet my wife flatly refuses to wear any of her collection. (She did once, for an army Mess Dinner and the result was electric).

DigitalGhost, has your GF started managing your finances yet? Traditionally Japanese wives handle all money and give the husband “pocket money”. I swore it would never happen to me. Guess what……
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Old Feb 12th 2010, 12:07 am
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Not wishing to steal anyone's thunder, thought you might like a reply from someone living in Japan, Yokohama to be precise

1. What kind of visas would we need?
Your husband would get an intracompany transfereee visa most likely which would allow him to work obviously, whereas you would probably get a dependants visa. I say probably because there are rules and it depends on your circumstances (this *is*Japan ) - - Anyway, a dependants visa means you would NOT be able to work

2. As a spouse, will I have permission to work? If yes, does anyone know the average requirements for teaching English either to young children or adults (I am currently studying TESOL, but have no degree)? Am I able to volunteer?

Maybe, see above.. dependant visas do not give you the ability to work, but if you can get a specialised visa then yes (http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/04.html)

In general most language schools will ask for a degree but little experience. My daughters English kindergarten employs some very inexperienced teachers. In sayng that I do know people who teach who havent got a degree but they have been here a while

You can volunteer, again there are lots of small conversation cafes, where JP students pay to chat with native speakers etc - In all this then generally The key however is NATIVE language skills,i.e they want people from UK, Aus, US etc.


3. I studied Japanese before ..... How much of a problem will this be and does anyone have any advice?

Its good that you know some Japanese, the more you know the easier it will be. The best advice is to just throw yourself in, talk to people in shops, order in restaurants and so on, you will soon pick up the listening skills. The most limiting factor is usually vocabulary so if you can read kanji then you have a head start

4. How difficult is it to get by with basic Japanese (I might have been good before, but I’m rusty now)? e.g. Do any products have other languages on them (English, French, Dutch, Spanish, German)? Does anyone there know English? How much English would the average English-speaker know? How willing are they to speak it? How willing are they to aid foreigners? I know my husband didn't have a lot of luck getting help when he went, but he's a 6'4" white man who tends to look rather angry when confused/lost, whereas I'm a 'cute' 5'2" half East Asian half white woman.

its not difficult. Most places have English signs now so travelling is easy and as above when talking, if you know the basics then you should be able to make yourself understood. True, most Japanese dont like speaking English but again there's a surprising high number that do understand very basic questions

5. Are there a lot of activities and places to explore in the area we would be living in (we know there will be in Tokyo, but it might not always be possible to go there)?

In short, yes. You can get anywhere here by train and Tokyo itself is a very big city with very big city things as you'd expect. Yokohama likewise, plenty to do here although my days seem to be taken up by shopping

6. How is the foreign community in and around Tokyo? For example, where we are now there is a network of foreigners and it is fairly easy to find a place to begin with whatever it is you need or want to do.

in a word, you wont have any problem. There are foreigners from everywhere here and various clubs, hangouts and so on. Depending on what you're into there will be others doing the same thing.. places to live with lots of foreigners include Roppongi, Hiroo in Tokyo, Yamate, and Minato Mirai in Yokohama. I can vouch for MM in Yokohama cos that where I live - depends on your budget of course and your lifestyle, but there are people (foreigners) living in all sorts of places
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Old Feb 12th 2010, 12:44 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Originally Posted by slapphead_otool

DigitalGhost, has your GF started managing your finances yet? Traditionally Japanese wives handle all money and give the husband “pocket money”. I swore it would never happen to me. Guess what……
She has a go but at the moment she is still mostly living off her parents as she's a student where as I work full time and we obviously hold seperate bank accounts so we're not really 'there' yet. I know that if we got married and joint bank account was on the cards then she would definitely work her way in though but admittedly she is really good in that area.

She's good with accountancy and keeping records of things. I'm crap at that but fortunately I am very good when it comes to shopping around etc so it balances out.
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Old Feb 12th 2010, 12:47 pm
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Originally Posted by SesameBun

It is funny that both of you say your Japanese partners could never live in Japan again. In the beginning I also said to my husband I could never live in Britain again!

They expect certain things from their own over there that Gaijin's are exempt from literally just because they are not Japanese.

One of her friends who lives in the UK now was telling me about how when she worked on the sushi bar at Harrods a middle aged Japanese woman came up to her demanding that she went to her hotel at LHR to pick up her credit card which she'd left there so that the woman's husband could pay for some toys they wanted. My gf's friend explained to her (in Japanese obviously) that she actually works in a different section and was due back on the counter to which the woman replied 'but your Japanese'. At this point my gf's friend politely told the woman to **** off and walked away, her point being that this isn't Japan and you can't behave like that or expect that sort of thing over here but in Japan, believe it or not, they do expect it.
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Old Feb 12th 2010, 1:00 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Originally Posted by gbdru2

4. How difficult is it to get by with basic Japanese (I might have been good before, but I’m rusty now)? e.g. Do any products have other languages on them (English, French, Dutch, Spanish, German)? Does anyone there know English? How much English would the average English-speaker know? How willing are they to speak it? How willing are they to aid foreigners? I know my husband didn't have a lot of luck getting help when he went, but he's a 6'4" white man who tends to look rather angry when confused/lost, whereas I'm a 'cute' 5'2" half East Asian half white woman.

its not difficult. Most places have English signs now so travelling is easy and as above when talking, if you know the basics then you should be able to make yourself understood. True, most Japanese dont like speaking English but again there's a surprising high number that do understand very basic questions
I'd definitely agree with this but I am currently learning a little Japanese with my girlfriend each night at the moment just in case we do ever need to move there for a while. I was OK for most of my time there but I was only ever alone around Akihabara etc so I imagine that it could be quite difficult to live and work there with minimal language skills.
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Old Feb 12th 2010, 1:52 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

"I'd definitely agree with this but I am currently learning a little Japanese with my girlfriend each night at the moment just in case we do ever need to move there for a while. I was OK for most of my time there but I was only ever alone around Akihabara etc so I imagine that it could be quite difficult to live and work there with minimal language skills."

Yes and no. Living here is relatively easy, I have a Tesco's next door, just about every western (UK) shop within a couple of mile radius and a 7-11, circle K on just about every street corner.. So we don't really want for things from 'back home' - the odd particular brand maybe, and the small sizes thing can be a bit frustrating - especially if the OP's hubby is 6ft4... may struggle to find shoes, clothes etc..

Anyway, socially, as I said there are plenty of people doing the things I do, so I can play sport, hang out, drink beer or spend the afternoon in my 'country club', whatever really - Being on your own isn't that daunting (especially with nifty gadgets like the iphone) - Maybe if you did get out in the sticks then it gets a bit harder, although a friend of mine lives in deepest darkest Chiba and he survives ok even being the only "gaijin" in the village, Another guy I know just moved out to Odawara (which is a kind of lifetime away from Tokyo although not far really) Anyway, he's loving the "ruralness" - To be honest its a lot easier than people think, although as the OP is Chinese (?) I'd have to say Hong Kong living wins by a little if you're familiar with there.

I do tend to agree with the language thing though in terms of work, most good jobs will want a 'business' level of Japanese (usually the JLPT2), why else do you think most foreigners are English teachers although if you can converse, read the newspaper etc then doors do open. The key is contacts, if you have them, it gets much easier, if you dont then it can be a long and tortuous road to employment

If you do come then, yes get as good at talking etc as possible. The rest of the quirks of living here you probably know already... it's certainly entertaining
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Old Feb 12th 2010, 4:46 pm
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

Originally Posted by gbdru2
Not wishing to steal anyone's thunder, thought you might like a reply from someone living in Japan, Yokohama to be precise
Thank you for your input.

Your husband would get an intracompany transfereee visa most likely
A company isn't sending him out there. He is applying for a scientific job. Judging by the link you've posted, it seems he would most likely get a researcher's visa.

You can volunteer, again there are lots of small conversation cafes, where JP students pay to chat with native speakers etc - In all this then generally The key however is NATIVE language skills,i.e they want people from UK, Aus, US etc.
I am from the UK.

in a word, you wont have any problem. There are foreigners from everywhere here and various clubs, hangouts and so on.
I wonder, have any of you attempted to make friends with Japanese people? I would like to know your experiences.

Originally Posted by gbdru2
I have a Tesco's next door
I honestly didn't expect that!

the small sizes thing can be a bit frustrating - especially if the OP's hubby is 6ft4... may struggle to find shoes, clothes etc..
He already has trouble in North America and Europe (unless we're in the Netherlands), but at least there is the odd store with tall people's clothing in North America. With me, it's the opposite way around... I have trouble finding things small/short enough with the correct proportions to not look ridiculous. Vanity sizing only makes things worse. Before we left North America I was magically getting slimmer without losing weight and I can no longer buy shoes my size in France!

although as the OP is Chinese (?) I'd have to say Hong Kong living wins by a little if you're familiar with there.
I'm half Chinese, half British. Never been to China and my father didn't teach me the language, so you can basically consider me to be a funny-looking Brit. There is no job available in Hong Kong, but there is one in Beijing. However, my husband loathes cold weather and snow.
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Old Feb 13th 2010, 12:51 am
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Default Re: Questions About Immigrating to Japan

"I wonder, have any of you attempted to make friends with Japanese people? I would like to know your experiences."

Well its interesting, if by "attempted" you mean have I gone out and tried to make friends etc then no. However, I (and We) have made Japanese friends through a variety or sources. One we have 2 children, one of who is at school, so mums being mums then there's the odd coffee morning (actually its more like every other day ) - Two, my wife is Japanese so we have family around the place. Three I play a lot of sport (football/soccer), go to the gym etc... All of which leads to dinners, drinks and so on.. In some cases we've had people wanting to be our friends because I am English and they want to practice their language skills, sad but true - Same goes for our two little ones, JP parents want their kids to speak English so how better than to have their children play with ours etc.

Work wise then I have work acquaintances but not so much friends in that sense of the word.. We socialise etc and do work related stuff but theres only a couple (both non JP) that I'd probably want to spend any significant time with.

Most of my JP friends have come from playing football

This should be taken in the context of us visiting Japan since 2000 but only living here permanently for around 2 years and the fact that my language skills are limited, and most importantly I'm not a wild social animal - You can make friends here, or you could surround yourself with expats and English teachers from abroad - you'll see comments and opinions on various boards going either way, it really depends on whether you want to and how much effort/opportunity you have, but its definitely possible/likely

Quote:
Originally Posted by gbdru2
I have a Tesco's next door
I honestly didn't expect that!

oh expect more.. Tesco, Ikea, Next, GAP, Zara, H&M, Harrods, TGI Friday's, the list goes on - And when there aren't actual shops you can get the brands easily enough, Nike, Addidas and so on. plus theres lots of American stuff, Costco... Anyway, the point being you dont have to survive on sushi and noodles, if theres one thing Japan (& Yokohama and Tokyo in particular) is not short of, its shops.

Although, in extolling the extent of western shops here then I actually think that the Japanese ones (i.e the SOGO's of the world) are usually better

Quote:

He already has trouble in North America and Europe (unless we're in the Netherlands), but at least there is the odd store with tall people's clothing in North America. With me, it's the opposite way around... I have trouble finding things small/short enough with the correct proportions to not look ridiculous. Vanity sizing only makes things worse. Before we left North America I was magically getting slimmer without losing weight and I can no longer buy shoes my size in France!

I know what you mean about NL,, what do they put in the water, everyone's 8ft5 - Here, you'll have no trouble - think UniQuo

Quote:
I'm half Chinese, half British. Never been to China and my father didn't teach me the language, so you can basically consider me to be a funny-looking Brit. There is no job available in Hong Kong, but there is one in Beijing. However, my husband loathes cold weather and snow.

oh in that case, what do I know

I will say that we get weather here, we do cold and snow too. In fact when we moved from HK then that was one of my major gripes. August and it rained on and off for a month.. However, in truth the weather is actually ok, some of the mornings are just perfect, the air is clean and you can really appreciate life - on the flip side, some mornings I want to be back in HK in shorts and a tee-shirt at midnight... In general, 4 seasons, usually 3/4 degrees hotter than the UK. A couple of months of humidity in the summer,a couple of months of chilly in the winter. I have another friend who's just moved here from Beijing (4 years) and another who's going the other way. Neither of who has has cited 'weather' as a major improvement in their life so I guess its swings and roundabouts
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