How does an American go about moving to Japan? -

I m not sure of the immigration policy of Japan or even what cities are more hospitable. I would not like to move to a metropolitan city like Tokyo, but nothing overly rural either. Very vague, I know, but it shows you how much I know about Japan, right?

I would maybe suggest Hiroshima. It has a population of about 1.15 million and it is located in Western Japan. I lived there for a year and loved it. Teaching English is pretty much your only option if you can t speak Japanese. You will also need to be a native English speaker and have a 4 year degree from a university to qualify for a working visa. If you do, some English schools like Interac, AEON, ECC, Peppy Kids Club will hire teachers from abroad and sponsor you visa. I would also suggest taking a look at these sites: - http://www.eslcafe.com/ - http://www.findworkinjapan.com/ - http://www.ohayosensei.com/

People have said that the world learns about America by the movies produced there and those lessons tend to be warped and inaccurate. Understand that it is the same with Japan. Before moving to Japan you will first need to visit and determine if you and Japan are compatible. Come for a few weeks and travel about the country on the inexpensive Japan Rail Pass (linked below). Can you live in a country where your native language is not spoken? Have you heard of Tatemae and Honne? (no, they are not manga characters). Can you be happy among the extreme ethnocentrism (see link below) of the Japanese? Do you remember what Dorothy said at the end of the Wizard of Oz? There was a lesson to be learned there... First please get some basic knowledge, come have a look and then begin thinking about immigration policies and localities. I wish you the best - I have been where you are now standing.

Check this guy out, he has some information about how and what type of visas you could get, also general life in Japan, hope this helps. heres a description of his vid post: Some more info on Visas in Japan. As I said in the video, Visas are a very complicated matter and the rules are rather vague and handled case by case. Hopefully the web links below will help you out. The most accurate information should be on the Ministy of Foreign Affairs Website, and as they say its best to direct your questions to your local Japanese embassy or consulate.

I hope you speak Japanese