Moving to Japan as a foreigner has both good and bad sides. The good sides are that you will most probably immerse yourself in the long, beautiful Japanese culture, and at the same time (if you live near Tokyo) be in touch with the most modern technology in the world. The bad sides are that you ll have a very hard time understanding the language in the beginning (unless you have taken Japanese classes already), many things could be so much better of foreigners actually understood Japanese, and their behavior. Unfortunately, many foreigners don t bother learning the language and thus find themselves lost from time to time. The thing is, if you choose to move to Japan, you HAVE to learn Japanese. It will not only benefit you, as you will feel a lot more comfortable in Japan, but it will also benefit the other Japanese. You have to know that Japanese people are poor English speakers, and if you know Japanese you would prove to them that you are trying to integrate yourself in their society which they will most certainly appreciate. However, among Japanese, there are plenty of xenophobes, and that s not necessarily because you re an American, but it s simply because you re a foreigner or a gaijin as they call it. Anyone who isn t Japanese in Japan is advised to be approached with caution. Japanese, however, are way too polite to say those things in your face (like Westerners might do). Instead, they just look at you with a sour face. So, if you do learn the language (and learn it properly), then a lot of doors will open up for you, and you will find yourself being appreciated a lot more by the Japanese once you speak their language. Learning the language is really a must, you cannot live in Japan without it. Again, some Japanese might even dislike you because you speak their language, since Japanese was regarded as a wholy language in the past, and could only be understood by the Japanese because it was so complicated. Granted, Japanese IS difficult to learn, but not impossible. If you lived in Japan for a few years, you would pick up so many things in your every day life by just hearing people speak. And if you took Japanese lessons, you would increase your learning pace. Anyway, those Japanese who look at you with a sour face are just conservatives who aren t open minded enough, so don t listen to them. Another thing besides the language barrier is the whole Japanese culture. You need to know that Japanese are pretty shy people, and that you might insult or scold them if you push things a little too fast. Always take it slowly. Note also that Japanese can t stand it when you make rough statements. It s strongly advised to always say I think in whatever you say. Because breaking that rule, means breaking the rules in Japanese society, after which you might again be regared as a gaijin , so learn the language properly! I hope these lines have been useful to you.
As long as you have a BA, then it isn t difficult and you don t need to speak the language. Teaching English is a HUGE business and there is a big demand for native English speakers. As long as you have a BA you can get a job. Names of the big schools are NOVA, Aeon, Berlitz, Geos, ECC, or check out: www.eslcafe.com
I was in Japan for more than a decade and I felt exactly the way lulleman72 described here. Let s vote his as the best answer!
It shouldn t be too hard. But you need to have the correct visa BEFORE you arrive - or you might be sent straight back to the US! You will need to find a job before you get here, or you could come here for a month or 2 so you can go looking for a job, and then return to America to sort out the visa. You can t come here on a tourist visa, then get a job and stay for 2 years! I would recommend the English teaching schools - if you have a decent education - unless you are qualified to do something that might be useful? If you don t teach English though, there s not much you can do without speaking Japanese. As for accommodation, if you work teaching English language your employers would normally arrange something. Your pay would obviously be less though, but it s very difficult for a foreigner to rent a place here. Most agents don t allow it, as the risk of something going wrong because of the language barrier is too great. They re not being racist - they have had bad experiences in the past, and the foreigners in question blamed it on the fact they couldn t understand the Japanese rules!
if you don t mind sticking out like a sore thumb, it s not difficult for an american to move to japan and get a job teaching english or something like that. japan is HIGHLY homogeneous. foreigners are readily apparent and a lot of stuff that is part and parcel of japanese culture will seem strange to you as an american. having said that, the society is very polite, very safe, and very interesting. good luck - I wish I could do that!
no, just be sure to speak the language and you know your surroundings
To live there as a non-Japanese citizen, you need to be married to a Japanese national or have a work visa. If you are married, you can live there as long as you both want. The work visa runs out after a few months though (6 I think.) Getting a job is not difficult, but surviving may not be as easy. Most Americans end up teaching English or tutoring privately unless they have a government job. You can do manual labor (I saw lots of foreigners do this) but the wages are low, and you will need one or two roommates to help cut costs. Make sure your Japanese language skills are up to par before you go. While a lot of people there do speak English, it is not their native language. Some people will not admit they speak it because they do not want to be embarrassed by saying something wrong (losing face is really bad for Japanese people in general, though the younger generations are not as affected by it.) Others never learned it at all. Good luck, I lived there for 6 years while in the military, and enjoyed every minute of it.
very easy. there are u.s. 20,000 troops there
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