How to live in Japan for a year

[Manji2012]

Hello, I am a U.S. citizen. I am twenty six years old and I do not have a B.A. degree in Asian Languages Literatures yet but, I speak Japanese pretty well. I have planned to attend a University here as a none admitted student in September but, I have been concerned that the U.S. will execute an air strike against Iran which I think will result in the war draft being reinstated.

Therefore, I have become interested in finding a way to live, work, go to school if possible, in Japan to avoid this possible war draft. I just want to lie in the cut in Japan and watch to see how things settle in America for one year. I do not want to teach English in Japan.

If anyone could give me some advice, that would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Peace

[MMM]

99% of foreigners that work in Japan are language teachers. 99% of those have 4-year college degrees.

Finding work without a degree and outside of English teaching for an American will be tough.

So if you want to get out of the US to avoid the draft, Japan is going to be difficult.

[ARose]

Not that I plan on moving to Japan, but out of curiosity's sake -

What about being a private English tutor outside of a school or other institution. Does that kind of thing happen? If yes, how probable? And, is it legal if you are legally in the country?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by ARose

Not that I plan on moving to Japan, but out of curiosity's sake -

What about being a private English tutor outside of a school or other institution. Does that kind of thing happen? If yes, how probable? And, is it legal if you are legally in the country?

It's not hard work to get, really easy, acutally. But you need to have a visa to live in a foreign country. In Japan to have a work visa you must have a sponsor. That means a company that has promised to hire you and can guarantee you aren't going to be a homeless person in Japan. In general a sponsor wants someone with a college degree, and if not a remarkable skill (i.e. baseball player, soccer player) or many years of experience in whatever field they are entering.

[Sangetsu]

If you are a US citizen coming to Japan to avoid the draft, forget it. Apparently you don't know of the military treaties between the US, or the power that the US military has in Japan.

In the 10,000 to 1 chance that the draft were reinstated, your name would be put on a State Department hit list, which is checked by Japanese immigration regularly. Once your name was found, your visa would be revoked, and you would be on a bus to one of the numerous US military bases located in Japan, and from there, you would be returned to America to face whatever charges were preferred against you.

Unlike the government in America, in Japan your movements are always kept track of. When you get your registration card here, you'll see them take out a map of your neighborhood, and write your name in the block of whatever address you are living at. They will also write your name on the address of your employer. Updated copies of these lists and maps go to the local police departments regularly, if they want to come and get you, it will only take them a few minutes to do it.

The draft will not be reinstated. But in the off chance that it were to happen, you could run to Canada and renounce your American citizenship. Then you could live with the thought that since you didn't go, another person had to be picked to take your place.

Citizenship may be a right, but it comes with responsibilities, and sometimes even risks. Were it not for those who were drafted and served in earlier times, you yourself may not have been alive now. You may disagree with being drafted and fighting in an "unjust and illegal war", but there is no such thing as a "just and legal war".

Perfection is a quality which human beings lack. And, like it or not, you are part of a society which doesn't always make the best or most correct choices. That may not seem fair, but life isn't, hasn't been, and will never be fair.

[Paul11]

There won't be a draft. But if there was they draft spring 19-year-olds first. the draft usually cuts of at 26 years of age. Don't run to Japan for such a gooffy reason. Go because you're interested. Or stay here and do something possitive for your country.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

99% of foreigners that work in Japan are language teachers. 99% of those have 4-year college degrees.

Finding work without a degree and outside of English teaching for an American will be tough.

So if you want to get out of the US to avoid the draft, Japan is going to be difficult.

Is that an actual statistic? Or are you just demonstrating a point.

Just saying because I'm going to take advantage of the working holiday agreement between NZ and Japan before I graduate and I'd prefer not to teach English. I'm told that this isn't such a radical idea for students of Japanese.

(I mean I'll teach English if I have to... just would rather not)

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

Is that an actual statistic? Or are you just demonstrating a point.

Just saying because I'm going to take advantage of the working holiday agreement between NZ and Japan before I graduate and I'd prefer not to teach English. I'm told that this isn't such a radical idea for students of Japanese.

(I mean I'll teach English if I have to... just would rather not)

There are a lot more options for working holiday people. Americans can't do a working holiday. Maybe I should have qualified that by saying "Americans" not "foreigners", but I was trying to be inclusive.

[Paul11]

I think he's making a point. But it's hard to do much else unless, above skills, you can show a deep understanding of fitting-in in Japan and are fluent in readin, writing and speaking Japanese.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

There are a lot more options for working holiday people. Americans can't do a working holiday. Maybe I should have qualified that by saying "Americans" not "foreigners", but I was trying to be inclusive.

Whew... glad that's cleared up