Wanting to move to Japan, advice?

[KyokoRai]

My friend and I have been living in America for roughly seventeen years now. After finishing high school, the two of us plan on moving to Japan. We are not sure in which prefecture we wish to stay. However, after moving we are determined to never go back. Which also means we will be changing out names. Providing we do everything right, we wish to become Japanese citizens.

Our main goal for doing this is not to cop-out and live a life of anime and fooling around. We genuinely do not wish to stay in American any longer. After breaking this down, we feel as though there are less opportunities to seek out happiness in this country. By not going to college in America is to ensure we have the money to create an education for ourselves in Japan.


Here are some details we are wondering about.

• Will having only a high school eduction make it extremely difficult? (Ex; getting an apartment/job) I know it will be hard, but not impossible.
• Continuing on that note, would it be hard to enter community colleges?
• If not a Japanese citizen, can we apply for loans?
• Would having basic to conversational Japanese language skills impair our ability to get a decent job?
• Should we worry about things like health insurance?
• What are the rates for shipping items(No furniture) to Japan?
• In addition, we have a cat that neither of us wish to leave behind. Do many apartments allow cats?
• We are incredibly good with English due both of us being writers and poets. If we could teach English in Japan, what schooling on our part would that require?

Thanks for the help!

[MMM]

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

My friend and I have been living in America for roughly seventeen years now. After finishing high school, the two of us plan on moving to Japan. We are not sure in which prefecture we wish to stay. However, after moving we are determined to never go back. Which also means we will be changing out names. Providing we do everything right, we wish to become Japanese citizens.

Before you get too many nasty responses let me say welcome to the forums, and let's break down what we are talking about here.

First I would ask you what you are running away from, and what makes you think that won't be a problem in Japan.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

Our main goal for doing this is not to cop-out and live a life of anime and fooling around. We genuinely do not wish to stay in American any longer. After breaking this down, we feel as though there are less opportunities to seek out happiness in this country. By not going to college in America is to ensure we have the money to create an education for ourselves in Japan.

What makes you think what you are looking for is in Japan?

But let's get to the details.

Here are some details we are wondering about.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*]Will having only a high school eduction make it extremely difficult? (Ex; getting an apartment/job) I know it will be hard, but not impossible.

Yes. Extremely difficult. Essentially impossible.
Apartments are rented to people with 1) money 2) guarantors and 3) jobs. What you will need to do is find a place like Sakura House which helps put people into apartments. Keep in mind that "roommates" is not common living situation, and often unless you are married you are not going to be allowed to live together with a mate.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*]Continuing on that note, would it be hard to enter community colleges?

There are no community colleges like we have in the US in Japan. The closest thing is a junior college which is generally a two-year education. Junior colleges do not have the "open door" policies of American community colleges. You would apply just like applying for a normal university. Also junior colleges are not stepping stones to university like American community colleges. Japanese students don't generally switch schools. I won't even ask how fluent your Japanese is.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*]If not a Japanese citizen, can we apply for loans?

Why would you need a loan? If you have a job or some source of income, you will not need a loan. If you do not have any way to pay the loan back, then you will not be able to get a loan.

I think you need to think of how you are going to live in the country legally before you worry about borrowing money. You haven't explained that yet.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*]Would having basic to conversational Japanese language skills impair our ability to get a decent job?

Basic to conversational Japanese would be enough for many jobs in Japan. You can wash dishes, dig ditches, vacuum office buildings, etc.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*]Should we worry about things like health insurance?

If you are there legally and have the proper paperwork completed, then you will be covered by Japan's national heath insurance.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*]What are the rates for shipping items(No furniture) to Japan?

If you can't bring it on the plane, then leave it. Everything you need exists in Japan, and you are not going to have the space for anything more.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*] In addition, we have a cat that neither of us wish to leave behind. Do many apartments allow cats?

Be prepared for your cat to be in quarantine at an Animal Quarantine Service for up to six months. That should give you enough time to find an apartment that allows cats.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

[*]We are incredibly good with English due both of us being writers and poets. If we could teach English in Japan, what schooling on our part would that require?

A university degree is required for most English teaching positions. You could do private tutoring, but that will not be enough to make you a legal. You need to have a student or working visa approved by the government, which means you need to be sponsored by a school or employer. Employers do not sponsor not college graduates, as a rule.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

Thanks for the help!

You're welcome.

[atheistwithfaith]

Just to add to the point about roommates and sakura house. Most rooms that sakura house rent out have the opportunity to be split between two people - however you will be sharing a kitchen / bathroom with potentially 4-5 other people. Most people at sakura house are just there temporarily (although I think the girl who was in the flat I was in was one of their longest residents - 4 years!).

Unless you have some other special skills that you have not mentioned, or are very successful poets/writers - then I do not see how you will be able to receive a work visa to stay in Japan as I cannot see a Japanese employer going through the rigour of applying for a visa for someone who won't be bring any skills they can't find in native Japanese (and English teachers with a degree are ten-a-penny).

From what I know, becoming a Japanese citizen is an extremely long and arduous process. You must have lived in Japan continuously for 5 years to be even considored (having lived their longer will aid your application) and in becoming a citizen you renounce your citizenship of the USA (which, as cavalier as you are about now, has many benefits).

One thing that would massively help your search for work in teaching english would be obtaining a TESOL / TEFL qualification from a respected body.

[MMM]

I think the best plan is to graduate from high school, and then plan a few week trip to Japan. I am going to guess that you haven't spent a lot of time outside of the US.

Many people who have lived in Japan or another foreign country will tell you the things you hate about home seem like less of a big deal when you are dealing with the stresses of life in another country.

You are able to appreciate life in the US better when you have spent even a little while away.

[Michelle1968]

It seems like a grass is always greener on the other side type of situation. No matter where you move in the world there will always be something you don't like (that goes for everyone). But some people have to find that out for themselves.

[Nyororin]

MMM replied to you and broke it down very well... But I`ll do the same just having done something a bit similar to what you want to do. I also want to comment on a few things he said.

Originally Posted by KyokoRai

However, after moving we are determined to never go back. Which also means we will be changing out names. Providing we do everything right, we wish to become Japanese citizens.

Why is it necessary to change your names?
If someone wants to find you, changing your name doesn`t help as it leaves a nice paper trail. Name changes mean very little in terms of leaving a life behind.
Just being far away is all that it takes to cut you off completely from anything in the past. Trust me. Japan is close to the limit to how far you can go, but to be quite honest the next state over would probably be good enough just to escape. Of course, I realize that it`s not just a matter of "escape".
As for citizenship, that is much much later in the game so is not really anything you can plan for or need to be thinking of now.

After breaking this down, we feel as though there are less opportunities to seek out happiness in this country. By not going to college in America is to ensure we have the money to create an education for ourselves in Japan.

In either place, you will need an education. Where this education comes from doesn`t really matter - what matters is that you have one.
A university education in Japan is generally cheaper than one in the US... If you are a resident. Otherwise there are all the foreign student fees and the amounts you have to prepare before enrolling. If you DO have 4 years of cash in hand, then it is not a problem. If you don`t, you can`t really count on being able to work enough while on a student visa to save up for the following years (just to get a student visa I believe you need to have close to a year of tuition and living costs already in hand...)

In terms of money and logistics, it is easier to attend a community college in the US and then come to Japan.

Will having only a high school eduction make it extremely difficult? (Ex; getting an apartment/job) I know it will be hard, but not impossible.

Your education has nothing to do with getting an apartment. It has everything to do with your job opportunities and your ability to secure a visa allowing you to work in Japan. Without an education, you cannot get a visa. Without a visa, you cannot get a job. Without a job you cannot get an apartment. There is no way around this.

Originally Posted by MMM

Keep in mind that "roommates" is not common living situation, and often unless you are married you are not going to be allowed to live together with a mate.

I don`t really think this is the case at all. Roommates is a fairly common arrangement - especially for university students away from home. A same-sex roommate gives parents comfort that their son or daughter isn`t going to be all alone in a new city. Also, mixed gender sibling roommates seem to be pretty common too.
"Never met before moving in with eachother!" roommates are the type that is uncommon. Two friends living together is quite normal. Basically as long as the landlord knows that there will be two of you living there, your relationship doesn`t really matter.

Continuing on that note, would it be hard to enter community colleges?

As said, there are no "community colleges". And unfortunately, with the way the Japanese education system goes... The easier to enroll the university is, the higher the price tends to be. Public universities are very low priced but have notoriously difficult entrance examinations. Private universities are all across the board, some low priced but extremely hard to test into... Some very easy to get into but extremely high priced. "Easy to enroll" and "Low priced" sort of rule each other out.
If price is not the issue though, there are easy to enter universities all over the place that have a "community college" sort of atmosphere.

If not a Japanese citizen, can we apply for loans?

Student loans? A resounding NO. You need to have the money in hand to enroll as an international student before even getting your visa.
If you mean general loans, like a home loan or car loan - yes, but only if you have a proper visa to do so.

Would having basic to conversational Japanese language skills impair our ability to get a decent job?

In every way. Even as a dish washer.
The economy took a nosedive.
The estimate is that only 50% of the new university graduates this year were able to secure a real position. When this happens, the ones that have not will be looking for a position through the next year or two... Working at all the nice non-permanent positions. The people who would have been working in the nice non-permanent positions will be pushed to work part-time. The people who would have been working part-time are pushed down and will be working the bottom jobs.
To put it simply, everyone has more qualifications than you, plus can speak fluently.
The only place your lack of education and Japanese skill wouldn`t matter would be in teaching English. But that still doesn`t help with the visa situation as you would still need to have gotten one somehow.

Should we worry about things like health insurance?

If you do find a way to be a resident in Japan, you will be required to enroll in the Japanese national system. The payments are calculated based upon the tax you paid in the previous year - the first year is generally very low (due to having not paid any tax the year before) but it changes once you have been working for a year.

What are the rates for shipping items(No furniture) to Japan?

Much more than it costs to buy a similar item in Japan. Bring things with sentimental value that cannot be replaced. Otherwise you can replace everything.

In addition, we have a cat that neither of us wish to leave behind. Do many apartments allow cats?

The number of apartments allowing pets have increased a hundred-fold in the past few years. They cost a bit more each month, and there is a larger deposit at the beginning - but if you are not too picky there are plenty out there these days.

As for the cat... Find a good place for it and leave it. When your tears have dried, take in one of the countless kittens needing a home in Japan.
To bring your cat to Japan, you will need to have documentation of age, vaccinations from birth with details regarding all the rabies vaccinations that should have been received on the proper schedule. The latest booster will need to have been done no less than 31 days and no more than 90 days before arrival in Japan. You will also need to have your cat tested for all the feline diseases before receiving permission to board the plane... The transportation itself tends to be around $1000~$1500 and is incredibly stressful for the animal - cats in particular as they have a strong attachment to their territory. I have heard of particularly fearful cats actually dying from the stress of a 10~15 hour flight.
And... Once you get here they will still need to be quarantined for a long period while the documentation is verified, they are given blood tests, and monitored for the development of any illnesses with extended incubation periods.

If you love your cat, do you really want to put it through all that?

We are incredibly good with English due both of us being writers and poets. If we could teach English in Japan, what schooling on our part would that require?

Education? Not much. But as noted, you`ll still need a visa. Assuming that somehow this huge wall has been removed... Being "good with English" really means nothing in terms of being an English teacher if you are a native speaker. What matters is charisma. They will choose a peppy cheerleader who failed English classes their entire life over a quiet poet who has won awards.

[Hatredcopter]

Normally the people who come around here with their 'running away to Japan' ideas usually get shot down awfully quickly. But unlike most of those people, you at least seem well-spoken enough to deserve a decent reply, which MMM has given you.

Will having only a high school eduction make it extremely difficult? (Ex; getting an apartment/job) I know it will be hard, but not impossible.

No, it really is pretty much impossible. As MMM said, you need a student or a working visa. A tourist visa only lasts 90 days, and Japan is cracking down on people doing repeated visa runs to Korea.

Everything you find hard about living in America will be twice as hard in Japan with no money, no job, no place to live, and no significant Japanese language skills.

There's really only one way for you to stay in Japan long-term without having a bachelor's degree, and that's by enrolling at a Japanese language school, after which you will receive a pre-college student visa. Even after you do this, you are highly limited as far as finding jobs - you'll only get to work a small number of hours every week. The language school will cost plenty of money, and if you manage to find any accommodation, that'll cost a lot of money too - more money than you could ever bring in working a job with a student visa.

Long story short: go to university in the US, do a study abroad in Japan, then when you're done you can find a job in Japan and move there.

Edit: posted this before I saw Nyororin's post, so some of this might be redundant :P

[Sangetsu]

It's a rare thing for someone who is unhappy in their present situation finds happiness just by moving to a new place. As I've said before, happiness isn't something which exists outside yourself.

The Japan you are dreaming up is very likely to be much different than the real Japan. In real Japan students often attend school 7 days a week (if they want to get into university), retail employees work 6 days a week, and office workers often work 12 or more hours a day. And for all this, the standard of living is still significantly below that which average people in America enjoy.

Without a college degree, you simply will not be able to stay in Japan for more than the 90 days you'll get on your tourist visa. The only other option is to marry a Japanese citizen, and even that is not a sure thing, as the person you marry must be stably employed, and earning enough money to support the 2 of you.

You might be able to find a school in Japan (language school or such) which will sponsor you for a student visa, but you'll be limited to working part-time, and these schools are not cheap. You'll be lucky if you earn enough money to pay your tuition, let alone food and rent. Loans are not available to non-residents (citizens), and even residents find them hard to get.

Moving to another country is not something to be taken lightly. You aren't old enough to have experienced real life in America, how can you expect that life in Japan (or anywhere else) will be better?

When I was in high school I had all kinds of ideas about what the world around me was like, now that I'm older I've found that all of those ideas were not correct. After high school I attended university, and enlisted in the Army, finishing my degree while working as a soldier. During that time I got to see the world, and though my life growing up had been difficult, I realized that my life in America was vastly better than that of the majority of people around the world enjoy.

I'm beginning my third year living in Japan, and I visited Japan several times before moving so I really knew what I was getting into. I planned my move carefully, over a period of a couple of years, studying Japanese and saving money so I would have a head start.

Stop thinking about now and tomorrow and start thinking a few years ahead. What do you want to do with your life? Will being a writer/poet be of any real worth to yourself and others? What can you do to make a better life for yourself where you are? If you can't make a good life for yourself in America (which is the easiest place in the world to succeed), then you probably won't be able to make a good life in Japan either.

[MMM]

I had heard stories about landlords not allowing unmarried couples to rent apartments together until they are married. However, I recently saw a series of commercials where the boyfriends asks the girlfriend to move in together, so maybe Japanese rental apartments are getting more progressive.

[sarasi]

It's definitely becoming more common for unmarried couples to live together, but the further away you are from the main cities, the more conservative the landlords get. I lived with my then-boyfriend, now husband for 4 years before we got married, it was not an issue with any of the Tokyo landlords or agencies we approached. We are now living in a government-run housing estate and to move in here together you do have to be legally related, so if you are not married you have to sign a paper saying you are engaged and plan to marry by a certain date.

I have a lot of Japanese friends who are not married but living together though- things have changed a lot in the last decade or so.

To the OP, with no bachelor's degree and no source of funds to support you while studying, I'm afraid I have to confirm there is no way for you to get a visa to stay here long term- all you qualify for is a tourist permit at this stage. I'm not sure why you thought that going to college in Japan would be less costly than in the US as this is very much not the case. I agree with Nyororin that in Japan people without reasonable Japanese skills will not usually even be given a job as a dishwasher as ability to communicate with co-workers is considered very important here, and few people speak good English, especially in that kind of work.

As someone said above, start planning more long term. Find out more about schools and jobs here that are open to non-Japanese, and what visa options are available. Forget citizenship for now- practically speaking you will need at least 10 years in Japan before you can even consider it. Japan does not recognise name changes unless they are made in your country of citizenship, so you would have to change your name in your country of current citizenship to do this.