OOft.

[dogsbody70]

My japanese friend would love to live here in UK permanently but she is not allowed to. she has to have a student visa and study hard. She never wants to return to Japan but will have to eventually She worked for a big company in Japan for most of her adult life and worked very long hours

Immigration rules are being changed here because our country is too small to take too many immigrants. Many student visas are abused by some who come over here-- they join a college then disappaear.

Its a big problem for UK.

I should think it would be good to visi studios where Manga and Anime are created. I read a book by Peter carey who took his son there to go to the Anime stronghold. His son had a super time there. I forget the title of the book.

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by ParaPara

Awww, whats wrong with England?

It kind of amuses me that everyone's responding to that as if there aren't any downsides to England, like 'gasp, but the UK is so great!'.

I think all countries have their pros and cons. England is great in mnay respects and I do think the OP should be grateful for living here. We have equal rights regardless of race, gender or sexuality, a good democracy, a fascinating history, some beautiful sights. . . At the same time there are down points. You'd be very suprised at the level of rudeness and disrespect, how dirty the cities are, the high cost of living, the high crime rates (compared to some other countries), bad public transport, falling standards of education. . .

Don't get me wrong, I do love England, but at the same time I can understand why someone would want to emmegrate so badly. That said 'the grass is always greener' and Japan has a lot of downsides too, some of them could be said to make it a less desirable country to live than here in the UK. For example gay rights seem non-existant compared to here, as there are no civil ceremonies or gay marraiges.

To the opening poster - I am very curious as to why you are so desperate to leave England, and why Japan in particular Like I said every place has its ups and downs, what makes Japan a preferable place to live for you? It's all about 'push' and 'pull' factors really. Something has to push you to want to leave England, and something has to pull you towards wanting to go to Japan, I guess I'm just curious why for you Japan is preferable to the UK.

[dogsbody70]

HI robin I love my country very much. Its not the same as when I was achild but there is always change and as we are so popular we have many immigrants.


I don't agree with many of the government decisions-- in fact a mad at them at the moment--

But I am very fortunate. It is people who are rude not the country.

If we have lost courtesy and good manners-- why is that?

Parents should be responsible for bringing up their children to have respect.

We have to get used to people from around the world living here.


Yes I have many grumbles but I also know when I am well off.

Its what we give for our country that is important--not just constantly Take.

Many of us are discontented and with the recession thats hard for so many of us.


But I stil think we are a great country. I do not wish to live anywhere else.

Its much easier to travel now than it used to be so for those who wish to travel there is plenty of opportunity.

Housing is a big problem with such ridiculous prices and so much work going abroAD.

i AM SURE THAT Japan also must have its highs and lows as does many countries.

[JamboP26]

@dogsbody, I'm just excited by the whole culture, sights, sounds, people and places of Japan. I look in the future, & see myself being almost bored by the UK. Unlike most people, I was not drawn to Japan by Anime or Manga. I can't actually remember the first time I realised my love for Japan and the culture. It just seems to fit with my personality. Most people here from school and college, to an extent, and even friends, see me as weird. Almost in the same way they find aspects of Japanese culture weird. I got in the Music & Anime afterwards, by investigating different areas of entertainment in Japan. Taste, of course, as you say, may be a factor. Of course, visiting before deciding to move would make sense. Hence, why my plan was to go on the JET programme after university. But if the programme gets canned, I'll need to look for other routes in.

Haha. Aye. Us Scots are known for our humour. lol. I was going to use a lot of Scots English when I visited Birmingham, but decided against it. lol.

[GoNative]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

I have to admit I wonder why so many wish to live in JAPAN.

what is the real attraction? Is it some sort of fantasy?

Living a real life and working there? It can be so busy and so many people.

Would reality fit the fantasy? I doubt it--

The Japanese seem to have to work extremely hard and long hours.


Life is what you make it-- where ever you happen to live isn't that the truth?

It does seems a large portion of the people on this forum professing undying love of everything Japan have never actually been here on a holiday let alone lived here for any length of time.
And often it seems many of their views of Japan have come out of comic books rather than any grasp on the reality of the place.

Still there's not that many people and it's definitely not all that busy where I live in Hokkaido. And it's lived up to all my fantasies but those were mostly to do with being inundated with ridiculous amounts of powder snow than anything about Japanese culture. So I'm pretty easily pleased

As you say life is what you make it. You can have a great life just about anywhere including here in Japan. If you're not all that happy where you live now though I reckon it's a good thing to look further afield. Just don't get too carried away thinking that Japan is some sort of utopian wonderland. It's not all good!

[JamboP26]

I understand Japan will have its flaws, but where else but Scotland will someone have diarrhoea in a plastic bag, then leave it beside a pavement? (or walkway, for non-Brits) Sometimes, nothing surprises you here

[dogsbody70]

thats people doing that isn't it?


whats to stop them doing that anywhere else.

[JamboP26]

It is.

Hopefully, common sense & decency.

[spicytuna]

Originally Posted by JamboP26

I understand Japan will have its flaws, but where else but Scotland will someone have diarrhoea in a plastic bag, then leave it beside a pavement? (or walkway, for non-Brits) Sometimes, nothing surprises you here

And where else but Japan can you walk into a legit establishment, tie an 18yr old girl to a bed, whip her and violate her with various instruments for just 16,000 yen an hour?

Every country has something that's really messed up if you look for it.

[SSJup81]

I wouldn't mind living in England for a while. I've wanted to go there since I was a kid, just like Japan.