Moving to Japan

[Takushimazu]

こんにちは,

This is my first thread on this forum as I joined a few days ago.

I want to ask people so much about Japan! I recently went to 尼崎市 near to 大阪市 and I loved everything about my time there.

The reason I made this thread is that I wanted to ask people "How do you move to Japan??" ..I am quite young and I currently have a Japanese fiancé. I want to live in 尼崎市 but reading all about Visas and things, also this is my first time having my own place also I feel I should mention.. 私は外国人です。I have so much to ask.. if you are reading this and live in Japan.. please help me? ..any advice will be much appreciated!

たくさんより

[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

Oh! It is easy to move to Japan if you are married to a Japanese citizen. Does your fiancee' live in Japan? Is she a member of their society? Or was she born in England or somewhere else? If you are married it is a lot easier to get a visa to live there.

[Takushimazu]

At the moment she is my fiancé so we are not currently married. So you are saying it would be easier to wait until after we are married before trying to move there?

And yes, she has lived there all of her life and is currently living there now.

[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

Oh then you are all set. I'd wait until after you are married to move there. It makes your work a lot easier for you. But of course don't just marry someone to get a visa. That would be wrong.

But becoming a nationalized Japanese can take longer I believe.

You will also need to go through schooling to get a well paying job.

[Takushimazu]

Oh.. I see. ありがとうございます!

でも...

私の日本語はほんまに惡いです.. Can I ask about how difficult it is to learn Japanese fluently and also to go onto use it everyday whilst working in Japan? also.. about how difficult it is for 外国人 to become part of a community as a worker / neighbor / friend / relative?

Also.. is it really that simple to move there if you are married to a Japanese person?

[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

(Sorry but my computer can not read Japanese. It shows up as boxes on my screen.)

Well it's not exactly "simple" I would imagine that there is still a lot of paper work, and verifying information with the government. I am not sure how to move there if you aren't married. A tourist can only stay there for 3 months at a time I think.

Learning the language is the same as learning every language I believe. You have to learn how to use which words at which time, and learn all the tenses of the verbs and such.

I am sure if you are studying it every day with someone and you are getting a helper, then it is a lot easier. But if you are teaching yourself, then it can get pretty hard and confusing. Seeing how the Japanese have a lot of different words that mean the same thing. Similar to the English language.

If you become a citizen, and show that you are capable of working, and being respectful to the people, then I am sure you'll be accepted fairly quick. But of course, you'll always be viewed as a gaijin. An outsider, since you aren;t of Japanese decent.

[Takushimazu]

I see.

When I was in Japan recently everyone seemed to look at me, but I only saw about 5 other gaijin whilst walking around the streets so I guess its just because they don't see them often that people are curious?

When I move over there I will always be aware that I am a gaijin but I am a very nice person and would never want to cause any trouble so I think I will fit in ok.

At the moment I am learning by myself with occasional help from my fiancé as at the moment we are living so far apart

But I am trying my best to study it and become fluent before the move!

[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

Very good! Keep it up, and in the end it'll pay off. You'll be living happily in Japan with your wife in no time. Then you won't have to worry about being a tourist going back and forth, it'll definitely save you the money.

[Takushimazu]

Originally Posted by Kanji_The_Wanderer

Very good! Keep it up, and in the end it'll pay off. You'll be living happily in Japan with your wife in no time.

yes, that is my dream.

Thanks for your help, I had hoped more people would have been willing to help me.. but you have been a big help by yourself!

[aychseven]

Originally Posted by Kanji_The_Wanderer

I am not sure how to move there if you aren't married.

there are plenty of ways. you just need to get the right visa. usually people go on a student visa or skilled labor visa. there are also options for journalists, entertainers, business people etc. in some cases you need a sponsor and a letter from a guarantor to ensure that you will not be a burden on society/government.