I live in Japan!

[lady_kyoko]

I have a few questions ^^, if that's okay. And i'm sorry if someone else asked them before, and i just didn't see them or something. Anyway!

I'm not sure if you can answer the first set of questions, since you had already finished high school when you went to Japan. I'm in grade 11 and would like to apply for a semester in Japan next year, probably the last semester, since i haven't applied yet and i'd have to wait for at least a year to be accepted. I know basic Japanese, but i've never taken any formal courses, so technically there's no school records saying i've taken it. Would that be a problem? I'll probably use the Rotary program, I'm Canadian. Also, what city would you suggest trying to find a school in? I'm interested in Tokyo of course, but are there any other places you'd suggest ^^? And I don't have the best grades...would they still accept me? I know the answer is probably no ^^;;, but just curious what kind of grades you'd have to have...and is it true the Japanese school curriculum is more difficult?

I'm sorry, I'm being yelled at to log off the computer >.< i'll post my other questions about actually living in japan later. But i'll just end with what other kinds of jobs can someone who speaks fluent english get in japan, besides english teacher? Or would getting to japan as an english teacher, and then taking a university course to get a different job that doesn't require speaking english be an okay path to go?

[JWolf]

Some good information in here
I have always been interested in moving to Japan, but not until recently have i been seriously considering it. I am a computer expert with a work history of over 10 years in the US and would really like to move to Japan and possibly get a job there in the same field.

I was really suprised when i read the post from Nyor about being able to get an apartment for 30,000 yen, thats only like $250/month! theres no way i could get a place for that cheap in the states!

I didnt know about the work Visa, i dont have a bachelors degree so would that shut me out? I do have college experience, but just specific classes to learn areas i needed for work and multiple computer certifications. Think they would let me use one of those degrees you can get from a non-accredited university?

I guess im looking for information on what i should do if i want to come visit for a few months. I would have already gone there if i wasnt trapped in this mindset that if i flew over there, i would have no idea where to start.
Are there resources available for someone like myself to find an apartment (before getting there), some simple job to make ends meet and start learning japanese?

Thanks

[JWolf]

Holy cow ... it looks to me like ill need some upper thigh weight training to get used to squatting/hovering above the toilets! ive never seen anything like that before.
Maybe some aircraft bombing training and a parascope would help make sure your on target? course its so big you could almost fall in.

http://www.thejapanfaq.com/toilet.jpg

Any secrets to this or what

[jasonbvr]

Originally Posted by JWolf

Holy cow ... it looks to me like ill need some upper thigh weight training to get used to squatting/hovering above the toilets!

I was in China for three months and have been here for five, I've never used a squatter. There are western style ones in apartments, a lot of restaurants and so on. The really cool ones have motion sensors that lift the lid and preheat the seat when you walk in, flush and close the lid on the way out.

[Nyororin]

Phew, I take a bit of time off from answering replies, and there is a flood of them. ^^;

Actually, I think you're in Nagoya, right? I was a student there! And I loved it very much. I'm sure my son would pick up the language pretty quickly. He had just started with his Mandarine when I left my husband, just over a year ago, but dropped after being here a couple of months. I still try to speak to him some, but I'm loosing my tones, and we speak a little Spanish. I'd like him to be exposed to as many languages as possible. He's very intelligent and has a very large vocabulary for a 4 year old! Sorry, had to brag a little.

I don`t actually live in Nagoya, but had might as well. We live across the river, I could easily walk into the city.
And... I know you certainly don`t mean any harm, but my son has a developmental delay, has been diagnosed with mild autism, and has enough health problems to fill a book. He has yet to speak a single word yet.

So... Bragging really does not impress me. The opposite in fact.

But changes are very hard for him and I worry that it might be a very big adjustment in the beginning. And might it not be a little hard for me to be a foreign single mother? Do you think my son would face problems because of his race? Everyone might assume him to be half Japanese, which might make him popular, but I do worry.

I don`t really know about the difficulty of being a single mother in Japan. I know there are a ton of services for Japanese single mothers, including free housing, etc - but I doubt you`d be eligible. If your working hours coincided with the normal preschool hours, then you shouldn`t have too much trouble.
I really don`t think there would be too much trouble with race - he probably would be assumed to be half Japanese.

How old is your son? It would be nice for my son to have a playmate!
It would be nice if we could meet sometime. You sound like you must be pretty young. I'm 35 already! But I bet we have a lot in common.

My son is 2 and a half. I don`t really know if they would do well playing together. I`m 26, but I understand how those years can sort of creep up on you - So I don`t worry too much about age.

And thanks for the tips about better employment opps. I understand these positions allow teachers to be treated more professionally, and the hours and pay are better? I'll need to do some more looking into this. I taught at university in Taiwan and it was one of my favorite jobs!

Good luck - I hope you can find something that suits you.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by TornPrince

This probably isn’t the sort of question you were expecting but do you know what the rate of short term capital gains tax is in Japan?

I`m not 100% sure, but I believe it is 20%...
However, I don`t believe that the US considers that under the foreign tax credit, so they may choose to tax you above and beyond that.

Here is the Japanese Tax information page relating to it.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

Hi Nyororin. I was just wandering how long it took you to learn Japanese? I am just wandering because I want to go to Japan next year, and my Japanese is not very good at all. I will probarly study the language for a year or so first, because I don't realy want to work as an English teacher, more like a regular job, for which I will need fluent or near fluent Japanese. I will probarly have to work as an English teacher till I get settled, but I will start learning Japanese there as soon as I arrive. So how hard is it to learn Japanese and how long do you think it will take me?

I was able to manage life after around 2 or 3 months, but it took me around 6 months to reach reasonable *fluency*. I didn`t actually take any exams in Japanese until much later, but I would guess that I could have passed the JLPT 2 after around 9 months or so, and the JLPT 1 after a little over a year... However, I never actually studied, so I`m sure it could be done in a shorter time period if you`re actually working toward a goal.

I think it really all depends on what you choose to do once you`re here. If you avoid Japanese-only situations because they`re stressful (which they are if you don`t understand what`s going on) then it may take a very very long time. I`ve seen exchange students, who were relatively immersed in Japanese high schools, who were still only at a very basic level when they went home a year later - mainly because they used English whenever they had the chance.

So, it really depends upon you yourself. If you teach English and hang out with the fellow English teachers, you may still have trouble putting together 2 words after a whole year.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by lady_kyoko

I'm not sure if you can answer the first set of questions, since you had already finished high school when you went to Japan. I'm in grade 11 and would like to apply for a semester in Japan next year, probably the last semester, since i haven't applied yet and i'd have to wait for at least a year to be accepted. I know basic Japanese, but i've never taken any formal courses, so technically there's no school records saying i've taken it. Would that be a problem? I'll probably use the Rotary program, I'm Canadian.

In high school, the language requirement isn`t really there, that`s a university level thing.
I`ve known a couple Canadians who came to Japan with the Rotary program - (Including one who hated me, and did her best to make my life miserable....) So it`s not uncommon.

Also, what city would you suggest trying to find a school in? I'm interested in Tokyo of course, but are there any other places you'd suggest ^^? And I don't have the best grades...would they still accept me? I know the answer is probably no ^^;;, but just curious what kind of grades you'd have to have...and is it true the Japanese school curriculum is more difficult?

My recommendation for a city? Anywhere other than Tokyo or Osaka... If you actually want to learn Japanese. If you`d prefer to stay in an exchange student bubble, have fun in Tokyo.
If you`d be going through the Rotary program, I don`t think that Japanese school requirements have anything to do with it - exchange programs have their own requirements.

I'm sorry, I'm being yelled at to log off the computer >.< i'll post my other questions about actually living in japan later. But i'll just end with what other kinds of jobs can someone who speaks fluent english get in japan, besides english teacher? Or would getting to japan as an english teacher, and then taking a university course to get a different job that doesn't require speaking english be an okay path to go?

Of course anyone can take any path they like with employment. Having taught English will not block you from getting a different job later. Either way, you`re not going to get any job straight out of high school - you`ll need a university degree in order to get a visa. So, unless you`re planning to enroll into a Japanese university as soon as you graduate, you`ll almost definitely have to go home and get a degree before you spend longer time in Japan.

Waiting for any other questions!

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by JWolf

I was really suprised when i read the post from Nyor about being able to get an apartment for 30,000 yen, thats only like $250/month! theres no way i could get a place for that cheap in the states!

It would be a one room, shared toilet in the hall, no bath or shower, and likely in a very old run down building. Not exactly the best... Sort of like a very bad dorm room. BUT if you just need somewhere to sleep, it would work.

I didnt know about the work Visa, i dont have a bachelors degree so would that shut me out? I do have college experience, but just specific classes to learn areas i needed for work and multiple computer certifications. Think they would let me use one of those degrees you can get from a non-accredited university?

You would need a real degree from an accredited university. And yes, they do check. You would also need to have found a job willing to sponsor you prior to applying for the work visa. The type of degree doesn`t matter, but to work in Japan you do need one.

I guess im looking for information on what i should do if i want to come visit for a few months. I would have already gone there if i wasnt trapped in this mindset that if i flew over there, i would have no idea where to start.
Are there resources available for someone like myself to find an apartment (before getting there), some simple job to make ends meet and start learning japanese?

Well, as Japan doesn`t exactly have a huge influx of unemployed immigrants, there aren`t really that many resources.
Finding an apartment isn`t really a problem, there are huge online databases of available apartments. The thing is, any job is going to require you to have a proper visa, which is something you can`t get without a job already lined up - and a university degree.
If you did have the degree, I would recommend coming over with a student visa (by enrolling in a Japanese language school) that allows part time employment - you could look for a job in your free time.

But without a degree, even if you found one that would be willing to hire you with little or no Japanese skills.... They couldn`t because of the visa problem.

[TornPrince]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I`m not 100% sure, but I believe it is 20%...
However, I don`t believe that the US considers that under the foreign tax credit, so they may choose to tax you above and beyond that.

Here is the Japanese Tax information page relating to it.

Thanks a lot for the information and that link. I would never have found that on my own since I didn't know what to search for.

I'd really like to spend some time in Japan and 20% isn't so I think I'll go ahead with it. I'll probably spend 6 months on a tourist visa while I see if I like it so tax won't be an issue for a while.

I think I'll learn Japanese to a proficient level before I consider going. I spent a year in Eastern Europe, which I thought would be fun but nobody spoke English so small things like identifying and paying the electricity bill became big problems, especially since they never used the standard Roman alphabet. I wouldn't like the same problems in Japan so I'll intensify my studying of Japanese. I've been learning at a slow pace for a while now but have only learned a little over 600 kanji and my skills with the language are rather lacking. I'll have to put more effort into it.

Anyway, thanks again for the help.