I don't think its a matter of what you have and the quality in your own country, but the actual reason for moving. If anyone is to stay or move to a different country because of cosplay events and anime, that is just completely stupid and doesn't make any sense.

Sometimes, people move not because they are not happy with their life, but there could be things outside of what they want in a different place.

Like myself, I wanted to move to Japan because I want to do more work in humanoid robotics. It has nothing to do with my quality of living in Canada, as a matter, if I do move to Japan, the quality will go down, but I want to because from a career perspective, there are better opportunies for me to achieve that self satisfaction.

This thread isn't about why people should or shouldn't move to Japan, all that we are suggesting is that (Regardless of the reason), the easiest, most direct and legal way to move to Japan is to get a degree so that people can get the sponsorship required for their stay.

WOW... dejavu:eek:
I used to be just like you... When I came to Japan from the United States last January, without completing at least my AA from the community college in my hometown of CA, I thought, "I can just finish my degree in Japan instead of here. I will go to language school and then just transfer to college for the next two years." So 6 months earlier I enrolled at a language school, and hopped on a plane without truly thinking about the plan as a whole: how was I going to get around without knowing a word of japanese? how was I going to find my way to and from school if I wasn't able to even read signs properly? and worst of all, financial planning was a complete mess, so I went without food for about a week... lost 7 pounds that was about the only positive thing that happened that month ;) I also didn't truly know how large Tokyo was, about 50 times the size of my home city (not to mention more than 500,000 times the population) so that being the case finding my way around tokyo was a mortal combat with the train maps for the first month or so. I was lucky enough that the guest house I chose to reside in had other gaijin who spoke english and had the similar experience, and honestly if they hadn't helped me I probably would've ended up somewhere on the next island trying to find my way home. The first week of school, came home with torn bloody feet from walking too much around rail stations, I was like pac man mazing all through the JR line trying to catch the proper route home... coming back tired, frustrated and slightly homesick. Up to now I am still struggling to keep up my study and transfer into a technical school, with a very low chance I will make it... but honestly if I had known that it would be this much of a hassle I would've waited until I completed my AA at least.
***Yes, Japan has nice people and culture, but if moving here is something your serious about, then take your time... a college degree first is the best way to start. Finding a job without one is not [i]impossible[i] but please note that it is extremely difficult (unless you like handing out tissue flyers on the corner for a living) as well as having the proper visa to do so.
***Also, I can see why you would think that we have no real freedom back in the US, and I do agree to a certain extent... however, you also don't realize we have more freedom than alot of other countries right now. Some people in other places don't get the oppurtunity of even a high school education, as where others have as high as a masters degree and get paid only a little more than the equivalent of minimum wage we have in the states. Many who grow up fortunate enough to have everything they need don't realize how important the basics are... until they have none:eek:
I don't mean to discourage you or anyone who desires to go to school and work or live in Japan, if that is your dream and goal in your career or life then by all means follow your dreams:rolleyes: but just realize that it is alot easier said than done. It is not impossible, but nor is it easy.

It just amazes me people would go to a completely foreign country, where the culture is totally alien to their own and the level of development of the country is such that their education does not put them ahead of the native residents, and not have thoroughly planned it through.

I'm all for spontaneity and living life passionately but you gotta have some grounding in reality, no?

Not much of surprise ... I think it is very obvious. People want something new, don't they ? Most of them would say: " Sitting in your home country for a whole life must be so boring ... " Of course one need to be either rich or special to live in Japan at easy and straight away. Otherwise you will need to actually be able do something to develop such dream.
However there are better and worse countries, like people trully are. ( No naive thoughts of equality ) And they have their own reasons to change their way of life, if it has at least some meaning.

But it is sad that most people don't realise that you need to distinguish between a childish dream or an actual ambition ( Like i have ).

Ye, I agree with DarkAngel - it is far a lot easier to say than to achive your dream. ( But i hate the country where i have came from and the country where i am now. However it is the system itself that pisses me off so much in most cases - a system that was created by selfish humans. )

I'm thinking of going to Japan just for the sake of my Japanese and knowledge of this culture, after spending some time in an English-speaking country (for the sake of my English). It is, however, interesting to read about such an obstacle facing some people wanting to live and work in Japan.

People love adventures, dude^^

Thanks for sharing this. It was stories like this that inspired me to make the thread in the first place.

Very good post. Life in Asia is not as simple as some of the kids on this forum could even imagine.

Employers will not hire a foreigner to hand out flyers or tissue, cost too much, and there is no need for an English speaking employee.. The best thing is to look at gaijinpot.com and look at the job posting there. So far I have't seen a job that have requirement less than a 3 years University/College degree......

The whole thing you mention about master degree and wages... STRONGLY agree, well to a certain extent. Take China for example, you can hire a software engineer for approximately 4000 RMB a month, thats roughly around 500 USD, with housing and insurance, the bill comes out to be around 900 USD.... And THATS considered "high" already...

Not even. I work with a few French Canadians who have BAs from universities in Quebec or France that are three year degrees (but still the equivalent of a 4 year degree elsewhere) and the immigration office always looks at them funny and asks for more paperwork. Japan has this idea that BA = 4 years, and anything 3 years is automatically suspect.