Wow. I just caught up with everything from my posts 3 years ago.

As for an update...unfortunately and fortunately l didn't end up getting my bachelors degree in June of 2008. Life happens, the only guarantee in life is death, but those of us who are still alive for the time being learn to do their best to move forward. With all that said I haven't been able to go back and finish my degree due to financial issues, which sucks big time.

In the time, that I was out of school I was working and regretting not being able to finish school and it was kind of a blessing in disguise because the school was changing a lot and I saw my fellow classmates graduate and still haven't been able to get a job for pertaining to their degree, but one of their goals in life isn't to go work and ultimately live in Japan.

Fortunately & Unfortunately, the company I worked for in meantime was ONsemiconductor, a company that bought Sanyo in Japan. I was a Wafer Fab Operator there, but recently got laid off due to ONsemiconductor moving everything to Malaysia; but because of that I've been granted the TAA which will pay for schooling for me to get a job again & right now I'm going to be attending a school that is for getting certifications in the IT field such as A+, N+, MSCE, etc. which I would use to get a job and earn experience in the field and pay for myself to get back into school and get a bachelors degree and hopefully my transition to Japan will be more beneficial or easier that way?

I was also wondering if the IT certifications here mean anything in by employers in Japan or do they simply only care for the degree?

It may mean something to the employer but it doesn't mean anything to the immigration office which clearly states that you need either 10 years of work experience or a university degree.

Good luck in finishing your studies.

Have to agree with you.. the certification probably don't mean anything to employer either. I presented all my certificates during the couple of interviews I had, they showed little interest in them...

I have a question about majors and a job. I am currently planning to go to college and have majors in astronomy and Japanese. My question is would it be possiable (or reasonable) to find a job in Japan that has to deal with astronomy? I know employers would prefer a national over a foreigner so I won't be disappointed if the answers no.
Sorry if it's in the wrong section.

It depends on if you'll be able to either
A) Know enough Japanese to be able to work with other Japanese astronomers
or
B) Know enough Japanese to teach astronomy at a collegiate level

That makes sense. In relation to that, do they teach an astronomy class in high schools there? In my school I took a semester astronomy class.

You'd be better off looking at doing some joint research project at a university I reckon. When I did some Japanese lessons some years back there was a Russian girl also attending who was a physicist doing some joint research at the Hokkaido University. She was by no means fluent in Japanese at all. But between her limited Japanese and their limited English she seemed to get by no problem at all. I guess the main language they were using anyway was that of physics and mathematics which is universal.

Thanks for the replies. What your saying does make sense and I'm pretty sure my top college choices would support something like that atleast as a study abroad.

going to school in japan?
 

dose this still apply if you're planning on going to school in japan? I'm applying to go to tuj in fall 2012:D

No, because you're on a visa. I'm the same way; I'm currently enrolled at TUJ as it's one of the processes by which one can live in Japan while obtaining a degree (or any college in Japan you can get in to).