Jacob, I respect your reasons for wanting to go to Japan than many others. If God wants you in Japan, then that is the way it is.
However, I do think you need to know a reality that the article you posted doesn't reveal.

Of the 30 percent of adults who claimed to have a religion, 75 percent considered themselves Buddhists, 19 percent Shintoists and 12 percent Christians, according to the Gallup Organization.

Start at the beginning. Only one in three Japanese even claim to have a religion. This doesn't mean "active" or "practicing" but just "have". of those 12 percent say "Christian". That's about 3% of Japan. Also keep in mind that some people think having a Christian-style wedding (very popular in Japan) "makes" them "Christian". I have heard others say "celebrating Christmas" makes them "more Christian". This entails the Santa Claus aspect. Jesus has very little to do with Japanese Christmas.

I would still maintain that less that one percent of Japanese citizens have ever attended a Christian church service.

Japanese youth revealed even more alarming statistics. Of the 20 percent who professed to have a religion, 60 percent called themselves Buddhists, 36 percent Christians and Shintoists.

Look at the last five words. 36 percent of the 20 percent (less than 7 percent total) said they were Christian and Shinto? So how many are Christian and how many Shinto? Why are these two groups squished together? Could it be because the number of Christians is so minuscule?

Within an estimated population of 127.4 million in Japan, academics estimate that 20 to 30 percent of adults actively practice a particular faith, but the Agency for Cultural Affairs reported in 2003 that 213,826,700 citizens claimed a religion, according to the U.S. Department of State's latest International Religious Freedom Report.

So almost 200% of Japanese claim a religion?

Most Japanese are suspect of organized religion so be prepared for that when you go. I think your plight is respectable, but I think this article is misleading.

Is there a such thing as being "too old" to land a job in Japan? I graduated HS in 2003 but due to unfortunate off and off illness college was put on hold and I did programming work for a short while. I got back in and then became sick again so I ended up leaving again. Now everything is pretty stable and I'm pursuing my CS degree will be done within 3 years but by then I'll be 27. If I were planning to stay here I'd just go and find a job (decently qualified) however I've set my heart on Japan so I'm going after a degree. Will my age make it harder to get a job? I'm also learning the language (aiming towards fluency) and study it at every free moment I find. I'm also making an effort at learning CS related stuff outside my coursework from Japanese sources. What are my realistic chances of going to Japan after graduation? I only interested in programming work (non-game) and not teaching english (not that theres anything wrong with that).

I wouldn't say anything under 40 is too old for a prospect of a job there; if anything they will appreciate your age more; they will probably feel you have a better feel of the real world then the youngsters they would otherwise be hiring ;)

just make sure you talk about your life as a learning experience and they'll lap you up ;) (just make sure you get that degree too)

A question that MMM can help answer.

Have you heard of anyone that will plan their retirement in Japan (non Japanese of course). See the thing is, I pretty much gave up on the ideas of finding a job or building my career in Japan (Unless an offer shows up without myself looking). But I was thinking of retiring there instead. My plan is to:

1. Start saving!
2. Sell both my houses
3. Sell my cars (Probably worth nothing then)
3. Take out all my retirement funds and such

Then I will see how I can enter Japan. I want to do the following if possible:

1. Do some sort of things related to Karate
2. Get a used RV or somethign that size and convert it myself, drive across Japan to take pictures (Free lance photographer)
3. OR, work as a photographer for themeparks

Is this even possible?

The Japanese are a lot more conscious when it comes to age but 27 is still young! Heck, I'm thinking about starting my new life in Japan and I'm around 10yrs older than you. :ywave:

You know, I don't think I ever saw an RV in Japan. They wouldn't fit on the narrow roads there! If they do have them at all, they are probably very rare.

What kind of visa will you get if you're retired? A Japanese person or business will probably still need to sponsor and vouch for you, which would typically be your employer, but if you aren't working... And a job like themepark photographer is not something a business will go through the hassle of sponsoring a foreigner for, they'll just hire a Japanese kid to do it.

While I'm sure you could go there for vacations, I think you might have a hard time getting the paperwork to let you retire there permanently.

1 last thing... I can't recall if or how long you've lived in Japan before, how much you know of the language, culture, etc, but living there long term is VERY different than just visiting. I love Japan, and I'm glad I stayed there 2 years, but by that time, I was ready to come home. For most people, homesickness eventually sets in, and things that were once unique and exciting become routine, annoyances that were once fairly easily brushed aside become major frustrations, and the pull of the old and familiar that you grew up with begins to outweigh the once new and exotic of Japan. It is hard to be forever a foreigner, and not really being fluent in the language. That was one of the biggest pains for me, even though I traded English for Japanese lessons once a week, I had at most a kindergartner's level of Japanese (I knew none when I arrived), and while you can get by, do shopping, travel, order food, etc on that amount of Japanese, you'll need assistance for many more complicated things, and you won't be able to have deep, meaningful conversations that truly express what you are feeling to 95% of the people around you, unless they speak English well. You'll have trouble reading some (many) signs and just get the gist of newspapers and TV, and all the manga and anime is in Japanese only too. Now, if you are already completely fluent, these may not apply to you, but you will likely still miss your friends, family, and familiar culture back home eventually.

What I'm saying is, saving up for your retirement, which is supposed to sustain you the rest of your life, and then selling everything you own and moving to a very different foreign country for the rest of your life if you don't know what long-term (years, I mean) life is really like there, may not be the best move.

I actually wasn't thinking of an actual RV.. more like a "similar idea"... haven't figure that out yet...

Homesickness.. actually, I am homesick over JAPAN.... I live there and went to school there when I was a kid.... the culture that I actually miss IS the Japanese culture, so I will see.... I shouldn't have trouble reading signs or newspaper, my Chinese background helped with 75% of the time with Kanji, while my exposure to Japan when I was a kid was enough to keep me street safe, so I should be fine in that aspect, and hopefully, by the time I retire, I won't be into the manga/anime culture enough to want to truly understand it :)

Thanks for the answer, i am well aware of all that, just an idea I have.

As for the visa, one thing I maybe able to revisit is to inherit my uncle's last name, that was something we looked into 2 years ago when I started looking for a job there....

Thank you for respecting my calling and God's will. :)

As for what you said about the article, you may very well be right (I couldn't give my full opinion because I'm not sure I really understand it all), but what ultimately caught my eye in the article were these things:
The latest Gallup poll revealed a much higher percentage of Christians in Japan compared to previous surveys, including a surprising high number of teens who claimed the Christian faith.
In a country where only one percent is Christian among those who claim a faith, findings from one of the most extensive surveys of the country ever taken showed a Christian population of six percent. Meanwhile, the most popular and traditional religions – Buddhism and Shintoism – suffered declines.

"When they saw the design of the questionnaire, Japanese experts argued that the Japanese would never answer the socially delicate and/or the highly personal questions," said Bill McKay, project research director. "However, it was our professional hunch that the Japanese were ready to talk and when they did they told us more than we had asked for. The data is the most revealing look behind the face of Japan and shatters many WWII myths of the Japanese culture."

Their projections of the actual numbers could be off. However, the poll does show that more people are choosing Christian as their religion, and less are choosing Buddhism and Shintouism.

I completely agree that just because someone chooses "Christian" as their option, it doesn't make them a Christian. You're right, celebrating Christmas doesn't make you a Christian, neither does having a Christian-style wedding. I love what the late Keith Green (a very devout born again Christian who gave an incredible minister through music and other methods during the late '70s and early '80s before his death) says. "Praying doesn't make you a Christian; people in every religion pray. Even going to church doesn't make you a Christian. You may have heard this before but, going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger. I have a great definition of what a Christian is: someone who is bananas for Jesus."

However, even if the majority of the people who choose "Christian" on the selector were not really Christians, or were but weren't dedicated to God, what the poll shows is that the country is slowly opening its heart toward God. It's becoming more appealing to people, in a time where so many are looking for answers. A read a different article that showed results saying 11% of Japanese wish they'd never even been born. Furthermore, they have the highest suicide rate of any developed country, and certainly the outsourcing to other countries is only making things worse (people are losing jobs, and I'm sure you know as well as I do how important working (and especially success) are to the Japanese). It's often when people hit rock bottom when they start to search for God the most. Many of Japan is in this place. So even though many aren't Christians, their openness is growing, and I believe the harvest is riper than it's ever been before. As Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38) :)

there actually is a visa category for religious work.
i have no idea what the prerequisites are though and what the visa entitles u to.

i'm living in Akita and i've been approached by mormons, jehovah witnesses and the methodist missionaries quite frequently, and i reckon they come here with a 'missionary visa'.

i had the impression that christian missionaries is on the rise here in japan.

I think you are going to have a hard time doing this. Japanese retirees are on a pension they get from the government they paid their working life through taxes. You have no pension, as you have paid no taxes. The problem is you are doing the opposite of a lot of retirees. Many Japanese retirees are moving to Guam, America, South America and other places where their money goes a lot further than in Japan.

Without a Japanese spouse, I am not sure how this could work.

Oh, for that, I may look at my uncle's idea of taking me in as a son.. but this was something that came up years ago, i am not sure if we can still do that

What about if i invest a crap load of money? will that work?

Worse scenarios, I will do what other suggest. Go there for 90 days, go back to hong kong for a month, go there for another 90 days... etc

There's your visa, but what about money?

Sure...invest in what?

That worked before 9/11 but won't work now. You cannot buy a house, sign a lease, get utilities, etc. on a tourist visa.

good advice, I am one of those people. after my senior year I am going to nursing school. my goal is to be a nurse in Japan.

Just so you know, going to nursing school is not all it takes to be a nurse in Japan. The standards and required courses are different to be able to work in a hospital, so be sure to investigate exactly what courses you need to be taking.

Could you get a job in drafting in japan? like building blueprints in other words architecture?

Well, since we are all revealing a little bit about our intentions and receiving advice from the experienced, be it something we want to hear or not, maybe I could take this opportunity to get some honest advice and guidance as well.

You have a good chance for JET, imo. All you truly need is your Bachelor's.

Likely, but architectural design work needs a degree of some sort, I am guess its probably civil engineering, years ago there was a degree specifically called architectural engineering, but i don't think it exist anymore (at least I haven't heard of it in Canada anymore), so thats something you may want to look into

Mechanical engineering for sure will have courses that let you do blueprints work. I know a friend of mine who is designing engine parts for Rolls Royce parts in england, and thats all that he does, drawing and transferring it to CAD

Money, i am guessing.. just a rough guess, by the time i turn 55, with saving, investment and all other assets, i should have roughly around 1.5-2 mil, may not worth much by then, but it should be a good start

Investment, that i am not sure, i never truly looked into that option

Hmm.... i guess you are right, it will be difficult... oh well, i have to look at other options then...

thanks for the reply though

ok thanks bc im taking drafting classes at school and i really love it and its really less dangerous than welding lol
so i wouldnt mind becoming a drafter.

I have to agree with you! My husband graduated with a 4.0 top of his class and still has not got a job due to lack of experience. His degree is in network communications and business mgt and it is a Bachelors. Absolutly crazy. At any rate I have to agree with everyone Japan is not easy to get into but we have help! We know the consulat of georgia, and we are membors of the japn-america society of ga. If you all would love a really great place to start on your journy to Japan there ya go..japan-america society of whatever your state. Check it out. As everyone has said you have to work for your dreams. We are both taking japanese classes through JASG and my husband will be taking the business Japanese class..you have to want something bad enough to work for it to suceed.

Look into either mechanical or civil engineering at a college/university...

ok thank you for the information. Can a person go to a tech college for drafting then after that go to college or university to do another drafting thing?

Yup... i am in the same boat.. Electrical Engineering background with a master in ISM... 10+ years of experieince in the computer field, speak Japanese, also have several other certification.. nothing :)

i seriously think that someone with your experience, and fluency in Japanese, should be very sought after by the Japanese companies.

i guess luck, and connection, do play some part here...

Ah, thank you. I feel good knowing I'm on the right track.
Don't really want to leave any loose ends. =)

Drafting itself isn't exactly a university level profession itself. If you take engineering at university, you'll learn drafting, CAD/CAM, CNC, etc. as part of the curriculum.

I loved drafting classes as well but I don't think there's a big demand for drafters in Japan. Even if there were, your employer wouldn't be able to sponsor you on anything less than a 4yr degree.

Doesn't matter, I mean, if something comes up great, if not, whatever.

I actually don't think Luck or Connection has anything to do with it. Its just reality and practicality at play:

I may have skill sets that many company looks for, but at the same time, they look for someone that is fluent in Japanese but not English. So for them to sponsor someone who possess a skill that they don't need, is only feasible if it is at no added cost. To sponsor someone is totally a different story, why would they pay extra for skills that they don't need?

Then, there is the factor that there are jobs that do need English, but my skill sets don't match. In some cases, my resume just simply made it seem as though I over qualify for these jobs, so to the employer, there is also the worry that I will only get in to "get in" and not to stay. The process to hire someone is an extreme overhead, so if they are not sure if I will be thankful for the opportunities and stay working for them for life, then there is no real reason why they should contact me

I'll be going to college in less than one year, nevertheless, I will do a bachelors degree (3 years) + Masters degree (2 years). Wouldn' a japanese employer hire me because my bachelor is only 3 years?

A degree is a degree, regardless of how long it takes you to complete it. And on top of that, you mentioned your master degree, which also jumps out to employers

I applied for this year, but, unfortunately, didn't receive an interview. I'll just have to try again next year, or go with an Eikaiwa...if I'm desperate enough, but with the way jobs are going, and the fact that I'll have to, eventually, start paying back my student loans, I just might.

I’m sorry to hear that. It is quite disheartening as it speaks volumes about the amount of candidates they receive. I remember reading somewhere in this site that JET only recruits 25% of its applicants. It is quite unfortunate because I’m sure that probably half the people, judging from some of the posts made around here about “teachers” in Japan, go there for all the wrong reasons. I wish you the best of luck with the private companies if you end up opting for that particular route. Let us know how it goes.

How exactly do you pay for you student loans once you are in Japan...do you get mail from the US where you have to pay by check...or do they think you got out of the country to avoid paying...:bigears:

You wire the money home and pay by check card? That's what I did.

Once upon a time, I was an art student for a year but I've since decided to put down my Wacom tablet and go home to major in Japanese at an affordable college that won't break my mom's pockets.

It wasn't a quick decision, though. I don't have these wild fantasies of Japan being the greatest thing since bottled water. I've been thinking about it for over a year now and I've always loved languages. I really do want to give living in Japan a try, but I'm not trying to rush into it. I have 4 years of college to finish before I start planning anything concrete. I don't hate America or anything, I'm just really restless and bored. Every day I think, what am I doing with my life right now? Is art what I really want to get into? I'm planning to visit Japan every year for a month or so in the summer and see if it's where I really want to be.

I don't think I'd have any problems with being an English teacher for a while, as long as I'm someplace I'm content. I just want to be able to fluently speak the language and enjoy life. I do hope to find some translation or interpretation jobs if I find that teaching English isn't my cuppa tea. :)

Well Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are certainly not Christians, and I don't believe Methodists are either.

Getting back to the subject at hand, does anyone know more about this "religious visa", or at least have any ideas as to where I could start looking? Right now one of my only ideas is to search Google, and you'd be amazed at how hard is usually is for me to find something searching there.

I believe the "religious visa" is just a subset of a work visa :
MOFA: A Guide to Japanese Visas - Types and Categories of Visa

In other words, the same rules apply. ie. University degree or equivalent experience.

When I'm fully grown up, I will move to Japan. Because, there's such a cold climate here in Norway, and it's not good for my asthma. Moving to Japan will make my life better. Plus, I'm amazed by the language and culture, I'm not an anime guy, I just want to live life somewhere I want to, and even though Norway is a good country to live in, life is quite boring here.

I think thats pretty fair since like the Japanese are very strict with their education and stuff, and they are really smart