aliases, insurance, cards...

My previous question wasn't lucky enough to get a response, but I'll try once again. Different topic, tho ^^
I found two high schools that are willing to accept me, so now I began gathering more detailed knowledge about getting settled in Japan. I tried asking asking on some Japanese forums, but (obviously) the locals had little to none information about the topics reffering to foreigners.
Here are my questions:
1. I've heard that there's no "alien registration card" anymore, and that the new one doen't have any space for an alias. I would like to have an alias tho, since my Polish name is very hard to pronounce for Japanese people. So, is it still possible to get one and use it in bank, school, when registering a bicycle and stuff? Like, a registered hanko? If I got a Japanese ID card (which I heard is now possible), and had my alias written there?
2. Since I will be 16 when coming to Japan, I will have to deal with most legal matters by myself. What should I know in this topic? Will opening a bank account, registaring my residence, buying a phone, receiving packages, buying a bicycle etc recquire one of my parent's assistance? My mother can't speak any other language than Polish, so it would be a little hard.
3. I'm a little worried about a foreign person's insurance. How does it work? A link to some English/Japanese/French website that will explain this is fine too.
Thank you in advance. I really hope that somebody would be so kind to answer atleast one of my questions.

I think members think this is not possible.

It would seem like you would have to stay with a host family at your young age and not in a dorm. Also , if a high school was going to accept you , they should have someone helping you with all this info. Has the school or yourself got the right visa for you? Do the schools that say they will accept you understand your age and that you will be traveling without an adult? In the past, young people going to high school in Japan all stayed with host families that acted as their parent and helped them survive in Japan.
I think it sounds like a dream you have and if you do get to Japan , the officials at the airport will send you back home. If you were of college age , it would seem more believable. Maybe if you give us the names of the high schools that say they have a program for you , members here can get more details for you. It seems many of the questions you have about living in Japan would be taken care of by your host family or a person at the high school assigned to help you get settled there. Again, if you give members here more details , hopefully they can help you.

Good Luck

Uncle Frank

Thank you for not answering any of my questions. I think I wouldn't post anything I wasn't sure about.
I will be living in a dorm, like any other student at those high schools. There is an option of homestay - i just prefer dorms. It's not a program, it's just regular enrollment. One of those schools already has three students from China, living in Japan by themselves. My plan is not just a dream, thank you.
And yes, after passing the exams, the schools will provide me with a visa.
I don't need more "details" as I know everything I need except the things I asked about.

Edit: I'll only add that I never said a thing about travelling by myself (my mother will go with me and then come back to Poland), and I have a long time before taking my exams, so why would the schools care to explain anything now? When I'm there, maybe. But it's good to know such things in advance, thank you.

Sorry.

My reply was ment to draw more attention to your questions. Sometimes if other members see a post with replies , they pay more attention to it. Also my post was ment to draw you out on more facts to show you do have a plan and it's not just a dream. Hopefully when members in Japan wake up and get home from work later , you will get better answers. Also it is sometimes good to wait till the weekend when more members get on, to get more answers. I was trying to show you are not just an other child day dreaming and are serious. Guess you showed me you are.

Uncle Frank

I'm sorry, I don't really understand what you mean. If there was any kind of allusion behind your previous post, then I must have not got it right (which happens often when I communicate in English). I just explained my point of view of the things you pointed out, as I thought you meant them. I don't understand the idea of writing something when meaning the opposite, I'm sorry. If you really meant the opposite, then thank you. Lately I've been getting some huge amounts of people laughing at my plans, so if my message sounded rough, excuse me. I didn't intend to put any kind of emotion into it. Thank you.

Not to worry , LOL.

Us Americans are a bit inscrutable and old people like me can be a bit weird. I sure hope you do get some answers.

Uncle Frank

Not much luck ?

I guess your questions are too difficult? Hopefully someone at the school will be able to help you.

Uncle Frank

answers

Alicja said:

My previous question wasn't lucky enough to get a response, but I'll try once again. Different topic, tho ^^
I found two high schools that are willing to accept me, so now I began gathering more detailed knowledge about getting settled in Japan. I tried asking asking on some Japanese forums, but (obviously) the locals had little to none information about the topics reffering to foreigners.
Here are my questions:
1. I've heard that there's no "alien registration card" anymore, and that the new one doen't have any space for an alias. I would like to have an alias tho, since my Polish name is very hard to pronounce for Japanese people. So, is it still possible to get one and use it in bank, school, when registering a bicycle and stuff? Like, a registered hanko? If I got a Japanese ID card (which I heard is now possible), and had my alias written there?
2. Since I will be 16 when coming to Japan, I will have to deal with most legal matters by myself. What should I know in this topic? Will opening a bank account, registaring my residence, buying a phone, receiving packages, buying a bicycle etc recquire one of my parent's assistance? My mother can't speak any other language than Polish, so it would be a little hard.
3. I'm a little worried about a foreign person's insurance. How does it work? A link to some English/Japanese/French website that will explain this is fine too.
Thank you in advance. I really hope that somebody would be so kind to answer atleast one of my questions.

Click to expand...

This isn't official, but I don't believe that you can use an alias for the official things you mention--certainly not a bank, where you will have to show ID and they will use that name for the account, or hanko registration.
One thing you can do when you arrive is to simplify your name when "spelling" it in katakana. For example, given your user name, ﾆ但ﾆ椎?ﾆ探 would be an obvious choice. (I had a student last year named ﾋ?ｸ窶版督債ｹ.) Do something similar with your family name, maybe drop a syllable, or two if it's long. Figure this out before you arrive and start using it immediately. If your school has already put your name into katakana, you could request that they 'update' the katakana so that it reflects pronunciation, not spelling. My name is John, which I spell ﾆ淡ﾆ槌槌停? and not ﾆ淡ﾆ停?｡ﾆ停? in katakana.
Among students, nicknames are universal (or almost). ﾆ但ﾆ椎?ﾆ探 might quickly become ﾆ但-窶堋ｿ窶堙｡窶堙ｱ (but probably not ﾆ但ﾆ椎?-窶堋ｿ窶堙｡窶堙ｱ, since that's the word for "ant").
At 16, you will need both help and a guarantor to open a bank account and signing a phone contract. (And as a high schooler, a phone will be indispensable. Also, you'll need a bank account in order to sign a phone contract.) Receiving packages will not be a problem at all, but if you are not there for the delivery of a post office package, they leave a slip and you can then pick it up at the post office by showing that slip and an ID. Buying a bike will be easy, but the shops will also ask you to register it--this is not very official, but you'll need to provide contact details--name, address, phone. That doesn't need to be official, but it is important since bikes do get "borrowed" here. If yours disappears, and the police find it somewhere, they return it to you. (This has happened twice to us.)
I think your school (or the chinese students) would be the people to talk to about health insurance. You can probably join the national health system, but I don't know how that works for a person in your situation.

johnnyG, thank you very much for the reply!
Hmmm, that's confusing, I've heard about people doing this things with their aliases. But these were informations from before the change of the foreigner registration. Since now foreigners can have a regular Japanese ID (and it has some space to write an alias in), I thought it might still be possible. I think I'll just ask about it when I'm there, since nobody seems to know for sure. It's not that important after all, it's just for esthetic reasons. Insurance can wait too.
About my name in hiragana, I always thought it would be アリツヤ. But I like アリサ very much!
Some people do call me アリ. It's funny, because my childhood nickname used to be "mrﾃｳwka", which means an ant in Polish.
Thank you once again!

Okay, last comment--you should forget everything about an alias. Or developing or using an alias.

Adapt your Polish name a little if you can (when you turn it into katakana), but then accept and live with that during your time here. Your nickname will be what everybody will know you by, regardless what is on your official paperwork.

Frankly speaking, I got my new residence card a few months ago, and I didn't notice that I could include an alias.

Sorry, Alicja, but other than playing teenage identity games, I have no idea why anyone would want, or need, an alias.

It would seem that your main purpose is to do high school here--just do that and do it as well as you can. Coming here for that is wonderful and commendable.

Names are not important, it's the experience you will get by being here.

>> And whatever name you end up with, (important! >>) you can infuse that with your spirit and character. Even アリ-ちゃん would not be too hard to make into something positive, it doesn't have to mean "ant".

I won't "forget everything about an alias" if it will be possible for me to get one, LOL.
Excuse me, but I'll do what I feel comfortable with. I don't need to accept something if I don't have to.
If I feel like having an alias and there will be a possibility to get one, then I will.
Anyway, thanks for all the info.

>>アリ doesn't have to mean ant but I like it that way. Ants are awesome! They're small but super strong. ^^

edit: "A registered alias may be used on credit cards, health insurance, bank accounts and other documents. However, such documents may cause difficulties in foreign countries where the holder does not have personal identification showing their Japanese alias; thus documents in the registrant's foreign name may be preferable in non-Japanese speaking locales. Foreigners may obtain a Japanese credit card with a photo." says wikipedia, but I wonder if it's still actual...

Hello,
1. The Alien Registration Card has been replaced by the Residence Card. The only name allowed on the Residence Card is your legal name. I think you will find it to be nearly impossible to register an alias as a 16-year old foreigner in Japan with no documentation to prove you have been using your alias in your day-to-day activities. Had you been living in Japan for years and had supporting documentation such as medical or telephone bills with your alias on them, you might be able to do it, but the alias still would not go on your Residence Card.

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窶愿ｺ窶怒窶堙可催昶?板ｯ窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶堙固?F窶堋ｳ窶堙ｱ窶堙?012窶扼7ﾅ椎ｽ9窶愿ｺﾂ（ﾅ椎ｽﾂ）窶堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ新窶堋ｵ窶堋｢ﾂ催昶?板ｯﾅ?ﾃ??板敖青ｧ窶忸窶堋ｪﾆ湛ﾆ耽ﾂーﾆ暖ﾂ！
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窶怒窶督ｼ窶堙??堙坂?｢ﾃ岩?堙可、窶凖環湘娯?督ｼ窶堙ｰﾅｽﾂ昶?堙や?堋ｱ窶堙??堙坂?堙??堋ｫ窶堙懌?堋ｷ窶堋ｩﾂ？ - BIGLOBE窶堙遺?堙ｱ窶堙??堙?窶佛?窶冖ﾅｽﾂｺ
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窶堙､窶堋､窶堋ｿ窶堙･窶ｹﾃ｢ﾂ行窶堙??堙坂?督｢ﾂ青ｬ窶扼ﾅｽﾃ停?堋ｪﾅ津ｻﾂ催?窶堙ｰﾅ?J窶堋ｭ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堋ｪﾂ出窶藩??堙懌?堋ｷ窶堋ｩﾂ？ - Yahoo!窶冦ﾅ鍛窶佚彈/url]
[url=http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/en/point_1-2.html]To all foreign nationals residing in Japanﾂ Beginning on Monday, July 9, 2012,ﾂ Start of a new residency management system!ﾂ ﾂ｜ﾂ Point 1 A resident card will be issued / Point 2 The period of stay will be extended to a maximum of 5 years
窶凖環湘娯?督ｼ窶堙娯?徙ﾋ弯窶堙俄?堙や?堋｢窶堙Ъ/url]
[url=http://www.osaka-sandai.ac.jp/cgi-bin/cms/exchange.cgi?exchange_cd=Kjj5P4x1km]ﾅ停?卍康窶｢ﾃ崘陳ｯ | ﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶板ｯﾅ?wﾂ青ｶﾅ津ｼ窶堋ｯﾂ湘ｮ窶｢ﾃｱ | ﾂ坂?伉催崘津ｰ窶板ｬ窶ｰﾃ嵌辰ﾆ停?愴断ﾆ鍛ﾆ誰ﾆ湛 | 窶佚･ﾂ催｣ﾅｽY窶ｹﾃ??佚･ﾅ?w

2. Bank account is no problem, minors may open bank accounts in Japan. Registering your residence with the city hall is not a problem. Buying a phone might be problematic because the phone companies tend to require credit cards when you enter into a phone contract, and I think some places might even ask for Japanese credit cards. The other things you mention do not require parental approval/assistance.

3. You will be obliged to sign up for the national health insurance scheme once you register as a resident in Japan.
Health Insurance

Alicja said:

I'll do what I feel comfortable with. I don't need to accept something if I don't have to..

Click to expand...

This kind of strong-willed attitude will get you into big trouble in Japan.

Will try to answer your questions later, but this point above needed to be made.

Also, there is presently no Japanese ID card. The Juki Net system was rejected by locals. Here is some info on the CURRENT system for foreigners.
To all foreign nationals residing in Japan Beginning on Monday, July 9, 2012, Start of a new residency management system!
It doesn't address the alias issue, but it may be more info than you currently have.

Also, Frank asked you a serious question that YOU didn't answer, and you really should. That is, don't you have a go-between at your end to help you with this sort of exchange, or don't the schools in Japan help you at all? If the answer to both is no, that is very, very strange.

Bank accounts require that you have a legal hanko/inkan. When I came here years ago as a teacher, my employer helped me set up the account, but I had to get a hanko myself. So, it's not as easy as mentioned above. My J wife thinks that even locals would need parental permission at your age. Confirm that with your school.

It's not a program, it's just regular enrollment.

Click to expand...

Can you describe that better? Regular enrollment does not sound right. That sounds more like a citizen's enrollment, and you are not a Japanese citizen.

How does your mother plan to stay here? If your school is putting you up in a dorm, they certainly wouldn't let her stay with you, especially if you have a roommate. And, since you will have a student visa (presumably), does SHE have the proper entry requirements met?

It's not a strong willed attitude, I wish I had just a little of it lol. I meant that if they tell me I can, I certainly will. Just wanted to know before hearing it in person.

Oh, I didn't know that. Everywhere I read it just said "Juki Net, Juki Net..." I guess I'll have to read some more.

I didn't answer Frank's question because I didn't notice it, sorry. I don't know what you mean by a go-between, but I have someone in Japan that is helping me. My Japanese teacher is contacting the schools and doing all that stuff. He called the ministry of education (please excuse my I have no idea how is it called in English, I just made up a word), and they said that because the Polish education system is similar to Japan's (6-3-3) like China, I can enroll (having a guarantor in Japan of course, that will be my teacher or someone chosen by the school). It's not an exchange.
My mother is not staying, she will go back right after helping me with all the legal stuff (just like parents of other students from abroad). From what I've heard, she doesn't need a visa to stay up to three months.