Hoping to move to Japan

hi I'm Genevieve, no this isn't the typical "I love manga and want to skip college to be an anime artist and move to Tokyo, Japan where all my magical dreams will come true". I'm a senior in high school pursuing a career in nuclear engineering/physics, this fall I will be attending Oklahoma University to study chemical energy engineering and Japanese studies. I like Japan as a country, that means history, social norms, traditions, culture and religion, I actually don't like anime very much (i'll read a little manga here and there but that's about it).
I don't plan on studying abroad until my junior year when i intend on study at Tokai University in Tokai, Ibaraki, japan. I have studied Japans social life for like four years and the government a year. I've looked some into getting a visa and ways to move there but i was wanting to know what i could do right now (besides saving money) to get a head start on moving? any tips would be highly welcome!

Finishing college in that kind of major here is going to be pretty tough as far as the language barrier is concerned. So, first advice is to learn a heckuva lot of Japanese. I mean a LOT! Imagine everything you say and read and hear and write now converted into Japanese. Then, multiply it by a difficulty factor of 10 because you will have to read textbooks and journal articles.

If you've never even been here for a visit, I have to strongly suggest that you come and see what it's like as often as possible from now until then. Images of Japan vs. reality can be very different. Even so, you may likely not learn enough of what LIVING here is like, let alone STUDYING.

Third, learn what the entrance requirements are.

Why Japan?

yes I'm going to take Japanese lessons in college, luckily my college has a really great program.
my cousin is moving to japan i think next year of the year after that, so i could visit and live with her while I'm there (she teaching English). and i know there is ALOT about japan i cant learn from just studying. and i most definitely know many of the pictures of japan are very misleading (I'm sure some things like that exists but most pictures are taken to show this wonderful perfect japan, just like images of any place)
do you mean to Tokai University? if so i have, if not then could you further elaborate?
and why japan, i was originally just planning on learning about japan because i enjoy the culture but stay in america, but then i came to the realization of i have one life so why not spend it somewhere i enjoy.

Does Tokai university have an English taught program for that major?

i believe so, atleast their cite shows they offer it
"While the depletion of fossil fuel resources has continued due to the rapid progress of science and technology from the 20th century and with global warming now an acknowledged reality due to carbon dioxide emissions, the use of nuclear energy has been gathering momentum again worldwide as a large-scale energy source that does not emit carbon dioxide gases. However, the shortage of human resources for the nuclear industry has now reached an alarming level. Our Nuclear Engineering department offers a curriculum consisting of subjects that cover the complete nuclear fuel cycle, the key to stable energy supply, and development of applications for next-generation nuclear technology, and aims to foster advanced engineers for the nuclear industry."
i know alittle Japanese but not near enough to take a class (and i don't think i could learn enough in two years to be able to), thus i'm trying to think it all through (or atleast as well as i can)

if not i could go for Japanese history (which i want to major in) and take my nuclear engineering classes online from my college here (they offer 12 different online courses for nuclear engineering)

genevievekogo said:

Tokai University in Tokai, Ibaraki, japan

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Sorry for nitpicking, but Tokai University is NOT in Ibaraki Prefecture. Yes, there is a village whose name is Tokai in Ibaraki Prefecture, which is well-known as the place where the first Japanese nuclear power plant is located, but The School of Engineering of Tokai University is in Shonan, Kanagawa Prefecture.
Campus Map | TOKAI Campuses | Tokai Univ.
School of Engineering | Undergraduate Schools | Tokai Univ.

thank you very much! i didn't know that, obviously you could see where i thought it was located there. this is why I'm trying to figure everything out now, still sorting all this stuff through.

One thing to check is whether getting a degree here will satisfy requirements in the U.S. University accreditation and professional licensures may be different.

WonkoTheSane said:

One thing to check is whether getting a degree here will satisfy requirements in the U.S. University accreditation and professional licensures may be different.

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very true, I did not think about that. Thank you

How sure are you there will still be nuclear power plants in Japan by the time you graduate? There are some job fields in Japan for which Japanese citizenship is a REQUIREMENT (by law). Do you know if this is the case in your proposed career field?

If you switch to Japanese history, how do you propose to make a living here with that degree?

genevievekogo said:

if not i could go for Japanese history (which i want to major in)

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Sounds great. Gaijin teaching Japanese history to Japanese people...sure...And what about teaching them Japanese language or kanjis? Gaijins know better...huh?

kaspersky said:

Sounds great. Gaijin teaching Japanese history to Japanese people...sure...And what about teaching them Japanese language or kanjis? Gaijins know better...huh?

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there's a miss understanding, I'm going into a double major. majors and minors are differentiated by the number of hours you have in classes, I'll be taking the Japanese classes merely for the knowledge. I am going into nuclear engineering/physics, that will be my career, if i cant get a job in Japan i simply won't live in Japan. (Germany is second choice because they pay well) This wanting to live in Japan desire is not a be all end all deal, doesn't happen it doesn't happen.

Mike Cash said:

How sure are you there will still be nuclear power plants in Japan by the time you graduate? There are some job fields in Japan for which Japanese citizenship is a REQUIREMENT (by law). Do you know if this is the case in your proposed career field?

If you switch to Japanese history, how do you propose to make a living here with that degree?

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1. every one in five power sources in japan is a nuclear power source, if there are no nuclear facilities in Japan when i graduate i will be HIGHLY shocked.
2. i have read documents and blogs by individuals that have moved to japan into a nuclear career, I've messaged (emailed) them to get some information but i have yet to hear back.
3. as previously stated my career isn't switching and if it was i would pick a FAR more intelligent career, probably a different field of chemical engineering, although i doubt this will occur. (if it does it does, none of these plans are set in stone, if they were i would not even be here, I'm here for a second view)

What are some aspects of Japanese "history, social norms, traditions, culture and religion" which you find appealing and make you think you would like to live here? How do you think they apply to daily life here? There's no right or wrong answer...just curious. Believe me; I have no doubt I knew way less about Japan when I came here than you have now. I could spot it on a globe and that was about all.

Mike Cash said:

What are some aspects of Japanese "history, social norms, traditions, culture and religion" which you find appealing and make you think you would like to live here? How do you think they apply to daily life here? There's no right or wrong answer...just curious. Believe me; I have no doubt I knew way less about Japan when I came here than you have now. I could spot it on a globe and that was about all.

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that's kinda hard to explain, and correct me if i'm wrong, i guess you could say i like the way that the society works naturally. (this may sound cruel) here in America people complain and complain and complain, i'm not talking about protesting and such, i'm talking about just total and utter complaining in day to day life about EVERYTHING, from what I've learned, both from books over social construct and individuals who live there, this constant complaining is looked down on. i also like the sense of community, if you accomplish something its the group who accomplished it not just "I" and "Me", i understand this includes letting those who don't work as hard take credit but i'm okay with that. I also like the work force, i realize it's very tightly wound and very hard but I'm a worker, i ADORE working hard, doesn't matter if it's something i enjoy, i just like doing work, here in America I've meant so many people who don't even lift a finger for a job their being paid to do or just do it half way. i understand these things may be different then how I've read them and i'm sure, just like everything else, there are exceptions, but i enjoy these ideas.

p.s. none of this is to say I hate America (i love America), just it's the only placed I've lived (i travel A LOT) at so it's the only other society i could compare it best to.
The reason i don't want to live in America is because i have, as my grandmother puts it, "hot feet", i want to explore new places and learn new things. I've already been (nearly) everywhere in America, and i love America, but there isn't much more for me to see. Japan is simply first choice because i find it interesting, if I can't live in Japan then i'll just find somewhere else i find interesting.

Mike Cash said:

What are some aspects of Japanese "history, social norms, traditions, culture and religion" which you find appealing and make you think you would like to live here? How do you think they apply to daily life here? There's no right or wrong answer...just curious. Believe me; I have no doubt I knew way less about Japan when I came here than you have now. I could spot it on a globe and that was about all.

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those are the social construct reasons (atleast the ones i can state to were they make sence), Japans history, traditions, and religion i just find interesting, why not live in some place you find interesting. if one day i no longer find Japan interesting I'll just go on with life, find something new.

genevievekogo said:

yes I'm going to take Japanese lessons in college, luckily my college has a really great program.
my cousin is moving to japan i think next year of the year after that, so i could visit and live with her while I'm there (she teaching English). and i know there is ALOT about japan i cant learn from just studying. and i most definitely know many of the pictures of japan are very misleading (I'm sure some things like that exists but most pictures are taken to show this wonderful perfect japan, just like images of any place)
do you mean to Tokai University? if so i have, if not then could you further elaborate?
and why japan, i was originally just planning on learning about japan because i enjoy the culture but stay in america, but then i came to the realization of i have one life so why not spend it somewhere i enjoy.

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I'm going to be a bit blunt here, so heads up.

Please write better English. I don't really care if this is just a discussion forum. You need to write better. Lack of punctuation, poor grammar, etc. make it frustrating to read, and if you ever expect to get a science job, you're going to need to write far better.

To answer your questions, no, I did not mean entrance requirements to anything other than Tokai.

As for your other reply:

why japan, i was originally just planning on learning about japan because i enjoy the culture but stay in america, but then i came to the realization of i have one life so why not spend it somewhere i enjoy.

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First, my response to this.
How could you possibly make a decision that Japan is a place you enjoy (and therefore want to live here) when you never even set foot here? You obviously seem to have done some Internet research, but it's so superficial for such a major commitment. "I enjoy the culture" means nothing at this point in your life/experience.

Second, to address other related points you made in response to other posters:

I am going into nuclear engineering/physics, that will be my career, if i cant get a job in Japan i simply won't live in Japan.

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So, what is it about Japan that attracts you? Some nebulous concept of its culture, or the work potential? Seems like the former, which is pretty weak for such a large thing.

1. every one in five power sources in japan is a nuclear power source, if there are no nuclear facilities in Japan when i graduate i will be HIGHLY shocked.

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I would strongly suggest that you follow up on those people you contacted earlier, but more so, you should really learn how likely it is going to be that the plants will still be active. The Tohoku quake really screwed up people's thinking on whether they should remain. Read up on it.
Nuclear power in Japan: Start 'em up | The Economist
THREE YEARS AFTER: Experts debate on whether Japan needs nuclear energy - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun
Japan's energy debate rages on tsunami anniversary

i guess you could say i like the way that the society works naturally. (this may sound cruel) here in America people complain and complain and complain, i'm not talking about protesting and such, i'm talking about just total and utter complaining in day to day life about EVERYTHING, from what I've learned, both from books over social construct and individuals who live there, this constant complaining is looked down on.

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What makes you think Japanese don't complain? Granted, they don't do it as openly as Americans, but they still complain. And, for those that don't, they suffer stress. And, suffering silently doesn't change the problems they encounter.

i also like the sense of community, if you accomplish something its the group who accomplished it not just "I" and "Me", i understand this includes letting those who don't work as hard take credit but i'm okay with that.

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You say that now as a HS student. Wait until you have some life experience. Check out the reason Shuji Nakamura (Nobel prize winner) ditched Japan and became an American citizen. Also read up on how poorly Japan operates in its science and engineering sector because of such an isolationistic attitude. It's related.
Companies, not employees, to get credit for inventions if merit system in place | The Japan Times

I also like the work force

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What the hell do you know about it? Seriously! Moreover, you are a woman, and you really, really, REALLY need to know what it's like for...

• women in Japan
• foreign women in Japan
• foreign women in the sciences in Japan

It's not pretty.

The reason i don't want to live in America is because i have, as my grandmother puts it, "hot feet", i want to explore new places and learn new things.

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Nobody's faulting you for that. It's a helluva lot better reason than saying you just want to leave the U.S. However, know more about what you're getting into. False hopes can sour you on the whole place in a flash, and I'm sure you don't want that.

Glenski said:

I'm going to be a bit blunt here, so heads up.

Please write better English. I don't really care if this is just a discussion forum. You need to write better. Lack of punctuation, poor grammar, etc. make it frustrating to read, and if you ever expect to get a science job, you're going to need to write far better.

To answer your questions, no, I did not mean entrance requirements to anything other than Tokai.

As for your other reply:

First, my response to this.
How could you possibly make a decision that Japan is a place you enjoy (and therefore want to live here) when you never even set foot here? You obviously seem to have done some Internet research, but it's so superficial for such a major commitment. "I enjoy the culture" means nothing at this point in your life/experience.

Second, to address other related points you made in response to other posters:
So, what is it about Japan that attracts you? Some nebulous concept of its culture, or the work potential? Seems like the former, which is pretty weak for such a large thing.
I would strongly suggest that you follow up on those people you contacted earlier, but more so, you should really learn how likely it is going to be that the plants will still be active. The Tohoku quake really screwed up people's thinking on whether they should remain. Read up on it.
Nuclear power in Japan: Start 'em up | The Economist
THREE YEARS AFTER: Experts debate on whether Japan needs nuclear energy - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun
Japan's energy debate rages on tsunami anniversary

What makes you think Japanese don't complain? Granted, they don't do it as openly as Americans, but they still complain. And, for those that don't, they suffer stress. And, suffering silently doesn't change the problems they encounter.

You say that now as a HS student. Wait until you have some life experience. Check out the reason Shuji Nakamura (Nobel prize winner) ditched Japan and became an American citizen. Also read up on how poorly Japan operates in its science and engineering sector because of such an isolationistic attitude. It's related.
Companies, not employees, to get credit for inventions if merit system in place | The Japan Times

What the hell do you know about it? Seriously! Moreover, you are a woman, and you really, really, REALLY need to know what it's like for...

• women in Japan
• foreign women in Japan
• foreign women in the sciences in Japan

It's not pretty.

Nobody's faulting you for that. It's a helluva lot better reason than saying you just want to leave the U.S. However, know more about what you're getting into. False hopes can sour you on the whole place in a flash, and I'm sure you don't want that.

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1. I have dyslexia, I'm trying very hard to improve on it. i go to eye therapy every other week for it. I'm honestly trying

2. i meant somewhere i enjoy learning about. your totally right i have zero clue (besides some book knowledge) what living in japan is like. i do plan on studying abroad and visiting before i make any absolute plans. as I've said this is NOT a be all end all decision, and I'm still learning.

3. as I've stated, i kind of came to the realization of why live somewhere I'm not interested in. I've got one life that spans somewhere between 60-100 years, why not travel, explore, and enjoy it? i make a mistake and move somewhere then decide i don't like it? i will simply move on, another experience added to life. plus this is the whole reason i joined this cite, to get negative opinions.

4. I have read up on the negative views towards nuclear power (although most of that reading was in general, not just localized to japan). i would be rather shocked if all 48 facilities shut down in 4 years.

5. i said there were exceptions, there will always be exceptions no matter what your talking about. thats why i put the "(may sound cruel)" because i know there are those that suffer in silence.

6. i guess that's something else that separates me from a lot of people, I'm not going into life thinking I will magically succeed at everything and become "famous" in my career. I'd far rather say "i was part of the group that" not "i was the one who". once again your totally right, but as I've said multiple times, none of this is in stone, I'm only 18, to think life is going to go exactly as i plan is rather ignorant. Right now the only thing that is certain about my future is i am attending Oklahoma University, living in my brothers condo (during college) and attending college pursuing a career in nuclear engineering, everything thing else I have the rest of my life to decide.

7, i even said "i understand these things may be different then how I've read them" I don't know exactly what it's like, i will only know that once I'm actually in it. all i can do is read and hope to get the best understanding of what its like. (yes i have read over women in science in japan, not particularly focusing on foreigners but i will look into it)

8. the very reason I'm here, I can possibly get the closest understanding of what it's like without discussing with people who have already been through it. like I have said I'm doing this now so i can have a better understanding. it's FAR smarter to take 4 years to try and understand something and make up your mind, then waiting till I'm half way through college and go "what the heck am i doing?". wouldn't you agree?

I am only 18, i have alot of learning to do.
I do NOT have life figured out, and for me to think i do would be stupid.
I am not a genius, life isn't going to magically fall into my lap and make me famous.
The ideas i come up with now are merely ideas i have now, they may change, they may not.
I do not fully understand the world nor do i know everything there is to know (i never will),
The most i can do for myself at the present moment is worry about finishing High School, getting done what i need done and look into ideas for the future.

Download Guidebooks｜For Prospective Students｜Tokai Univ.
It does not look to me that they teach in English. Instead, they have a scheme for international students where you can take language courses there before your degree. Unless you can get a good scholarship (MEXT would be the main one here), cost is also a huge issue.

I would personally recommend that you complete your degree in the US (with a year or summer abroad if possible), then look at postgraduate options.

From the tone and content of your posts, I don't really get the impression you're likely to put in several hundred hours of drudge work learning the language sufficient to complete your proposed coursework at a Japanese university that doesn't teach in English.

A nebulous interest in Japanese history, culture, or whatnot is really no more promising a basis to found a decision to emigrate to Japan on than is an interest in cartoons and comic books, in all truth.

I would suggest you study to enter a field you have a passion for, that you investigate what sort of educational background and professional licensure and credentials would provide you with the option to work in the greatest number of places on the planet, and that you pursue that rather than compromising your educational plans to accommodate a potential move to a country you know (in essence) absolutely nothing about, to which you have no connection, and which you don't exactly have your heart set on emigrating to anyway.

Contacting working professionals in your field of interest and asking their advice is a good idea, so do give the ones you've already contacted a gentle poke and ask them for guidance and pointers. Any true professional worth his salt will consider it practically an obligation to counsel those coming along after him if his counsel is sought....or ought to.

That being said, if you want to be taken seriously and get replies, you would be well advised to write in complete sentences and make use of the shift keys on your keyboard. Right or wrong, consciously or unconsciously, many people will judge you poorly based on poorly composed written communications and not take you seriously.

I almost laughed when you said something along the lines of Japanese not complaining. From my experience, the Japanese can be a little prone to self-victimisation and some people complain so much that I stay away from them. This aspect of human nature is apparently not uncommon in other countries too.

Anyways, I can understand where you are coming from. The others may have sounded harsh but I can see that they were all very well-meaning. You do have quite alot to see and experience for yourself first before you can be more "sure" if Japan is the right place for you.

Anyways, I will just like to share my journey to end up living/working here and hope it helps you somehow.

I started learning Japanese when I got really interested in two Japanese bands, Garnet Crow and Dir En Grey. I wanted to sing along and also understand what the lyrics were all about without having to refer to others' translations. I learned the hiragana and katakana well enough to sing at karaoke. Kanji was a mixed bag with my background in Chinese and random guessing. Its a little embarrassing sometimes but I have to admit that it all started with my strong interest in music (and karaoke).

Then I got into a local university majoring in electrical engineering. Japanese was just a hobby and a easy beginner elective to score. Then I got to know about a short exchange trip to Waseda, and Soka University. I had been to Kyushu before on a family trip but this ended up as my first semi-independent trip and I got to see for myself what all the hype with Tokyo is.

I then went on to get JLPT3 in the same year and kept at it. I had attained JLPT1 before I graduated. Graduation came, with life choices staring at my face I escaped for more than a month backpacking all over Japan alone. It was then that I was really starting to find out more.

Then I came back to my home country to get a job. I was visiting Japan once a year by then. I became more confident and with work experience I made a move to work for a company that required my skills. I was going to Japan 3~4 times by that time and had finally gained a much better understanding.

I then concluded that Japan was not the place for me. After having seen the dark side and possible difficulties, I totally shelved the idea and moved to my next job that had nothing to do with Japan/Japanese.

It was then that I started to miss Japan a little. I had traveled to quite a number of countries for both work and leisure but never felt the same way for the other places.

I made a decision to quit my job, pack up my bags, and bunk in with a friend in Japan. With a tourist visa I went through the terrible job search process here, finally "lived" in Japan and came to gripes with all the shortcomings and the other stuff that I gave up in my home country.

I never imagined that my moving to a different country could have taken so many years in the making. However, this assured me that I at least have the knowledge and experience to make the most informed choice.

It took me more than 12 years and I don't see why you'll need to be thinking that much at your age and stage in life. There is only so much that we can plan ahead for.

Like what many others have suggested, I highly recommend that you make your first literal step to Japan and experience it for yourself. It doesn't matter at this stage if its just a small step like a family holiday or a short solo trip.

All the best.

I don't know about your field, but in my field a degree from a U.S. university means a LOT more the world over than one from a Japanese university. It gives me the ability to work all over the world while the Japanese degree is only useful in Japan.

I know it seems like people are being negative, but they are making good points. Maybe it will work out, but I'd lay odds on finishing school in the U.S. giving you better long term results.

genevievekogo said:

...
...this fall I will be attending Oklahoma University to study chemical energy engineering ...

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Tho you do mention nuke there, I'd just point out that chem engineering is one of the most employable majors there is. Salaries are excellent, too.