i am thinking about moving to japan but am still confused

i'm an 18 yr old guy lived in Australia all my life but cant rely see myself staying here the rest of my life.
i love the Japanese culture in all aspects and wish i could live in japan
i prefer not to live in a big city although id like to go to Tokyo and all that
my ideal dream would be to live in the Japanese countryside
i'm not sure if its far fetched or whatever but yeah
the problem is the more i research about citizenship and such the more i get confused and start to become discouraged
i guess what i want to know is would something like this be possible for someone like me? and if so how?

any reply is appreciated!

you've never been to Japan but you're talking about citizenship?

Nothing in your post shows that you've put much thought into this dream, and the information you've provided doesn't help us answer any questions for you.

In the past couple of weeks, I've seen a handful of people describing very similar circumstances. Please realize the following:

1. Running away from your home country situation may not solve anything. Who is to say Japan's is any better, or that it won't provide even more (other, that is) problems?

2. At 18, being Aussie leaves you with very few options to come fairly long-term: student visa, cultural activities visa, working holiday visa, and tourist. Explore the ramifications of these, and decide which is best.

3. As nice gaijin wrote, the fact that you have not even set foot in Japan yet talk about citizenship shows a lot of your naivete. Come for a visit, whether as a tourist or on a WHV. Even so, it will not show you all of what you need to choose a true course of action, since tourists don't live here, pay taxes, etc.

One does not have to change citizenship when one moves abroad to live. I have what is called Permanent Resident status in Japan (that came after work visa and spouse visa). There are many PR status holders like me. It's like a green card in Oz. I'm still an American, but I don't need to renew any work visa or spouse visa anymore. Even if one doesn't get PR (which usually takes a single person 10 years), you can still live here indefinitely on a work visa (provided that it gets renewed, and that usually depends on holding down a job) or spouse visa (as long as you stay married to a Japanese).

Since you are 18, I will assume you don't have a college degree. This (or 3-10 years of related work experience) is what is needed to get that initial work visa. Come and look around, then decide which is the most attractive option, and then satisfy the immigration requirements.

yeah i no its a little naive of me to think about something like that but yeah
i'm not running from my home country i mean its not as if its a bad place i just like japan
i'm planing to visit japan some time after i go to England next year so that should give me some idea about the place ay
at this point in time it is more of an idea, i mean i know i cant just up and leave now but if i do end up acting on it i need to have the right sort of background
i know i'm still young and have allot of things to learn but i still wish my dream could come true, you only get one life after all

so i need to get a college degree to get a work visa to work in japan?
what other requirements are there?

Hi Zak arid,

Welcome to the forum! It's nice to have dreams, and I hope you will be able to live in Japan! I do want to ask you to do some research before posting certain questions. For example the question do I need to get a college degree to get a work visa has been talked about many times before so please have a look around the forum!

zak arid said:

yeah i no its a little naive of me to think about something like that but yeah
i'm not running from my home country i mean its not as if its a bad place i just like japan

Click to expand...

Then why don't you feel you want to spend the rest of your life in Australia?

And, what exactly is it about Japan you "like", without ever having been here? All you wrote so far was the "culture", but that is way too vague, and it is pretty meaningless for someone who has never set foot on Japanese soil. What you may have seen from afar could very possibly be totally different or nonexistent in reality.

so i need to get a college degree to get a work visa to work in japan?
what other requirements are there?

Click to expand...

Work visas require that you have a college degree (or equivalent) or a certain minimum number of years of related work experience (as I mentioned in the previous post; it depends on what type of work visa).

You can also get work on student visas (PT only, and with special permission), but obviously you have to be accepted to a school for full-time studies. FT or PT work can be done on working holiday visas, too.

If you were to pursue work here, what do you imagine it would be, and what are your qualifications?

The single largest favor you can do yourself at this point in your life is to get an education, whether it be attending college or attending a trade school and learning some job skills.

I don't wish to sound harsh, but it seems that somewhere along the line either the school system failed to teach you or you failed to learn very good English skills (spelling, composition, etc). As the bulk of people aiming to come to Japan to work seem to end up as English teachers, English skills are relevant. If you are capable of doing better but were just being lazy in your posts, then please do us the favor of giving us your best efforts. If you're already doing your best, then at the very least you need to enable spell-check.

As you are an Australian, you are eligible to participate in the working holiday visa program. There are certain age requirements and restrictions, but you can easily research those online. You may wish to consider taking advantage of that program in order to see if your dream of Japan can survive experiencing the reality.

It is easy to love all aspects of a place one has never been to and has no real knowledge about. After all, every aspect of it is something you have the luxury of making up in your head and ugly realities have no way of intruding upon the dream. In other words, you imagine you love things about an imaginary Japan. Yes, there is a real Japan; but you have no way of knowing if you love it, like it, could take it or leave it, don't care for it, or absolutely despise and detest it. I'll let you in on a little secret, some places in Japan are so unappealing to young people that the minute they finish school they grab a ride on the first thing smoking and beat feet the hell out of there. I'll let you in on another little secret, if you promise not to tell anybody.....some Japanese people are a**holes. Some are d*cks. Some are rotten b*stards. There are a lot about whom I have long remarked, "The only thing that stops them being white trash is that they're not white". Wow....just like back home, isn't it? Point is: Japan is just a place. The Japanese people are just people. Coming here with inflated expectations is a recipe for some rather severe disappointment and disillusionment.

Like practically every other person in the endless stream of those making the same inquiry here, you mention loving all of Japanese culture.....yet make not one specific mention about any aspect of culture or what it is about it specifically that so strongly appeals to you. Nor do you mention how it is that you have come to know all aspects of Japanese culture. Just between you and me....there are aspects of Japanese culture that I despise. And I bet any Japanese citizen being totally frank and candid would admit the same thing. What you're engaging in is the equivalent of having had a bit of vanilla, a bit of chocolate, a taste of strawberry, and then declaring you love all flavors of ice cream and want to take up residence in the coal shed out back of the ice cream factory. I have news for you: some of the flavors suck and there's a world of difference between sitting out in the parlor enjoying the product and being back in the factory where they churn it out.

As asked above, though, what work do you foresee yourself pursuing here and what are your qualifications for doing that work?

@ Davey
Sorry bout that i didn't really look through the other posts before posting this.


Yeah i'm going to check out Japan first obviously i'm just asking now so if i do decide to move there i am prepared beforehand.
Well i like things such as Japanese foods, the landscape, the language, the customs and traditions, the architecture, the martial arts and the ideals.
I would elaborate but i think it would take too long.
As for a job i'm not entirely sure yet, i had previously considered things such as psychology and things to do with computers such as programming.
Sorry about my English, generally i don't put much effort into spelling as you can imagine i tend to use text talk with my friends, also i don't know if this is of any consequence but Australia spells some word differently for some reason (for example 'color' is 'colour').
I see, ill look in to the working holiday visa!

Thanks everyone for the help here by the way.

What is it about the language that you like? Have you studied the language? Or do you just think kanji look cool? If you've not studied the language, better get cracking on that; it is a long uphill slog.

Regarding psychology, here is a link to a thread you may find informative.

You did a much better job this time around, so quite obviously the poor habits associated with text talk were the primary culprit. That is a good thing, as it is easier to remind one's self to be a bit more careful than it is to overcome ignorance. Just remember to reach for the shift keys and the punctuation keys a bit more. In a text-based environment, the way you present your words is the way you present your self. Make a good effort at presenting yourself as best you can and people will have a favorable opinion of you and treat your inquiries seriously. Present yourself in text-speak and people are apt to think you barely literate, not terribly bright, and not worth the bother of providing a serious reply. It may be that all the people of your generation view text-speak in a more neutral and nonjudgmental way, but the generations that have been on the planet long enough to have the experience required to provide you with useful answers don't view it that way. Also, English is not the first language of everyone here. Many people have studied very hard to acquire English skills and forcing them to try to wade through a tangled mess of poorly constructed, poorly punctuated, grossly misspelled, barely recognizable imitations of "sentences" is....let us be mild and call it "inconsiderate".

Well it's somewhat hard to explain what i like about a language... i guess i would say that i like the sound and the flow of it, if that makes any sense.
I have studied Japanese a bit but i doubt i would be able to carry out a proper conversation in Japanese, i can read the Hiragana and Katakana but the Kanji still proves somewhat elusive.
Yeah i suppose i need to work on my writing too.
I checked out the working holiday visa, looks like a pretty good deal to me, i might try that out some time in the future.
Just so everyone knows i'm not thinking of moving to japan just willy-nilly, i'm talking somewhat long term here, it would be silly of me to think i could just move their without putting any time and effort into this.

zak arid said:

Well i like things such as Japanese foods, the landscape, the language, the customs and traditions, the architecture, the martial arts and the ideals.
I would elaborate but i think it would take too long.

Click to expand...

No, please do! How have you learned about the landscape without having been here? Japan is 75 percent mountains anyway, and very volcanic. Where I live (Hokkaido) is a lot of farming plains and (surprise!) mountains, but down on the opposite end of the country is Okinawa, quite different. And, then there are the cityscapes, filthy beaches, etc. I suspect you've seen a lot (too many) of travel photos from people.

From Wikipedia and a couple of other travel sites, your own homeland of New South Wales looks far more impressive as far as landscapes go.

Customs and traditions. Bore us, ok? What do you know that you find so wonderful, and how did you learn them without being here? I'm willing to bet you got most from an exchange student (girlfriend?) or watching movies.

Food? Hah! A sushi bar, maybe?

Architecture? What, for example? Shrines and temples? Look at the basic modern city and it looks like London or New York.

http://www.nakasendoway.com/images/2-60-1.jpg
EzineMark
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Okayama_City_office_street_2008.2.JPG
http://www.explorejapan.org/photos/nagoya.png

Martial arts and the ideals. If you haven't had some exchange student thrill the cockles of your heart over Japan, this is probably the next most likely experience or exposure to Japan. If it figures strongly in your vision of what Japan is like, forget it. Unlike the stereotype, most Japanese people do not know any martial arts (unlike all Karate Kid movies), and their philosophy on life is not based on aikido or bushido.

As for a job i'm not entirely sure yet, i had previously considered things such as psychology and things to do with computers such as programming.

Click to expand...

Psychology means extensive college studies (at the very least a master's degree in both countries), and a heckuva lot of Japanese language. What Japanese person would go to a foreigner for counseling anyway? Answer: damned few!

Programmers are a dime a dozen nowadays, and aside from needing to know Japanese, the foreign people who get hired more often recently are from India.

Go ahead with the working holiday visa inquiry,
The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan

but I really think you should just look at saving your money for a 2-3 week holiday a couple of times before you plan something a serious as living/working here. A WHV lets you do a lot of different kind of work, but with poor Japanese skills, you're not going to get much, perhaps a very low quality English teaching job (unlikely at your age, but not impossible), or bar work (probably only in a gaijin bar at that) or handing out flyers/tissue (not something very lucrative or exciting).

Architecture is something I don't pretend to know anything about. But in the course of my work I do travel around through quite a variety of cities and towns. My largest impression has always been, "Man!, there's a lot of concrete in this country!" I don't see how there is enough concrete left for any other country on earth to have any. Japan has concrete like Iowa has corn.

@ Glenski
While i appreciate the fact you think i'm naive there's no need to criticize me and talk down to me.
I get your point but it wouldn't hurt to be a little bit nicer about it.
Also a pessimistic world view never helped anybody.
I'm not looking to start an argument i just don't see why it's necessary to be so rude.

Show me where I was actually rude, zak. I didn't curse or call you names. It's not "pessimistic". I don't think you know the meaning of that word.

Look, you've never been here and yet say you know so much about the country. I would appreciate some answers considering the depth to which I have tried to provide help. Do me the courtesy.

My Suggestion to you

zak arid said:

i'm an 18 yr old guy lived in Australia all my life but cant rely see myself staying here the rest of my life.
i love the Japanese culture in all aspects and wish i could live in japan
i prefer not to live in a big city although id like to go to Tokyo and all that
my ideal dream would be to live in the Japanese countryside
i'm not sure if its far fetched or whatever but yeah
the problem is the more i research about citizenship and such the more i get confused and start to become discouraged
i guess what i want to know is would something like this be possible for someone like me? and if so how?
any reply is appreciated!

Click to expand...

I suggest that you go to college, preferably a school that has a good Japanese language program. If possible, see if you can spend either the summer or one year as an exchange student in Japan. This will give you an excellent idea as to whether Japan is best for you.

Of course, by no means limit yourself to Japan. You may also want to explore other places to go, such as China, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, just to mention a few in Asia.

If you do these things, chances are you will have a good grip on what you want to do by the time you graduate. Best to you and your endeavors.

If you're thinking of coming to Japan, I recommend learning the language as best you can. The working holiday visa is a great opportunity to get your feet wet in Japan, and after actually spending some time here in Japan, you'll be better informed on whether you actually like it there or not.

As far as programmers go, as Glenski pointed out, they may be a dime a dozen, but programming is a useful and sought after skill. I'm currently going back to school for electrical engineering, and I just got a job partly based on my ability to programme. Whether or not you go to Japan, it may be something worth learning. And it opens more doors for you if you do go to Japan (as will any skill in demand). After all, any native speaker can be an English teacher, but not everyone knows how to programme.

As the others have said, Japan is not all glamorous. I have heard of people who were excited to come to Japan, but after taking one foot off the plane were practically begging to leave. It's not for everyone.

So to come full-circle, I think the best thing for anyone who is interested in living in Japan is to learn the language and actually visit the country on some sort of a long-term visa, like the working holiday.

I agree with Mikawa.

I suggest you get some kind of degree first (preferrably in your own country as you either need to know Japanese or have a lot of money to study a degree in English in Japan). Having a degree will open doors for you, but you need to experience Japan first-hand. Just take that vacation and enjoy it to the fullest. If you don't enjoy it, ask yourself why. Visiting places allows for personal growth, but it might be safer to make it a short visit first .
Good luck!

Hey Zak ill give you a small insight into my situation. I was the exact same when I was 16 - 17 years old so I saved my backside off till I was 19 then went to Japan to see for myself and actually make sure It was for me. I then decided to scrap working as an assistant bar manager and pull my finger out and do software engineering at university. However whilst doing this I continued researching Japan and going every year (a very costly habit, but I made friends in Tokyo and enjoyed seeing them and being in Japan as much as possible).

When I finished my degree I knew without top notch Japanese skills and more to offer the job market in Japan that I probably would never break into the market (bar teaching English). So I decided to do a Masters by Research in something I felt very passionate (helping the visually impaired) using my skills in software engineering. During this time I managed to break into the research field in the UK making a few waves and while I did this applied for the MEXT scholarship as I wanted to do a PhD and of course would have preferred to do it in Japan. While I was doing all of this I took Japanese lessons here in the UK and as a backup did a TEFL course.

In April I will both be 25 years old and have made it to Japan for my PhD at least. I intend to keep working on my Japanese skills and work towards lecturing in Japan (In England I have been doing some software engineering lectures in the University I did my MSc and also did a lecturing course there too).

So it has taken me 9 years of saving, working, sleepless nights, battling others just as passionate as me and finding my own niche and marketable skills. My friends at home think I am totally crazy, I personally think it has all been worth it. I love my research area and have truly enjoyed every minute of my time carving my way along the path I chose.

I dont intend this to be an inspirational post, I intend this to show you how much hard work really goes into getting what you want. I honestly hope you get what you want. Keep pushing, keep trying and go that extra mile for your goal.

Good luck!!

You are a splendid example....and a sadly rare one....of someone who approaches this in a rational manner, who actually does "whatever it takes" instead of just talking about it, and who makes it happen.

I've always said that the people who actually do what it takes and show up in Japan tend to just quietly go about it. It is those who go on and on about it in online forums who seem never to put their words into actions and just drift off to something else.

Your post was inspirational, whether you intended it to be or not. I just hope the OP sees it. I rather doubt it, though, as his last post was January 15th....just two days after he registered on JREF. (We get so many of those that I wonder why any of us go through the farce of seriously answering their questions anymore; we all know full well the chances they will ever come are practically zero).