Moving to Japan 08-09 / Complicated Situation

Japanese women marry on the average about age 27 these days (and the age is going up). They want more freedom, and after they get married, their job opportunities usually fall off. Give her some breathing room. A couple of years is not going to kill you, and it might help you each to understand the other more.

If you were to take a sabbatical for 3 months, what would you do during the day in Japan while she puts in 10 hours at work?

I'm sure if you guys love each other, you will sort it all out either way..

Take your time though, and communicate truthfully to get a real grasp on where you are both coming from..

Like I said, true love has no boundaries, believe me, I know, been their done that many times, now look at me!

Australia, Japan, Australia now back to bloody Japan!

What's your educational background? Depending on that, your experience with Boeing, and knowledge of Japanese, look into this company - http://www.jamss.co.jp/ehtml/e_co_m01.html

I work with them in my job at NASA (I interface with JAXA for their Space Station elements, and JAMMS is a JAXA contractor). I've met a few Americans who are living in Japan. One was actually a Boeing employee (Boeing Huntsville) who quit Boeing to work in Japan (Japanese wife). Headquarters is in Tokyo, but most of the folks I know are in the Tsukuba and Tsuchiura offices (45-60 minutes from Tokyo). Another American I met is kind of a funny guy. He can hold a technical conversation in Japanese but on the street he admits he gets totally lost.

Excellent points. Within just a couple days I received an interview invitation for the 787 program (possibly Japan related) and looked into attending Keio and Waseda for intensive language programs (student visa). There's Japanese career fair in my area this May with aerospace suppliers (among other industries). There seem to be a myriad of options on the table. I think that if I exercise enough patience and as Glenski mentioned, give her some room to breathe, then I think things will turn out fairly well.

Taking a 3 month 'vacation' does not seem like a good choice, since she would not have much time for me, besides morning and night. She didn't even get the day off before and after Christmas (corporate finance reality). I think that sticking it out with Boeing, perhaps transferring to one of it's partners (Fuji, Kawasaki, Mitsubishi, etc) would not be a bad move either. It's been less than two months since I came back from Japan and I'm sure there's quite a bit that can happen in the remainder of 2008.

For the sake of thinking way ahead. If two people have good incomes, it makes life a lot easier down the road, whether it's for kids, traveling, etc. If my girlfriend wants to pursue a career, that's fine, but eventually the family role will be just as important.

Kyoto Returnee, I like your story, seems like you've had your fair share of ordeals. Australia to Japan is a short flight so that's a plus.

She didn't even get the day off before and after Christmas (corporate finance reality).

Click to expand...

That's just reality in Japan where Christmas is not a holiday. Why would you get the day off?

Tigermilk, in response to your reply, my background is in international business with a minor in finance. This is why I've always second guessed my career track. Finance is certainly a possibility in the near future. Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs would be ideal, but Boeing will definitely work for the time being. I'm also fluent in German, so possibly Deutsche Bank could provide a leg up. There are other German companies in Japan, but I have not done much research in this. 3 years of experience seems to be the magic number for getting an interview in Japan. This must be for the sole reason that 3 years equals mid-level career. There's definitely a emphasis towards qualifications, the more the better. I'm currently 2 years into my career in aerospace.

I guess I'm a little too accustomed to Boeing holidays. 1 1/2 weeks enterprise wide at the end of the year and if you request unpaid leave, you may get that authorized as well. You can take 4 weeks off if you're lucky and 3 weeks if you save up a little vacation.

Be aware that you could get an intracompany transfer visa if you started working for a company that has branches in Japan, but you have to have a year or more of experience with them before you are eligible for the transfer.

It is not very likely IMO to recruit someone in the lower ranks and ship them to an overseas assignment like Japan very early after hiring them anyway. Patience is an enormous virtue in Japan in more ways than one.