Expatriates in Japan?

Hello Julien,

One possibility to come in Japan is the Visa "holiday/work" (Vacances/Travail), you can get a 1-year visa and look for a job once you are in Japan. But you need some money to live here, as long as you don't have a job.
Life is not so expensive actually, as long as you don't live like an european. The most expensive is the appartment (but it's not worst than in Paris), and the transportations (trains/bus). I speak here as a Tokyo area resident, I don't know so much about other cities.

I don't think Tokyo is so stressfull. Of course there are sooo many people, but Japanese are organized and have some sense of respect, streets are clean, people are kind. It makes life easier.

About the things to do in Japan: first, learn japanese. This is mandatory if you don't want to rely always on someone. Most of japanese don't understand nor speak english. So for a long stay, speaking some japanese is important. About sightseeing, there are so many nice places to visit! Just open a guidebook about Japan ;-) Culture, way of life, meeting people, is also some of the things that make ne stay here.

Romain

Thanks Romain! Is it possible to get a job and live in Japan for somebody who doesn't speak Japanese? (but I am willing to learn )

Yes it's possible, you can apply for a VIE (Volontariat International en
Entreprise) in Japan. Most of my french friends here have this kind of contract. I think it is the most realistic way to come here to work (at least the first time).

Romain

Salut Julien,

Tu peux voyager au Japon pour *relativement pas cher*, si tu n'a pas besoin de trop de confort et si tu as du temps devant toi. Il y a des auberges de jeunesse abordables, et tu peux y rencontrer des amis avec qui tu peux voyager et qui t'inviteront a sejourner chez eux
et t'emmeront voir tous les trucs touristiques et traditionnels. J'ai fait ca 2 fois, pendant 3 mois il y a quelques annees. De merveilleux voyages. Mais ces vacances n'avaient rien a voir avec la vie quotidienne qui est moderne et pas tres exotique.

Le niveau de vie est comparable a celui de la France (moins cher sur certains trucs, plus sur d'autre). A Osaka, on vit avec un budget a comparable a celui d'une ville de Province. Mais pour les etrangers qui arrivent, il y a des frais d'installation importants ( souvent 6 a 10 mois de loyer a verser d'avance, des frais d'entree par-ci, par-la, tout a racheter, etc)et c'est assez difficile de vivre de peu si tu ne parles pas la langue et ne connait pas le systeme.

La vie n'est specialement stressante pour les Japonais. Je trouve les gens moins nerveux qu'en Europe, certains se complaisent dans la mollesse. Pourtant, ils peuvent devenir tres penibles. Je pense que les clients les plus casse-pieds qu'on peut trouver au monde sont les Japonais moyens. Les etrangers ne sont pas toujours les bienvenus, en tout cas, ils font des *differences*.

Pour trouver du travail,  ce n'est pas evident  et chaque cas est different. Grosso modo, on ne te donnera pas un boulot qu'un Japonais pourrait faire (c'est la politique d'attribution des visas). Je n'ai pas de recettes a donner. J'ai bien galere. Il vaut mieux avoir une specialite technique ou une experience recherchee, et parler couramment japonais.

Thanks Kuri- for your participation.

I am convinced that language is the most important thing for integration. I also think that you can feel integrated once you understand the local humour

I should begin by a trip to Japan, maybe 2 weeks-one month would be enough to discover a couple of cities?

Just a question about Tokyo, isn't it a very expensive city like London or New York?

Expat' in Japan ? Present !
Expatrié au Japon ? Présent !
祖国を離れた人って？はい！

Hello.

Julien, you said... "There is a lot of expatriates in Japan on inscribed on the Expat.com website, but they don't speak that much at the moment "

It's because we are all stressed out and working hard

OK, if you were to live in the centre of Tokyo, and ate out a lot..... then yes. Tokyo is VERY expensive. However, if you are sensible it isn't that bad.
I live 30 minutes away from Otemachi (where I work) by train. For that, I've now got a 2SLDK apartment (2 bedrooms, Living/Dining/Kitchen and 'Spare' room). I would never be able to afford that in centre of Tokyo, or likewise where I used to live in the outskirts of Bath (UK).
Basically, Tokyo is like London. Difference is that the low cost resturants and eating/drinking establishments here are a lot better than the equivalent priced ones in London. Expensive, good quality places in London.... well the Japanese versions of those in Tokyo are stupidly expensive.

If you don't have a Japanese partner, then having a low ability of Japanese would make things here difficult. I'm learning, but as with most things, I haven't got the time to learn the language properly. It's like Catch 22. If I quit my job and went to Uni, I could spend the time to learn Japanese properly. However, I need money to do that.
I'm very lucky with my work, because I got a transfer from the UK office to here. I don't need to speak Japanese, and a lot of the techie Japanese guys I work with speak English.

The stress thing. Well, I suppose it may be possible that stress builds up a lot with the Japanese, because they are forever covering up what they really think when dealing with people. The society is so structured, it just seems to be stressful following the rules.
There are long working hours here, if you work for a Japanese company (I don't, so I sometimes work British/Euro type hours).
In my opinion though, the amount of actual real work that gets done in that time is the same as Europe. There is a lot of pressure just to remain in the office until the boss leaves!


The best things about Japan though. The people. The most fun I've had is being in an Izakaya. Alcohol just transforms them from being 'quiet in front of people in the "out-group"' to being 'very sociable'. I've had some most amusing conversations in a mixture of English and Japanese  with strangers in the Izakaya. The best one was when I was with my wife, and her parents. My wife's parents were suprised to see me attempt to speak with some other Japanese people.

GavinT wrote:

Hello.

Tokyo is VERY expensive. However, if you are sensible it isn't that bad.
I live 30 minutes away from Otemachi (where I work) by train. For that, I've now got a 2SLDK apartment (2 bedrooms, Living/Dining/Kitchen and 'Spare' room). I would never be able to afford that in centre of Tokyo, or likewise where I used to live in the outskirts of Bath (UK).
Basically, Tokyo is like London. Difference is that the low cost resturants and eating/drinking establishments here are a lot better than the equivalent priced ones in London. Expensive, good quality places in London.... well the Japanese versions of those in Tokyo are stupidly expensive.

I agree,
everything tends to be quite expensive in tokyo, especially rents.
Used to pay 84 000 Y ( 700 Euros ) for a 13 m² flat in a Gaijin house.
Transports fare ( especially taxis ) are horrific, bus and train a little less.
Metro is at the average fare ( same as Paris for example ) but with one problem in Tokyo : no weekly or monthly ticket, and the fact that you have to buy several tickets due to the facts that lines are owned by several companies.
But you can eat for nothing, you have plenty of restaurant selling udon, soba or ramens for 500-1000 Y ( 3,5-8 E ) if you like noodles.
Cigarettes are cheap too compared to france.
But keep in mind that in Tokyo you'll always succomb to mercantilism sirens :p You'll always find something to buy.

A basic expenses budget to live in tokyo ( and if you work in tokyo )

rent : 84 000 ( you can find cheaper but it includes all fees like electricity ... )
transports : 6500 Y ( based on 2 metro tickets/day )
food : 6000 ( 2000/day )
laundry : 3000

=> 99500 Y wihtout any special expense ...

I live in a very small town on Shikoku, so my experience is entirely different than those in the big cities. I find that although some things here are more expensive than in Canada (like produce, for example, fruit more than veggies), some things are less expensive. My car was cheap and the insurance is cheaper than I would pay for similar at home. Gas is more expensive, but my car is a yellow plate, so really good on gas. Utilities are expensive, but my house is tiny. I think in a lot of ways things balance out. My apartment is subsidized, though, so that makes a difference. I don't know what sort of work you're looking to do, but doing the JET programme is a great way to come if you want to be teaching... provided you're not set in being right in Tokyo or Osaka or something. You don't get a whole lot of say in where you end up. I love being out in the inaka (country) though. The people are kind, life is far more relaxed than any of the cities I've visited, and there are a lot of opportunities to experience more traditional aspects of the culture, I think. As for things to see, my favourite city I've visited is Hiroshima. It's lovely and vibrant and easy to get around, and so very very moving. I really enjoyed Nagasaki (actually everywhere I visited on Kyushu). Osaka is fun, Kyoto is pretty but soooooo full of tourists, Kobe seems cool though I didn't spend a whole lot of time there. I love Kochi, where I live. Very low key, not a lot of visitors, beautiful...

Anyway, blah blah blah, that's my long winded response. Definitely a worthwhile experience to spend some time here, and not like anywhere else I've ever been.

Sallie

LadyJane,

Do you agree that one must know Japanese to get along? Did you study the language before you went over?

I'm a member in Japan.  I just joined this forum.

To answer headdah, you really don't need to speak Japanese to live in Japan, especially if you work for an English school where the paperwork is in English and the other staff (usually). 

I studied Japanese in High School and was happy for the heads up on reading signs and basic conversation.

Expat in Nara-Ken, I'm looking for women who delievered their baby in Japan and ideally in Osaka.....
Anyone in this case?
Thanx