Why All Foreigners LEAVE JAPAN
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- čas přidán 20. 05. 2024
- Should I leave Japan? Why do (most) all foreigners end up leaving Japan? I have lived here in Japan over 5 years, speak Japanese, and have made many friends, but many of them end up leaving Japan and going back to their home countries.
Why does this happen, and why do so few people stay in Japan long-term? Actually, my wife (non-Japanese) and I were planning to leave Japan this year for family reasons, but have been unable to because of the pandemic so we have been thinking about this topic a lot lately.
How I Met My Wife in Japan (She's Not Japanese!)
• How I Met My Wife in J...
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Timestamps
intro - 0:00
Why move to Japan? - 2:05
Limited term contracts - 3:13
Salary ceiling - 4:58
Start from zero after each transition - 5:56
Work as Japanese salaryman - 7:00
Family - 7:45
What is the cost of living in Japan / sacrifice? - 8:37
Culture differences / isolation - 12:02
Natural disasters / weather - 13:27
Japan pension system - 15:31
Starting a business in Japan - 18:30
Why we love Japan - 20:08
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How I Met My Wife in Japan (She's Not Japanese!) czcams.com/video/QNworgD2IXA/video.html
You two are great! 😃
Let me guess, You didn't search for this?
i totally googled this and this video came up.. its been a question ive had my whole life and this video is a revelation
@@chronicawareness9986 Congratulations.
You right 👻😹
CZcams recommended this video to me.
In fact I did
I think two other reasons foreigners leave is doing no research before going, and having unrealistic expectations.
"But muh asian waifus doe" these losers cant get girlfriends in their own country expecting a real life anime girl in a foreign country with a language and culture they have no understanding in.
after reading comments here of people leaving that doesnt seem to be the case at all.
@Frederic Lehouillier No self respecting asian women race mixes. Those are just self race hating asians.
Maybe that's true in Thailand or Philippines. Not east asia.
@@Valstrax420 Yes it is. It's very common for people to travel to new places with no prior research or unrealistic expectations and then decide to leave after they get there because the experience isn't what they thought it would be.
Japan is a fantastic country to visit as a foreigner.
Not a good place to live as a foreigner though.
Well say dude
I'm here in Japan for more than 20 years and still very difficult to rent a house.Old and dirt apartments are ok for you, but if you try to rent a house you get a series of NO and SORRY.
Bingo
Ain't that the truth...
@@19731213 Even Japanese person can't rent a house in Japan if he/she doesn't have a guarantor of him/her.
Even Japanese want to leave Japan like me.
So I left Japan to Australia 10 years ago, but found it difficult to live for long time. Then I realized the keys of good life are cultural fit, relationships and job. Before I left my home country I had not appreciated these factors. I am living happily in Japan now. I hope all of people here can find the best place to spend good life.
What made it difficult to live in Australia for you? glad you found your way back to Japan :)
Hilarious. You should have stayed in Australia.
@@drift8021 why? Japan is richer, safer and cleaner than Australia
@@jereee4732 LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
@@sookim2017 ?
I like to imagine that he's just following a stranger on a bike while loudly trying to engage in conversation.
Wild 😂
STOPP THIS SENT ME-
👏😩
I like the way your mind works
I read this at the right time
It's his wife.
I feel like you missed one major reason, which was the main reason I left Japan after 8 years: The work culture is crappy in most places. I basically had all the good stuff you mentioned, and while I still miss a lot of that stuff back home in America, the piss-poor work culture really ruined it all. I think Steve Martin's long post in the comments says it all pretty clearly.
That's very true unfortunately :(
Well if you work for a farmer it’s pretty nice! We have lots of brakes and at least my boss makes sure we have lunch brake on time and we go home on time! No overtime, nice people I even lost some weight *yeah*
Thanks for the kudos HartleySan. I wish my comments did say it all, but it would take a book length answer, and I still would not be able to scratch the surface of how the work culture damages both foreigners and Japanese alike. Good people are scattered here and there, but the ruling elite have made this a feudal faux-meritocracy with only the institutional facade of a 'developed' country. Glad you could make the great escape. I guess, I'll just have to end my days, fighting the good fight, but hopeless, here.
Cheers!
@@stevemartin4249 just a question, how long would you say it took you to be fluent in the japanese language?
@@stevemartin4249 Thanks a lot for your reply and thanks again for your initial long post/comment. You are right that it would take a book to really cover the topic thoroughly (and maybe you need to write that book; who's a better expert than someone that's been in country for 37 years?). You really got me thinking about a bunch of things that I hadn't thought about in a long time. I will admit that I'm happy I "escaped" from Japan, but at the same time, I miss a lot of things about Japan and am somewhat jealous of people living there. It's such a weird thing.
That said, I remember very distinctly the feeling of working in Japan and always feeling trapped. I got really tired of riding crowded trains about an hour each way every day to go to work, a place I didn't want to be in the first place. It felt like such a colossal time-suck for everyone on those trains. Such inefficiency. Although I hear that the coronavirus has somewhat forced companies to change some of their you-must-be-in-the-office-to-work-at-all-times policies, I'm not sure how much things have really change (I always recall "change" in Japan moving at a glacial pace).
And you know, maybe I shouldn't complain about the slow pace of change happens in Japan. The fact that Japan is slow and resistant to a lot of change has allowed some of its amazing culture and heritage to be preserved, and I think that's a good thing. That said, I think the work culture is in need of a massive overhaul.
And yes, like you said, I used to always joke that Japan is a "democracy" in name only. It's like they're a democracy because the US made them change after WWII, so they act like a democracy on a very superficial level to appease the "masters" and really just do things the way they want, which is the feudal faux-meritocracy that you referred to. And you're so right too that it's a double-whammy for foreigners in Japan. The feudal lords want to keep all people down, including all Japanese people, and then you have to deal with the second big hammer knocking you down because of the inclusiveness of Japanese culture and institutions and how "foreigners can't possibly understand how things work" (TM).
Anyway, I'm getting kind of negative here, which wasn't my intention. I think I've changed and matured a lot in the 7 years since leaving Japan. In other words, having an extended break from Japan has giving me the freedom I needed to step back and really think about it and separate the good from the bad in my mind. In doing so, I've realized that I'd actually like to live in Japan (at least part of the year) again. To do that though, I've realized that there are two very important things that I think are required to really enjoy Japan for all the great things it has to offer and not feel trapped again:
1) You have to have a steady job / stream of money that isn't tied to working in a horrible Japanese company / work environment. I think this comes down to either a) getting really lucky with an awesome Japanese employer, which do exist, but are rare; or b) finding a way to sustain yourself with remote work. This second option is the one I'm actively working towards these days. I'm trying to work myself into a career path where I can work wherever, whenever and still get the job done. By doing so, you can live in Japan whenever you want without feeling trapped and never having a way out. Of course, I know this isn't easy to achieve and not every foreigner living in Japan can hope for this, but making this a goal allows you to better free yourself from your work, which is just a good goal to begin with.
2) I think you have to have meaningful connections in Japan that you can physically meet and hang out with on a regular basis. I have so many fond memories of hanging out with friends in Japanese (both Japanese friends and expats from various countries) and just having a great time. Some of the best memories of my life. I think the thing that always made it hard is that those good times accounted for maybe 1% (or less) of my actual time in Japan, and the other 99% always felt like such a slog. To a point I think you made earlier though, it can be hard to find "free" time with friends because everyone's always working so much. You have to actively and aggressively work hard to create free time and have fun. It's kind of crazy, but is lots of fun when you can do it.
So yeah, maybe that's the key: Finding a means of earning money that's sufficient and doesn't tie you to a specific location or a Draconian work culture and then working hard to sustain meaningful relationships. I suppose that might be a good recipe for anyone in this world, regardless of where you work/live, but I've realized that I can never really live in Japan again without those two things.
Anyway, I went pretty off-tangent there, Steve, but would love to hear any continuing thoughts you have on the matter, as it seems you've thought much harder about these things and have more hard time in Japan, which offers a unique perspective that you just can't buy.
I wanted to move to Japan since I was 14, in 1995. Eleven years later, I made it. I lived in Tokyo for 4 years and it was truly the highlight of my life. When I was 29, riding the train out to work in the suburbs (I was living in Harajuku), I really started to think more deeply. "Once I start a family, I'm going to be locked down here and be less able to transition careers...and I *don't* want to be an English teacher forever." I had to pull the pin and come back to the US...and I'm glad I did, because my 30s were a time of personal growth....but the mind is strange. All my memories of my previous life play on the screen of my mind with the sweet ochre haze of nostalgia...I'm 40 now..and sometimes I think about going back.
I'd say one of the biggest reasons to go back is because now I'm smarter, more professional, understand how businesses are run, and have a confidence that I could build a successful enterprise in tourism...but things like COVID travel lockdowns are terrifying and no entrepreneur should take them lightly. Talk about throwing cold water on a HUGE number of people's livelihoods in Japan...
Dude, we are in the exact same state of mind and similar exp & current age. Let's talk lol.
Don't go back.
If that’s what you want to do, go move there again man! Have no regrets to look back on. You can always move back later if things don’t work out
life is about taking chances and having fun
we only get one shot at this nonsense called life, may as well go for it
I’ve been living in Japan for more than 30 years now. I have my own job and bought a house. Life is not easy and there are obstacles in some ways but I get by. I think fulfillment doesn’t come from where you live. Fulfillment comes from witnessing your own growth!
So true.
I live in Greenland, it is the same topic and issue.
pathetic.
Hate to say this but, this would be a heartbreaking news for all the weebs who want to study Japanese and planning to get a job as a English teacher and live there permanently.
shut up lol don't break my heart bro 😂 i still want my Japanese waifu xD
@@RichardHernandez-pz7bt you'll wish you didn't
@Lakin Dagnan You are not that far wrong.
Working as a language teacher anywhere isn't the best way to make a living lol. If you wanna work in japan, or anywhere really, look to do something other than language teaching. You're really limiting yourself if you do that
Nowhere is perfect. It’s pretty common that people leave a lot of places after 2 years. Home is always the less stressful option, but we can’t deny our need to live/leave/see. At the end of the day, it’s about accepting and making the most of wherever we are, it’s easy to move, but harder to really know which set of pros and cons suit you.
I lived/worked in Japan for 10 years. I considered being a lifer, but then I hit my 30's. As you said, many companies only give short term contracts. Sure you can try to change companies. But when you get older, you realize that they age discriminate for new workers. Mid 30's should be a supervisor. After getting married, not getting any full time contracts with benefits, and realizing that I will not be strong enough to do 4 freelancer jobs to make a living after I'm 40, I decided to leave. That and back then the gaijin bs really got old for me after 5 years. I wasn't having much fun there anymore. Just work work work. After a couple of years of being on the fence, family reasons convinced me to go home.
I've been in Japan for 30 years and love it. I came here on the eikaiwa ticket with GEOS. After a year I changed jobs after sending out hundreds of resumes. I managed to get a teaching job at a private high school. After 10 years of working as an ALT, I obtained a teaching license from a Japanese university. My school helped facilitate that by hiring a temporary ALT while I attended classes. I now work as a full-time teacher with all the perks such as bi-annual bonuses, full salary etc. I have been treated especially kind by all the staff and students throughout my 30 years here. While my salary is great for a single guy, it's modest for someone who is married with 5 kids, especially considering my wife just started working part-time. That said, my kids have never wanted for anything. They take piano lessons, go on ski trips and all but the youngest has the latest Smartphone. Foreigners in Japan are not a monolith. We all have unique experiences. Those who have similar hurdles deal with them in different ways. My experience has been wonderful. Moving to Japan (from Canada) was the best decision I've ever made.
@@gordonbgraham Hi Sir!! I want to take advise from you since you had experience being an ALT and im planning to take ALT in the future.I'm still in high school but i want to take advise and learn from someone like you who knows more than anyone in ALT.
If you dont mind enlighten this youngster.
Thank you in advance !!
Why is age discrimination? Why can't it just be a valid reason not to employ?
@@jiolivemarosa266 My advice is to become an expert in English grammar, acquisition and pedagogy. Acquisition is about how people learn a language, pedagogy is about how to teach it. While most Japanese can't speak English well, many know grammar extensively. For example, most could identify the incorrect grammar in your statement "since you had *experience being an ALT". Can you correct this statement? You've also made an error in word choice. You used the verb "advise" instead of the noun "advice". Any kind of oversight on your resume will surely result in your application being thrown out. I recommend thinking of English as a craft of which to become a master. Being a master will make you a valued commodity. Become an expert of English. I recommend Murphy's English Grammar in Use. If you understand all the grammar in this book and can communicate it clearly in an easy to understand manner to people whose first language isn't English then you are ready to become a teacher of English as a foreign language. In the meantime, as you acquire your superior English grammar skills, you should gradually learn Japanese. I recommend Japanese for Busy People. It's easy to navigate and contains all the Japanese necessary to get you though daily-life situations when you first arrive. Lastly, I recommend patience and perseverance. Cheers!
@@europa7533 Its not really a thing in the west, so young in 30s. So its a form of discrimination.
My view:
Yes Japan looks amazing in photos and videos and many people wish they could be apart of that culture but... We have to remember it still has flaws and bad parts too. It's great to explore the world and discover everything it has to offer, but we also need to take into acount the problems and disadvantages of certain places. People cant let their fixation on something blind their view of everything else if that makes sense.
it does make sense, a lot.
wise words korrossensei 正しい言葉殺っ先生!
Indeed.
Japan is a beautiful place, but boring.
@@adrianjermainebrecasio1786 What makes you say that?
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve been living in Japan for 6 years now and I love it. I went back to the US to visit family for a month and I was ready to come back by the second week. I’ll make the side statement that I don’t have traditional employment in Japan - I worked as a US contractor and now I’m getting into tech (as a self-employed individual working with US clients remotely), so I can’t speak for the horrid Japanese salaryman life but I know that it causes mental health issues with a lot of people. I didn’t realize the English teaching positions paid so little, I’m sure that plays a lot into standard of living and overall stress.
i was thinking of doing the same as a web developer doing remote work. does remote work for US clients qualify as something that can sponsor your visa in japan? it’s all very confusing lol
If you goina stay u gotta learn the language, make your life waaaaay easier
Youre rich then, why bother with anything else?
The guy who made this video is low skilled and can't speak Japanese well. He should leave to begin a real career.
How were you able to live there in the first place? Work Visa?
If you want to become a citizen, you have to work and live in Japan for 5 years.
Contract Visa: _Best I can do is 4._
Actually, You have to live 10 years, 5 of which you have to work at a company paying all the taxes etc. That and your annual salary must exceed 3000000 yen so you could prove the immigration office that you can sustain yourself.
@@HaohmaruHL If you have absolutely no high-value skills, then yeah it will take that long, but at that point, you can only blame yourself. Japan is known for giving people with high-demand skills PR or citizenship as quick as saying 1 2 3.
@@HaohmaruHL That is almost EXACTLY What Australia/New Zealand/Canada/etc demands of British/etc people who would like to Emigrate to any of those places also. What requirements do you think Russia has also. You think you can just be a welfare parasite & move to Central Moscow.
Obtaining Japanese citizenship does not, and never will, make you Japanese.
@@harrygatto That's the truth right there. These white people trying to call themselves Japanese citizens when 99% of them don't speak proper Japanese.
I grew up in Japan, and I am tired of constantly being asked when I’m going to “go back to my country” despite here being the only home I know. I can only imagine how stressful being in jpn is for ppl who weren’t raised in the culture, as it’s a very difficult place to be happy even for jpn ppl. With every day i feel more tempted to leave, even though jpn is my home, bc the mental health in his country is ridiculously bad. I hope everyone else in the comments is doing okay, bc I have seen so many foreigners come to Japan and, after the initial “honeymoon” phase, have a full on mental breakdown bc of negative culture shock and leave.
The mental health there is bad? You haven't lived in America then LOL. Here it is the norm to believe in imaginary racism or socialism to treat the other tribe like absolute shit and say the most absurd shit. America is braindead. The grass always looks greener on the otherside my friend
By growing up in Japan, do you mean growing up on a US base in Japan?
@@rsuriyop no, I grew up in Inaka, my family moved here for work bc English teaching was a very viable career twenty years ago and my parents were broke and looking for a country with good healthcare 😌
@@testtest8798 fair enough, but all the Japanese ppl I know who have been to the states or even Australia say that they felt like they could truly be themselves and voice their opinions there and that coming back to Japan was like a rude awakening to how restrictive the peer pressure here is.
@@teddybear127pow Heh, nowadays, if your friends say anything that people dont want to hear, people will almost certainly go nuts on them LOL
Most Japanese People are introvert and shy while in my country Indonesia the people are friendly and easy to make friend with them.
I didn't find that. I find Japanese people are most curious about foreigners and are extremely easy to make friends with.
22 years here , no intention of leaving to go back to high crime and rude people. Only came for a year, too. :)
For the first time in my life, I don't regret reading CZcams comments for more than 1 minute.
wtf xd
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I’m actually in the process of leaving Japan. I’ve been working as a software engineer for 5 years and it’s terrible. I’ve reached a point of depression and even had suicidal thoughts at some points.
I grew up in a Japanese community in the States, so language has never been an issue. The insane working hours and not getting overtime payment, strange office politics, and low wage makes it hard to really enjoy my life. If I’m spending 10 -12 hours working, when the hell can I live?
I think it’s great to visit Japan, but I honestly don’t recommend living in Japan long term.
I can’t wait to go back to Michigan and enjoy my life again.
Sorry to hear that man! Hope things are better for you in MI. We're considering going there too since it's my home state.
I work in a small software company. It has flex time system with minimum 8 working hours a day with overtime payment. They also handle all my taxes and pay for commute fees. Why not move to a recently opened company with less office politics??
@ChanoineStraub Personally, I feel the media is blowing things out of proportion. Plenty of my friends are living all around the States and haven’t had any issues. Of course there are going to be crazy people doing stupid and extreme things, but they aren’t the majority.
Fortunately my hometown is very safe and highly diverse so it’s not something that I would have to worry about.
@Raw Key Its something have considered, But I’m already stretched really thin with work and my YT music channel. If I had more time I definitely would
@@rabingajmer3293 I used to work at a small software start-up, and it was great! But it went bankrupt after 7 months working there, so I was stuck with working at another “traditional” Japanese company. I’m afraid to take another risk with recent opened companies. And If it goes bankrupt I don’t make enough money with my side business to sustain me.
I lived there for just under 11 years and carved out a whole life there for myself. I intended to stay there, but ended up having to return to New York because my father was terminally ill, and as an only child, there was no one else to care for him. I miss my friends and would return in a heartbeat.
Sorry to hear, with the chaos going on in the states on a daily basis it must be even more difficult to be here.
Respect
Hi!!!! I can relate to you because I'm an only child too and wanting to work in another country but the thought of leaving my parents. It bugs me a lot but you'll never know... Just offer it all to the LORD!
Same im in new york right now, would love to go back to Japan and to settle there.
@@godzero9 Definitely fighting to get back there. I'd honestly like to move back and live the rest of my days there, maybe retire in Kyoto.
I've been in Japan for about 5 years. My Boss has been in Japan for nearly 35 years. I help him (along with about a dozen other older Japanese guys) run 6 little businesses.
Some parts of living in Japan can downright suck, I miss my family, My Japanese still sucks, but I LOVE Japan. I'm committed to Japan for live. I have zero desire to live anywhere else, including going back to the US. You've gotta ignore the negative, and stone-face power through the language barriers, the cultural differences, the exclusion, the discrimination, the financial situation, the social isolation, and everything else. Japan graciously gives me the opportunity to live in their country, and I whole-heartedly respect the opportunity that I've been given. I want to be an Asset to Japanese society and the Japanese economy. I want Japan to be a better place and Japanese society to be better because I live here.
I guarantee I'll still be here 40 years from now.
If you want to live long term in Japan, you need dedication, commitment, and sheer willpower, and you can make it happen.
What is so good about it?
なんかTylerの話が聞きたいよ！ 自分は三年前に日本語能力試験Ｎ２に合格したけど、今まで日本に住んだことないよ。 I have a BS in Computer Science, but I my projects all use different skills so I don't have a coherent skillset. 日本のどこ住み？ I don't know a coherent plan to live in Japan and find work, but I was thinking of getting a remote job in America and then being a digital nomad in Asia (especially China's 3rd or 4th tier cities since Chinese is easy if you already have kanji knowledge).
i cant tell if this is sarcastic or not
Suppose compared to living in the US, dealing with all that is easier.
My husband is japanese and we both live in USA for more than 10 years. He said he makes money in US more than he was in Japan. He’s musician and he said no way he can buy a house if he continuously lives in Japan. Our goal is to earn US dollars as much as possible and live in Japan cheaply after we retire. The healthcare system in USA is expensive, so that’s what we are trying to do.
We are considering that too, you are lucky your husband is a native Japanese makes it alot easier.
For cheaper healthcare and easy life, shouldn't india would be better?
@@Vikram-jv9wp No. I The thing is that the quantity is cheaper in India but the quality is bad, We Indians have to except that our streets are very bad compared to Japan, Japan also has a pretty good health care system if just have enough money, So I think that is why she chose Japan.
@@testing8862 well of course it's not that clean but you gotta admit we have a lot to explore, deserts to mountains to Jungles etc. Nevertheless japan isn't much cheaper compared to west. Idk. I've seen some riches dudes in 5 star hotel in delhi calling India a paradise for long term stays. The food, the connectivity, no language problem if not as safe as japan still pretty safe in general. Plus sides may outweigh the negetive one's. Well i just wanted to know an opinion that's all. :))
@@testing8862 Nah bruh. When it comes to medical science and healthcare i dont see any other country better than India. We have the best doctors in south Asia, probably one of the best in the world of you consider how experienced they are because of abundance of patients.
It's getting tough to live in Japan now
I see you everywhere
Can you explain your thoughts on this in more detail?
Real easy for me at least. Especially compared to back home.
My Dad has been looking for a job for months. He's in his 50's with decades of experience under his belt at great companies.
@sonnick No space? I mean maybe if you live in Tokyo.
Grass lookin pretty green on my side right about now.
TNAT STRAT white guys aren’t allowed to work in the US any more. It’s been invaded.
I been living here since 1975. No plan to leave.
This "cycling video" gave me more insights into Japanese life and society than many other dedicated Japan videos. Congrats.
Its very simple, if you have a lot of money, Japan is great. Propably one of the best countries to live in, in terms of quality of life. Problem is, if you don‘t its quite the opposite. And recent years haven‘t been good years to make money in Japan, you have to bring yours into the country.
If you have a lot of money, anyplace can be great! I had a lot trouble getting that thru to my slav girlfriend who wanted to come to America, for the good life!
My street isn't paved in gold!
@@richardscathouse while I think that is true for every country, I think the scale differs quite a bit. I can't assess the states since I haven't lived there. But compared to european countries if you have low or middle income, your qol seems much worse, since cost of living, cost of space etc. are way mor expencive while wages are lower.
Of course every country can be nice if money is not an issue for you, but in some countries you have access to certain food, estate or services. My case is that Japan has a very nice peak but a very ugly bottom end - atleast in comparison to more wealthier eu countries.
I think Japan's extremely clean, polite people and has top high-quality products, especially the world's no.1 social security situation, will attract people from all over the world. The only bad thing is that there are too many natural disasters there
@@Zifengtower Just have to get rid of the US occupation forces! It's been over 70 years! 🤭🤭🤭🤭
You could say the same for lots countries. Honestly I had a phase where I looked with glistening eyes at Japan, but the more information I got about life there the more I understood it is one of the greatest countries you can go on a journey to and that's it.
I have been to Japan as a tourist. I enjoyed it a lot in the first few days, it's a really nice country with nice people. The only problem is, if you notice hard, people there are tensed. IDK why but I feel people there don't live with happiness although they are nice to you but inside they just feel sad for some reason.
Same thoughts.
When they are smiling on the outside but when their opponents show weaknesses, they draw a sword from behind and cut the other ‘s neck.
I remember the Japan where the place r clean and well organized, friendly that was my first impression in Japan
As times go by, I gradually became aware of its reality the reality that was like well packed lunch box. the more I know generally they r timid, meticulous analyis and analysis, Extraordinary to make simple things complicated, on the outside, its smiling face but its virtual avatar face that smiling is to hide the slightly lukewarm face in the middle and real is hidden behind ....
Japan I think
Judo- Don't turn Ur back on them, they'll throw U under the bus, they know how to use opponents power of the reverse, justifies flaw and hide Ninja- sneak in attack without warning U never know when Ur pants be stolen, peek, insidious, betrayed from behind, Shifting the subject in a different direction and avoiding responsibility, Skilled in counterattack and disguise, history distortion
Ijime- trample on the weak, superiority to the weak, collective madness who beheaded the neck while shouting in groups, According to the power of the sword Yakuza's lair-thoroughly separate superiors and subordinates. They rank, evaluate, look down on both countries and people a strictly hierarchical
Kamikaze- life neglect man who glorifies and enjoys suicide, absolutely obedient to the strong man, force commit suicide to the weak people Sumo-many right-wingers hate foreigners and wanna back to imperialism, incite the xenophobic atmosphere and turn the dissatisfaction of the country to outside
Anime- decadent, violent, pervert, cruel anime, an adult contents
Maruta- experiment human body slicing technology my Korean friend told me there is a grave(Mimizuka) with a living man's nose and ears slashed after fermented inside salt jars we must know before it goes away and distorts...................................................etc
This is my personal thoughts, everyone may have different experiences, but it would be better to know early that U'll eventually find out about Japan
Exactly how I felt when I visited Japan it was honestly so sad. I had such a different impression of Japan before visiting there only to find out that the impression I had was a made up image. I remember walking in the streets one night and looking at people passing by, thinking these people must be so lonely and bored. I don't know what led me think of them that way but it was just my gut feeling. Like Japan does well economically and they say they're democratic but honestly I feel like the country lacks true freedom
The simple reasons are that they are lonely, overstressed from endless work, and stuck in a suffocating and remorseless hierarchical pyramid.
Same. Just like Singapore
It is not easy to find "the right place for you" in the country of your birth, and of course not so easy in a foreign country either. In any case, I think he is happy enough because he has a wife he can trust, and most importantly, he looks healthy. People always want what they don't have. We should try thanking first.
Many thanks for this very informative video. Japan was and still is one of the countries I always wanted to discover for myself. All the best and stay healthy.
Westerners are moving to Asia and South-East Asia.
Asian are moving to western's countries.
uP
People be moving.
@Doffy Rob why deal with racism and being a second class citizen if you have more opportunities in your home country
aint that poetic
Just want to experience something fresh, new environment, new people , new culture.
I am a Taiwanese working in Japan as a mechanical engineer. Though the salary isn’t too bad, I still started to consider whether I should stay or leave.
I work in the countryside of Aichi, my private life is so boring😂. I really miss my family, friends, and night markets in Taiwan.😢
Anyway, Happy Birthday to you!🥳
*21/08/12 updated
Thank you for all the advices below. Never thought this comment will get these much replies.😂
Btw, I switched to a new job and kind of satisfied with my new life now. So, I guess I won’t leave Japan in near future. Just hope the pandemic can get over soon, and we can all travel freely just like before.🙏
Whaaat. Taiwan is so much better lifestyle wise than Japan.
ChapmanoTV Yes, lifestyle in Taiwan can be easier and more free than Japan. However, the salary is about only 1/2 of Japan (as a mechanical engineer). That’s the point I’m hesitating.
Tough choice.. I personally like Taiwan more, especially the night markets, cycling roads, breakfast, and parks. I think English teachers make the same, but my wife would make less from baito.
Without salary issue I will definitely choose Taiwan, but well... stark reality always makes things difficult.
Talking about being English teacher in Taiwan, it won’t be to bad as I know. Because most of my foreign teachers in Taiwan are married and some of them even bought their own house. However, I think that’s based on being double income family (it is pretty usual in Taiwan). So you’re right, it will be tough if your wife just do baito in Taiwan.
@@TwoWheelCruise Taiwan's cycle roads are world class. Also, they have rental bicycles everywhere so it's easy to get around town. Only downside of Taiwan is the hot humid weather during the summer. Even worse than Japan on that regard.
why all foreigners leave Japan ?
Ans: Because their visa expires
Went to Japan for 10 days. I’m 23 years old and did a solo trip there. It felt like the home I’ve always wanted and after being back in America for two weeks I can no longer look at it the same. I feel uncomfortable and as if something is missing, I compare everything to Japan. Japan isn’t perfect and yes I know I was there a short time but out of all the places I’ve been so far, it was the place that felt like home for some reason. I felt as if all the things I thought mattered so much were simply distractions and Japan allowed me to be truly alone and sit with my thoughts and I think the combination of that allowed me to see a place where I could really form my life the way I wanted to.
Here's my thoughts.
Japan isn't the only country in the world. There's so much more to this world and it's better to spend time exploring other options than to fixate on the country that has brought me manga and anime. I could live in Japan if I put in enough effort to plan out how I'm going to live, but there could be other places I might have worked better in.
The point im making is that if all seems lost when your dream of moving to Japan isn't as true as it seems, there are most definitely other options, and you can still visit Japan anytime!
👍
It was a treat going to Europe after living in Japan a few years. The rest of Asia doesn't look to appealing compared to Japan. I don't like Chinese food and the messy Ness doesn't seem appealing, also other Asian languages just don't sound nice too. Korean is a close second but even it sounds a bit whiney. I'd be happy to be wrong about a nice sounding Asian language.
@@nikitaw1982 Right ?? I don't wanna sound like rude or something but I cant stand hearing chinese :D It just sounds harsh
@@bahadireneser2924 one reason is you don't speak it.
@@johnsmith-li3di Not at all bro. How can the nuance of a language have to do with the fluency? It's not about what you understand, it's about what you hear. This is one reason i dont wanna speak it.
I've worked with plenty of foreigners who have been in Japan for much longer than a few years. Usually in finance, technology or management. Both companies I've worked at here have hired me as a full-time employee, with no contract limit. I'm making an admirable salary by Australian standards. I think you called out throughout the video what the problem is; English teaching in Japan is not a long-term sustainable career. It's a commodity here.
Not saying you were misrepresenting things - you were very careful to communicate that the commentary around salary and contract length at least was in the English teaching vertical, however I'd hate to see people in other industries be overly discouraged.
Yes, there are plenty of exceptions of people who are able to stay. It's possible to do with some hard work and luck. I have also been hired as a full-time manager without a contract limit as the only foreigner in a compete Japanese company.
I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from coming over. This is just something that's been on my mind lately as I consider the best path forward for supporting a family and reflect on how many people I've met in Japan who've moved on for various reasons.
This is not my experience at all. I worked for a major investment bank for 3 years. 99% of the foreign workers left ... and almost all of them left in the first 3-4 years. There were a few Brits who married Japanese women, but the unexpected thing is that their wives wanted to leave ... one couple is now in Connecticut, another is in London. The point that most foreigners, regardless of occupation, tend to leave within the first 4 years, seems pretty accurate to me. (It is fun talking to the rare ones though, at a pub or an Izakaya, the crusty old gaijin, who has been there 20 years and know all the stories. Best thing to do is to buy his next round, and keep buying ... endless entertainment. )
When I left Japan I did get all of my state pension back. It was a large chunk of money!
@@snowym8269 And what were their reasons for moving only after a couple years?
Yes, his limited experience (even before his Japan adventure) colors his perspective somewhat. The US university system is not life as we know it, Jim.
I’ve been to Japan, primarily Tokyo, four times, always had a blast and have Japanese friends I still chat with to this day; but it also changed my mind about living there. The attention of being a foreigner is novel at first but eventually really wears off. There’s so much I love about the country and it’s people but I realized I could never feel at home there. I had never considered all the financial reasons you mentioned but those make me even more sure of my decision. Great video!
I am living on and off in Japan for 20 years. I love Japan. Respect their rules and traditions and you will be fine.
it depends if they make sense.
What I can't come to peace with is how they value law over logic. You have people standing on a closed street waiting for the light to turn green like sheep.
From what I’ve experienced in Japan, I believe this is orchestrated to achieve the very ends it incentives.
They don’t want permanent resident aliens in Japan, but they need the labor and foreign experts.
I once read that Japan doesn't take action when people overstay their visa as long as they don't cause problems. Because then they know they can just deport you the second you become inconvenient. And since people know this, they tend to stay under the radar if they can.
@@brunovandooren3762 they don’t go after them due to the PR nightmare. They just let them mess up and then they have a legit reason to kick them out and never let them back in
Totally agree Former Gov. Sucking resources from western countries is a common theme these days. That is why the west is collapsing.
I actually agree with countries keeping homogenous. however, the govmt can certainly allow immigration and permanent residents while implementing restrictions like buying (limited) property, and other measures, to preserve culture and way of life. no welfare either.
@Channel000 The Chinese are everywhere. Also one thing I will say is they dislike Chinese and Koreans more than they dislike Westerners (including blacks and Hispanics)
I lived in Japan for 5 years when I was younger. I was studying Japanese in the morning and teaching Italian and English in the evening. I was blessed to meet extraordinary people, sincerely friendly, kind and generous. I had a great time, I relaxed in an honsen and I lived in a small community in Kyoto, north of the botanical garden.
My neighbours were so kind, they often cooked for me knowing that I was coming home completely exhausted. My students and one of my teachers used to treat me like their own sister. May all Japanese be blessed with Peace, Love, Joy and abundance.
Thank you!
💖🤗🙏
Wow, lucky for you.Hope in future come visit to Japan again to meet your friends again.
That's nice.
You must be a good looking fellow being treated that way. Lucky you!
@@anntonette75 Or maybe, just maybe, he put in the effort to learn the language. Turns out people appreciate that kind of thing!
I know plenty of foreigners like you, claiming that others are "lucky" to be treated well, failing to understand that "being welcome" doesn't come for free.
I bet You are a good looking girl.
You made this as easy on the eyes and ears as possible while telling a great story. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing to us your wisdom. Stay safe both of you and have blessed day!
I left Japan after two years. I'm basically a loner and don't have any close friends anyway so I thought that I wouldn't feel lonely in Japan but I did. I guess the way people in the US in general treat me as a fellow American is good enough that it satisfies whatever needs I have for being happy and not lonely. In Japan people who don't know me well treat me of course as a foreigner and this got to me. It seems like common sense right. I really miss Japan though and think about going back but all the things you describe like the falling wages for English teachers.. I'd likely end up leaving all over again. I think I might copy you and make some cycling blog videos. It's a nice change of pace and I love cycling.
I've noticed there seems to be a trend in Japan attracting the loner "outcast" types. I think many of those people either 1.) go into it with same mindset that you did, or 2.) go in with delusions that they'll be "accepted" in Japan. Unfortunately, it never really seems to work out for anyone, regardless of the type of person they are. Most foreigners seem to leave after 1-3 years with nothing to show for the time, money, and effort poured into starting their new life in Japan. That is, they have nothing but a disappointing plane ride home to show for it.
Brett Carwile For me the life experience was really valuable. It’s not as sad as you make it out to be. Although from a financial perspective maybe so 😅
@@paulwalther5237 Oh okay. I've been reading everyone's stories about living in Japan, and what I commented was what I had gathered after months of reading about these experiences. Honestly, it has completely scared me away from the idea of trying it out.
Brett Carwile oh yeah. If you’re on the fence then it’s probably not good to go. If you’re in love with japan and studying Japanese I think it might be worth it to go for a year or whatever even though you’ll likely come back afterwards. I could speak basic Japanese before going. But with the teaching salaries going down... ugh. Maybe not good to go even if you love Japan 😂
I love learning Japanese, and find Japan to be really interesting, it's just that after reading everyone's stories and experiences with Japan, the thought of actually going through with anything scares me.
Of course, I would go in seeing it as a short term adventure (1-3 years). I think the issue is that far too many people are deluded into thinking that Japan is going to be their new "forever home" when almost everyone ends up leaving only a few years in.
I've reached a point where I am scared that'll I go and end up miserable, but on the other hand, don't want end up looking back and regretting not taking the opportunity while I am still young and adventurous. Going to Japan would mean leaving everything back home behind, and I am also worried about what my life would look like coming back home post-Japan (as far as employment goes).
I just don't know what the right path is...
I visited japan for 15 days, got depressed while there, people in japan have a great pain on their hearts and they cant talk about it because the culture is "keep it for yourself" and there is no such thing as "I love you".
I live in Brazil and people here don't work like crazy and don't need to be drunk to show any kind of emotion
You live in Brazil?? I am jealous. I know life can be very hard there, but in my 37 years of living in Japan, MUSIC from Brazil is one of the few things that have kept me from going crazy. I am American, and love jazz too. But Brazil is the center of my musical universe ... Edu Lobo, Joyce, Elis Regina, Milton Nascimento, Djavan, Boca Livre, Ed Motto, Caetano Veloso, just sooooo many musical geniuses ... and of course, the GREAT Antonio Carlos Jobim. One of the small pleasures I have in Japan is to do window shopping while listening to great background music ... about half of which is from Brazil. Even while at a cheap ¥100 shop, I stopped in my tracks ... listening to the ending of Milton's 'Miracle of the Fishes', and when I waited for the next song, I was not disappointed ... Tom & Elis's version of 'Waters of March'. Probably not another single customer or worker in the store knew what was playing, but the music of Brazil made me feel human again. Cheers, Takai!
this really reminds me of that comments in the internet (j-netz) about blm movement how they dont wanna changes things and the foreign needs to keep it for themselves. just baffle me really.
@@stevemartin4249 This is such a beautiful comment, Steve, it made my day!!! Its a gem that you appreciate Brasilian music that much. So rare!!! You know much more than me, a Brazilian! Nowdays Brasilian people only care about bad taste music like Anitta or Sertanejo-style, its no comparison to those classics you said. Your comment made me more human too!!!! Have a nice day!!!!
I am originally from Uruguay, but since 1998 I live in Brazil, and honestly we got a hard time here, unfortunately Brazil has a pretty high crime rate so we got robbed a lot of times, besides that everything here has a huge taxation, so it's quite hard to keep high levels of life quality. Since the 2000's most of the time we are always trying to not get in debt, because the huge taxes can ruin your life in few months. Well there are some positive things about Brazil, like the nature, some foods and the past culture, but for me it's just all about that. About the people it's kind of hard to say because there are just so much differences among everyone, however overall, don't expect everyone to be well mannered and good intended, also most of the people are sort of selfish, that's unfortunately one of the negative things, for sure there are some altruistic and respectful people here, but have in mind they are not the majority.
What a shock, a weeb found out that Japan is not like what it seems in his favorite anime and hentai.
But this won't stop all the other morons like you flocking into this over-rated country every year.
Great video. Great insights and it's all absolutely accurate! I hope others listen to what you say because it is right on. Great country. One long time foreign resident once told me, 'living in Japan is easy. Surviving is hard'. Boy was he right.
I mean i hear complain a lot from foreigners.if you guys wanna leave, don't stay..we have our opinion for foreigners too. it's not easy for anyone to fit in any countries tho.Nobody says japan is paradise.I was born and raised in japan. But i don't belong to japanese company.Ik there are lot of foreigners like me. There are other options if you dislike working at japanese company.Try to look for other job in Japan. It is actually easy.especially if you can speak english or english native speaker, There are plenty of online job..and those are super common now.Also not only japan is the worst.
US, Other asian countries and small europe are bad too.Take it or leave it.Nobody force you so.
You can always leave with ur wife to other countries and i really hope you guys can move to vietnam and happily after forever..
Even japanese want to move to other countries sometimes.
Again, Japan is not paradise like videos on youtube videos or movies.
That's fiction.
But also other countries aren't paradise either.
i met lots of english native speaker dudes who is talking a shit in front of us or behind back like how many women they get laid with here..like Losers.In china, hong kong, japan etc some western men act like king.We don't need These dirty filthy western men or abusers/criminals.
We don't want those bad foreigners .Just me and my friend's opinions.
It’s no secret, Japanese love gaijin to visit, but not stay forever.
Like party guests you invite to your home, you don't want them to take up your children's bedrooms.
Yeah. They don't seem to have a concept of letting "outsiders" integrate into the society.
They love Gaijin buy their product, Gaijin making money in Japan is just : " Japan gave you that money, you should grateful".
Yeah as if I don't work 60 hour a week for your fucking company.
its like your buddies, its fun for a weekend but after a while all they do is make messes everywhere and piss all over the toilet seat lol
I keep seeing this in the comments about how Japan is so racist against foreigners but I’ve been here for 6 years and I’ve never seen this. The friends I hang out with all the time are my Japanese friends, not my fellow foreign friends. I think the people making these statements work traditional salaryman positions and deal with older individuals (who are known to sometimes have that negative sentiment), but the younger generations (teens - early 30’s) are pretty down to earth. Idk, maybe I’m lucky
Same shit here in the UK; salary going down and cost of living is going up.
Similar in Australia - cost of living going up while wages have been stagnant for many years. Probably wages will go down post-Covid due to people desperate to get back into work.
I'd say the wages and salaries have been more or less the same for a while now, however the cost of living has increased massively.
Neoliberal economics
@@spidermonkey8430 Nothing new age economic. Bank of England is the first bank in the world dating back to British East India(Current day Bangladesh). And so are the US and Japanese banks, among the oldest in the world to.
You will find Capitalism is finite!
And printing fonny dollars(Monitoring/Quantitative easing) has cranked up the speed of currencies getting devalued regularly.
Thanks to the immigrants.
The key to living in Japan as a foreigner is making sure you get income from outside Japan. With remote working you can do this in a thousand ways. But never ever seriously go work for a Japanese company unless you like to have some unique life experience.
Without a job or wife, what options are there for a long-term visa? I'm now living in SEAsia and studying language at a univeristy, which gets me a student visa. Perhaps that's an option in Japan? Maybe expensive though?
I've been in Japan for 33 years now and don't expect to leave. My wife, daughter, and four grandchildren are all here.
I am Japanese and have a master's degree from US university. What you say about relatively low salary for my qualification, if you work for a Japanese company, is absolutely true. I lived and worked in the US for few years and at that time I was making around 1.5 times more. I came back to Japan for many reasons other than finance but such financial reward elsewhere sometimes gets me think to move out Japan.
You also need to consider your expenses, not just your wage.
This. I'm planning on transferring to the Japan branch of a well known American tech company, and while my base salary will be cut to about 50-60% of my salary stateside, I'll still be able to keep my original stock grant, and will be making a solid 6 figures in Tokyo, which can afford a very comfy standard of living. While these tech companies would be willing to extend visas since they have the money to sponsor, I still don't see myself staying in Japan for more than 2-3 years, because while I am Asian and Japanese passing, I don't see myself settling there long term, I just want to experience it before I'm 30 and settling down, and the opportunity cost of staying per year is pretty easily ~100k USD, which only increases as I get older.
@@saturn-xu4lc You better keep a clear eye on the American dollar because it may collapse any time soon. I think American workers could made a lot more money if the wages weren't stagnant and unequal. These American jobs hire visa workers just to find an excuse not to raise wages for all the American workers.
@@Artist1974CH It's not, its quite the opposite actually. The dollar is most likely set to rise.
@@Viper4ever05 Who said that? That fool at the White House?
I've been here for 15 years, and I've had friends who have left for most of the reasons you mentioned.
For myself, the main reason I've flirted with the idea to go back to my country (Or a westernized one), is for my kids. The video mentioned family, but that was more for overseas families, and not for the family you have here.
Simply put, I don't like how Japanese kids are brought up. They have their individuality taken out of them from an early age. If they show any creative thought outside of what they're meant to think, they'll be told to be quiet.
Kids who lived in the US for a couple years (Due to their parents work) and come back to Japan, have a difficult time re-adjusting to their inability to express their own opinions as they used to overseas. The option for international schools is there, but they cost over $20,000 a year / kid.
For now, I'm spending time with my kids as much as I can, and motivating them to think critically and creatively about different situations. But I still worry that the school system will attempt to hammer them down any time they ask a question in class.
This is another really big concern for me, but I actually like the education system up to elementary school.
@@TwoWheelCruise Yep, I'd say the same. My wife and I have been debating on when would be the best time to uproot them and bring them to Canada. We're leaning towards beginning of middle school or beginning of high school.
If it's at the start of middle school, their language will be less of a problem in high school.
If it's at the start of high school, their math and science ability will probably be higher.
The thing is, a lot of the things people praise about Japan, like their manners and how much respect they have, don't come out of nowhere. You don't create a submissive obedient and respectful society by allowing individuals to feel special. That's what the US does to the extreme and it leads to entitled Karens who think the whole universe revolves around them. You can't have both :(
why would you want your kids to be selfish entitled individual?
you do realize that individualism is not necessarily a good thing right? In fact theres more bad than good.
Schools systems are trash no one knows your kid better then you. Homeschooling your child has proven to be a better tool for learning
I lived in Japan for 3 years, when I first got there I thought i might stay 5 but after 3 I really wanted to leave. There are sooo many reasons for this, I am not able to pin it down to a single factor. But I got really homesick among other things, so I went back to my country. Now I've lived in my homecountry for a bit over 4 years, and I quite like it here. And I have finally decided what I want out of life, going to japan certainly helped me with this :) since leaving japan ive only been back once (because corona happened...) and i am really longing to go back now. If i could I would go back every year for like a few months at a time! But I dont have that money, haha. I miss the food and my friends.
Even though Japan wasnt a great fit for me to live fulltime, I still love the place and plan to go back many times! :D
I'm starting a business in Japan in 6 months. I have lived there before and absolutely loved it. Sure there are cons, but which country is perfect? For me, Japan is perfect.
I've lived in Japan for one and half year. (1986) Spent one year in a zen temple in the hills of Fukui Ken. One off the best years in my life🧘♂️
@@niceoppapy Tenriyuji. Soto zen temple. Hardcore. 8x meditation a day. Once a month, senshin. 16x a day. Last day 23x.
Cool break.
The worst place to live in japan
@@theconomist ooh you lived there too?
Sounds really good
I’ve lived in Japan since 1994. I taught at the university level from 1998 till 2018. I also own or run more than 7 companies in Japan. Now I’m semi retired and living half in the USA half in Japan, so I felt we we kinda similar except that I’m about 20 years ahead of you. Anyways I had to comment on a few things...first, I’d say most foreigners leave because they don’t know how to navigate the waters of Japan OR they are unwilling to do so because they don’t like the “Japanese way.” Now, based on what I heard, I’m pretty sure you are or were a tokunin sensei at a university. This is a limited term contract and pretty much sucks. If you want to be a regular full time tenured Sensei, the key is your publications. If you have a bunch of publications, hopefully at international peer reviewed publications, you’re gonna get a full time tenured position easy. There are just are not that many gaijin teachers who have both language skills AND publications. It’s definitely easier for you to do this in Japan compared to the USA. Starting salary as a koshi is typically 6-8 million and it’s tenured from day one. The vacation is unbeatable and the amount of admin is totally bearable. No doubt it’s a better deal than in the USA. In addition, as a gaijin who speaks Japanese, it’s much easier for you to get a full time tenured position than it is for a Japanese person seeking the same position....simply because there is much more competition among Japanese Sensei. I’ve been on hiring committees for more than 20 positions at two different universities so I’m pretty sure I know what I’m talking about here. Publications is the key if you’re going to pursue the university path. Now, about nenkin/Hoken, the deal in Japan is just SO much better than in the USA. You pay 14% of your salary and get full insurance and pension. Compare that to the states and you’re going to find the Japanese system is VASTLY superior and much cheaper. Quality of care is more or less the same with some exceptions at the high and low ends (this is a complex and completely different discussion). My friends in the USA pay way more for insurance and get way less imho. Anyways this is a different discussion. My advice to you is to get your full time position at the university and then start your business with your wife. That’s what I did and now I’m retired from the u I and my companies work for me. Final comment, there are so many opportunities in Japan for someone like you. Land is super cheap in the countryside and once you get permanent residency, loans are easy to get AND the interest is so low it’s almost like free money. So anyways, Japan is definitely full of opportunities for you and you’re definitely in the right place to take advantage of it. Good luck!!!!
Cool comment. I wonder about what businesses you have been able to start in Japan. Would you mind sharing with us?
@@atacan-4209 hair salon, craft beer bar, coffee shop, English daycare center, onsen ryokans, furniture/lighting shop/lighting wholesale importer/dealer, wine import/distribution
Thank you so much.
@@tokyogabe wow it's cool I you open my mind
golden advice here, thanks for sharing!
Good to hear from a midwesterner in Japan! :) My husband and I are from Wisconsin and now live in the DC area. I spent a year in Japan. Great topic and points here, thank you! It was really interesting to watch you both cycle too haha. I felt like I was there again. :)
Lived and worked in Japan for about 5 years. Eventually left back to America because I felt like I was swinging from contract to contract, never had peace of mind because of visa renewals -- it was stressful. I own a home now in California and generally worry free.
Despite that, I look back fondly on that time in my life with an adventurous nostalgia. Miss the healthcare for sure. It nags me to sell everything I own here in America to give it another go. I think Japan gets in your blood.
This is probably the most honest video on Japan I've seen.
I'm not dunking on channels like Abroad in Japan I love that channels content but I think they glamourize Japan too much and aren't objective enough while still keeping it fun.
This video resonated with me as someone who's been there for 3 years and just wasn't getting anywhere.
Exactly. Lived there for seven years, learned language, passed n1, and all that, and you’ll never get anywhere. Plus the living conditions. I’m never going back. Even playing games like Ryu ga gotoku and persona give me somewhat ptsd.
@Jerry Gallo I did, but the success over there wouldn’t outweigh the restrictions, difficult living conditions, and stress that would come from living in a top down society.
@Jerry Gallo absolutely. America, despite its problems, is the best country on earth in my opinion. We have the opportunity to change and discuss things. Similar with Canada and Great Britain. We don’t sweep things under the rug. Grateful everyday to be back.
@@user-ht4kp7py2c Did you have a college degree while you were trying to get a job? Was it still bad even then?
Tbf Abroad in Japan has been self employed for a while and probably makes a very high income from CZcams, which makes his experience a unique one compared to most foreign workers.
Also he does talk about the drawbacks of living in Japan.
(ps Life Where I'm From and Paolo In Tokyo generally make more grounded content)
As someone who has lived in Japan for more than 10 years and isn't going to leave, I can give you a short synopsis of why some foreigners *stay* in Japan. I think this is a more interesting topic. The main reason is because you are no longer a foreigner. The vast majority of expats I've met in Japan do not think of themselves as Japanese. As an American, who is used to the "melting pot", imagine someone moving to the US. At what point would that person be accepted as American? I think it pretty clear that it's *at any point*. If you look different and even if you speak English badly, generally there is no assumption that you are living there temporarily.
In Japan it is different. Japanese people assume that if you are from a foreign place, that you intend to return to that foreign place. Indeed, when you meet new people, two questions that pop up quickly are, "Where are you from originally" and "When do you plan to return". It's easy to assume that this is what sets up the reality that Japan is only a temporary place of stay for foreigners. What I find interesting though, is that this attitude is not just shared by foreigners who work here, it's multiplied by about 10. Pick any random foreigner and ask them, "Where is your home". It would be incredibly rare for any of them to choose a place in Japan. If you ask, "Have you ever thought about living here forever", the response is almost universally "OMG! No!!!"
People originally come to Japan for very different reasons than people come to the US (and many other western countries). In Japan people either come for a cultural experience or to raise money. In the US, people move there to raise their children in a country that they feel has more opportunities than their home country. If you ask people who are *just* moving to a western country if they plan to stay forever, their answer is almost universally, "Yes" (as long as their current visa allows them to answer the question honestly). If you ask people in Japan, their answer is almost universally, "No". If a person travels to their country of origin for a holiday, people in Japan say, "I went home for the holidays" and people in the US say, "I went to X country to visit my family for the holidays". This is a massive difference in starting position.
Japan is a difficult place to fit in if you are not "all in" on Japanese culture. I call it an Inside/Outside culture. It's a binary switch. In every context, you are either an "inside person" or an "outside person". Usually, becoming an "inside person" is relatively easy -- there are almost no barriers. The trick is that you must follow *all* of the rules as an inside person *without exception*. If you do not, you end up on the outside quicker than you can blink.
A lot of people won't believe me that becoming an "inside person" is easy. There is a great story from a fairly famous foreign supporter of sumo wrestling (his name escapes me at the moment). He is Israeli, but is a member of one of the top sumo heya. One day he suggested to some of his expat friends to go down to the heya and watch the sumo wrestlers practicing. At the gate to the heya they were greeted with a sign that said, "No foreigners". His guests started to turn away. "That doesn't apply to us!", he said. "If you know how to make an appointment, then you are Japanese according to the heya. I know how to make an appointment". I've found this kind of thing incredibly common in Japan.
Most foreigners get in trouble in Japan simply because they don't think of themselves as Japanese. They think, "I'll fallow all the rules -- except the stupid ones" and get shunted to the "outside" in every context. Ask any Japanese person why take a shower sitting down rather than standing up. The answer is: "Because I am Japanese". This is the mindset that foreigners don't get. This is the main hurdle to becoming Japanese. You actually have to want to be Japanese.
There will be many who will say, "People won't accept you as Japanese". In my experience, this is not true at all. If you act Japanese, then you *are* Japanese. But a big part of that is accepting that you are Japanese. There are no hyphenated people in Japan. It's inside or outside and if you aren't inside, then you are outside. You can't be "American" or "Vietnamese" or "Canadian" or "French" *and* Japanese.
The funny thing about all this is that Japanese culture really has no ability *not* to accept you into the "inside" culture if you jump through all the correct hoops. Just saying, "I am Japanese" is enough to make you Japanese in polite company. Sure, there are plenty of racist and nationalistic people in Japan, just like any other place. But in polite company (which is everywhere outside of your home), it's just not possible to act that way! This is one of the things I love about Japan! Being a jerk is rude and disruptive and just not tolerated here. Sure, some people will secretly hate you -- but the key is that they will *secretly* hate you. You can ignore it.
So TL;DR: Why do some people stay? Because they are Japanese. This is their home. They have no other home. If you get to that point in your own internal thinking, you will almost certainly stay in Japan. But if you don't? Well who wants to live their whole life as a guest in a temporary place. It's like being a refugee forever, with no home to call your own. It's not a tenable situation. That's the real reason that people leave Japan -- it's all or nothing here. If you don't choose "all", you've got "nothing".
very interesting point
Thank you for this insight
Why do we need to be Japanese to get accepted?
I'm not Japanese, don't want to be, and never will be, most foreigners don't want to be Japanese, they just want to get accepted for what they are.
Turning your back to your roots and resetting your culture just to get accepted seems like a no go to me, it's their limit if they only accept Japanese people, and it's pretty racist too.
@@fmls8266 when you put it that way, it does sound kinda messed up lol. at the same time, I feel like every country requires people to adapt to its cultures if they want to be truly integrated. it’s something I’ve even noticed as an American being in a liberal setting like a college, with teachers wondering why international students didn’t try and improve their english so group work can improve. such is the way things are.
@@Sune adapting to the culture is totally fine, but you don't need to become a Japanese for that.
You can still be whatever you feel like, keep your identity and live peacefully respecting the rules and adapting to the culture, and if they still can't accept you then they have issues.
What I did in Japan was working online as a freelancer. I got to enjoy what the country had to offer and avoided the toxic work culture. Working from home allowed me to get away from the city too so I visited around half the prefectures in under a year. Of course I understand not everyone can do this, but if they can it's the best way to go. I also picked the places I lived carefully. My favorite spot was Shimokitazawa in Tokyo where people were extremely open minded and it was probably the only place that gave me a semi-European, bohemian vibe. Street musicians, vintage stores, good coffee and tatted-up people were everywhere. I can't say I had any bad experiences in Japan, the only thing that comes to mind is a guy bumping into me at Ikebukuro Station cause I was walking with my head inside my phone and cursed him out in broken Japanese and some drunk people in izakayas asking my dates why they would date a foreigner, but we would usually just make fun of them until they left.
I'll head back again as soon as the country re-opens without a bunch of stupid rules, and plan to stay for a while in Fukuoka. The nice thing about that city is that the airport is huge so I can always go visit other places like Korea or Taiwan when I eventually grow tired.
The people I really feel sorry for are the Japanese salary men who are working a dead end job stuck in a Sisyphean rat race. When I worked at eikaiwas I heard so many sad stories of people who had basically re-done the same day for the last 40 years of their life. No friends, no family, no purpose. Just a life wasted away without a single thing to show for it other than a couple of お疲れ様s and 飲み会s to give an illusion of gratitude.
how do you get visa for that
What kind of visa did you have?>
Here's what I've noticed: foreigners who have completely dedicated their lives to training martial arts or Japanese Buddhism (who have basically become monks), manage to stay in Japan for decades.
That's how you do it! Europe should do the same.
Japanese martial arts are now in a much better shape outside Japan. Buddhism is a dead-end branch of religious thought, being its monk in 2021 is laughable. The Japanese population has been shrinking and aging at an appalling pace, in 20 years the country will be an elderly home full of crazy old people notoriously unwilling to die until they are 100+ (see Japan problem 2045). No reforms are in sight for immigration and tax policies. Many ordinary people seem exhausted with their unrewarding soul-sucking working conditions and hopeless about the future.
@@codered4422 I sure hope no new immigration policies are adopted, Japan already has such policies and they are enough. And your opinion on religion and martial arts is just that - your own opinion. There are old classical martial arts called koryu or kobudo which you mostly can't find outside of Japan. And being a monk in 2021 is actually much needed and appreciated by society, especially in these troubled times. I have practiced both Buddhism and martial arts in Japan for years and the monks and martial arts' sensei I know are some of the most amazing people I've ever met. ^ ^
weebs: I want to go to japan
later on weebs : mum pick me up.
Many people fooled by Japan’s clean, polite and kind appearance
But Japan is a strictly hierarchical pyramid society
They rank by country,evaluate, both countries and people
They rank among people
lamo
😂
Yoooo lol
@@User_37821 that is not always a bad thing. And Not like people are rude to each other
What I first noticed is that there is not ONE piece of trash in the street NOT ONE. That's clean
@Messy 2:51 in the bushes on the right, 3:30 plastic bag on the right next to the bushes, 3:27 few pieces of trash lying on the ground
@Messy read the main comment again
Japanese schools don't have janitors and the children do the work of janitors instead, cleaning up and making lunch on a rota for the other children. As far as I've heard this sets a basis for a culture that respects each other and tries not to make a mess, because of appreciation that others will have to clean up after you.
@Messy This is not true at all. This is only true for downtown Tokyo. Visit Osaka and you'll see trash everywhere like any other city in the world.
@@lunadrurie6686 most japanese schools have janitors, it's just that the kids are taught to do the more menial cleaning tasks. schools still need janitors to keep the place clean.
Japanese citizens that work in U.S. have same requirements, to my knowledge. At least that is how it used to be years ago. It may be even tougher now? With pandemic and all? I can say, the Japanese people are some of the most wonderful, gracious, fun people I have had the pleasure to
know and work with. I love their food, and love their culture! I wish I could have had the opportunity to go to Japan, Absolutely Beautiful Country! 💞
We lived in Nagoya for almost two years, so I really enjoyed watching this video....lots of "hey, I've been there!" moments. Our family will always consider it our "second home", and we miss many things about it.
We left in 2018 after nearly two years there. You touched on many of the reasons why we left, but a big one for us was the educational opportunities for our kids. The international school they went to was subpar, and we didn't want them to fall further behind when they came home. We technically had the right to enroll them in the local public school, but it is very difficult to do that when you have limited ability in Japanese. It's a shame, considering how terrific and safe Japan is for kids in many ways.
As Japanese as well, and this is honest prospective and view.
People who want to go to Japan
Be prepared of an unexpected views too, just prepare and make sure you have good bonding with native speakers, be comfortable as well ^_^
I would just like to have a little garden and work at a place doing textiles and see what other staff members made for lunch. And have a laugh.
I wouldn’t want to be down in Tokyo unless I went in green class… maybe Econo but not really.
Guess it’s a dream yeah?
I speak but want to improve.
your compatriots doesn't want foreigners
"because us japanese are all heartless"
And in the opening frames of the video we see something that we can’t find elsewhere:
A construction worker bowing to you
Why did he bow? If he bowed to every passengers he would be busy bowing the whole day
@@medeaendor3706 yeah I did that job for a few months over there, those guys aren't construction worker they're security guards contracted by the construction company and our job was literally just standing there making sure no one got inside the construction perimeter, or guiding traffic whenever the job was on the actual street
@@marocainforlife I heard it pays quite well tho. Someone offers me that job, but I don't think I would be still sane doing that every day.
@@bayupran it's alright, one of the things I liked about the job was that the working place would change frequently in the same week, which got me to see many different spots of the city and to do something different each time.
Doesn't mean he respects people, just that he is expected to show a sign of acknowledgement. Those three standing are not construction workers. They are just guards to direct people and prevent accidents and keep equipment safe
Even American born Japanese will have a difficult time finding a decent sustainable job in Japan. I've visited Japan due to work assignments, Japanese executives have admitted they purposely keep foreigner's from good paying jobs. Even if the foreigner is more qualified than a Japanese National. In a nutshell, if you want to live in Japan long term as a foreigner, you pretty much have to be wealthy!
A very informative video great points thank you GL
My search: how to go live in Japan.
Video titles: why not to live in Japan, why foreigners leave japan...
Meh it really depends on your level of qualifications you have built all the way down. You can't expect to fold your financial situation by simply moving out bro. Especially in Asia, the cultural hurdles may make it worse for you. I recommend you to study in Japan if you are really into culture rather than entirely moving there. As a European, I have been to Germany,France, Turkey and Norway. Everywhere is expensive to just experience. You need a cool trip rather than a house :).
I mean, when one makes such serious life choices, all upsides and downsides must be held in mind
Well, it is a fact that most foreigners don't stay that long. Although, I suppose many of them are fairly open to staying or leaving when they arrive, rather than being determined to stay
Stay away from Japan
Japan plans to dispose of radioactive waste into the ocean
If you eat fish contaminated with radiation, U won’t live long
Because they are very discrimination for foreigners. Working poor for foreigners good salary for them.
I live in Japan since six years and the thought of leaving the country has never even remotely crossed my mind. I love it here with his pros and cons. Of course it's not for everyone but it's not a bad place to live at all.
詳しく説明してくれないかｗ？ I like the cute girls and the harmony, but it seems that job opportunities + high cost of living (well at least they have good health/insurance system for cheap) can be bad.
@Naricy Dee I am very in love with my husband who is Japanese so, probably 🥰🥰
Basically foreigners expect Japan to be perfect, and also can't adapt (at least most the time)
Same.
Im never leaving Japan just because of its good toilet, it out weighs every cons for me tbh
@@maegalroammis6020 My japanese husband does though, it is all that matters :) I am very happy 😉
Good job !
I'm glad I went there for a year thanks to an exchange program. Otherwise, I would've decide to live there for a good amount of time.
Before taking an important decision such as moving in another country, take your time to assess the good and the bad aspects. There is no rush. Don't forget about other countries as well as there are many hidden gems out there. Many opportunities.
Having dreams is very good, but regrets is very bad as well.
My brother and his family moved to Japan early 2021. Him and his wife are English teachers for a company.
They've been trying to convince me to move there as well... But I don't like the salary cap. It's scary to have to move away from Hong Kong, when salary for teachers here is so much better than most countries (I'm a primary school teacher in a local school). To hear those numbers for a University professor to me is just shocking, I expected the salary would be way more. And to hear that you have to start from the bottom whenever you move jobs is sad... Thanks for your honest insight. Love the shots. I'm telling my brother to film similar content since he cycles a lot as well.
Love your channel. Congrats on moving to Thailand.
I have two friends who lived in Japan as English teachers for about 5 years and moved back to North America. Now after a year they want to move to Hong Kong cause the salary is way better.
This video is so generalized. There are millions of foreigners in Japan who actually prefer staying here. I'm one of them. I've been working as a programmer for 5 years. I'm having no problems really since I come from a very poor country. It really depends on the perspective.
I also want to work there as a programmer after I get my degree. Was it hard finding a job? I hope you don’t mind me asking :)
@@bluefxx in my case it wasn't hard finding a job because I applied at a job fair where a lot of Japanese companies would gather looking for people to hire. The hard part was getting to Japan in the first place because I come from a 3rd world country.
Same I lived in Japan since December 2016 and I have no plans to leave tbh
I don’t believe that this video is aimed at people from poor countries.
@@AndrewSmith-cd5zf Exactly why I said it's so generalized. I just commented to remind people poor countries also exist.
I moved over to Asia with some inspiration from my buddy Jon (@ ModernLifeDating) Who is been living in Japan for about seven years now. I ended up settling down in Vietnam, and after spending some time in Japan on vacation, and overall pretty happy with my choice. If the restrictions to die down, you and your wife should come through!
Thanks man! My wife and I are both big fans of your channel and hopefully we'll be able to come over next year once the restrictions ease up. They're still not letting family of Vietnamese in 😑
@@TwoWheelCruise Sorry to hear it, but yeah it seems like it’s gonna be a while before anybody other than Vietnamese citizens and essential workers come in. Hope you guys are still doing good over there, and thanks for tuning in!
@@TwoWheelCruise Oh really? Despite what has been said by the government?
What's that?
Stay away from Japan. Radioactive contamination problem is still ongoing problem in Japan. Almost 18,000 Japanese people died with cancer or leukemia caused by radioactive contamination from Fukushima. Stop eating radioactive contaminated food and water. Otherwise, you're going to get cancer, leukemia or infertility. Japan WAS good country but it's severely contaminated by radiation since Fukushima earthquake happened in 2011. Additionally Japanese government is trying to hide the truth about radioactive contamination. However, People have the right to know the truth and what's going on really in Japan.
Excellent video mate. All the best to you and your wife.
Thanks for your videos cruise, intertanning and formative
Come to Switzerland, great for cycling, easy living and nice wage :)
Looks really nice!
and cold weather!!
Isn't it impossible for a foreigner to become a citizen of Switzerland?
I thought living in switzerland is expensive?
@@TheLastApplePie It actually is. But the pay should compensate for that. I've made the experience that people (especially expats) are usually attracted by high income and low taxes... until they realise how expensive rent and health insurances can get haha. But still; the living standard stays even with those costs quite high and the stable political and economical situation grant a quite secure environment.
looks like those buildings are just coming in never-ending loop
well, they do
Great video I really enjoyed the info and scenery!!
Very interesting and informative. Good luck on whatever path you and your lovely wife choose. I'm a US retiree living in Italy. Love my adoptive country.
It is getting very hard to live and be happy in Japan. This times are gone for good. It is not the same Japan as 10 years ago, unfortunately.
I ma 44 now and recently lost my job cause of power harassment. However, I stuck with job for now and I guess that with my age I will not be able to find any in my field anymore. I am thinking about several alternatives to continue living in Japan for a few reasons. Coming back to my country (Czech) is impossible now.
I lived in Japan from 2005-2008. That's too bad it's gotten worse. Power harassment? What happened?
Same thing happened to me. But then I look at Europe and it's worse in different ways. It's depressing.
Is it really impossible to return to Czechia or the EU in general? 44 isn't that old. I moved to Japan with a job offer in my 50s, by the way. It's really how you market yourself and your experiences, i.e., in an optimistic rather than apologetic way. For instance, that 10 years in Japan, and hopefully a good level in the language, you could try to find work in a Czech company where this might come in handy. Even if you might end up working a bit below your level, once you get your foot in the door and they can see what you can do, you quickly rise to your proper level again.
@@sundrenched6248 Hi and thanks for your comment ... It is certainly possible to return back to czechia, but at the moment I would prefer to wait as the situation with Covid escalated to extreme. If things not gonna improve here I am already decided to leave Japan as well.
At the moment working as a carpenter or better said "man for all". Not happy for sure but better than sitting at home and crying that there is no work and income even holding university diplomas ... At the end of the day I can learn something new. It may be useful one day ;)
R
@@tareboda-3436 I hope you find the right and satisfying work that you are looking for. Good luck.
I have a similar experience in South Korea. I actually love it here and I’ve taught at the same university for 3 years now. However, my parents are aging and not in good health, so I just really want to go back to the States to be closer to family. It’s a tough choice, but I know I won’t regret spending as much time as possible with my loved ones.
America is a trash country with a high crime rate. Stay away from that dump and u shud just stay in South korea where its actually safe
Medical cost is much much cheaper in Korea than the states. I can't imagine how I can handle my parents if born in the US.
@@abovethelaw4417 bruh his parents live in the state idiot
good decision
I hope you enjoy your time with them
@@abovethelaw4417 what does crime rate have to do with anything lol the guy wants to spend time with his family as he should
Good video!
I'm a Japanese living in Canada for 7 years now. I started thinking move back to Japan after Corona things started for family reasons, etc but my concern is work environment there.... Actually I went back to Japan after finishing my school in California but I left because I saw ppl always talk about work/work/work and look depressed. I thought I was going to be one of them, very stressful. Mental health is a big problem in Japan. I prefer to be in int'l environment but my stomach only used to Japanese food.....
Also hope Japan(gov, society) values more skilled ppl and those fluent in Japanse because it eventually will benefit the country as well
Can I ask what is the differences between Canada and Japan I'm from Hong Kong and really want to know why you want to move back
I am Japanese. What you are saying is very valuable not only for foreigners but also for Japanese people. So I hope you will make more videos like this. Thank you for being honest.
Even my mom said that visiting Japan as vacation is one of the top destinations in the world but living there not so much as number one
Going for holidays but not to live there
Go For a vacation i agree but live in there?
Naah not a good idea..
Your mom is clever.
I've lived in Japan for 4 years and plan to stay longer, but many of my foreign friends left after 2-3 years. A point I feel you didn't touch on (understandably) is how difficult living in Japan is for women, especially those from western countries. Japan, in general, still has a very traditional mindset so there is quite outward sexism that effects one's personal and private life that can be very disheartening, to put it lightly. One of the most obvious examples is childcare and how women are expected to do the majority of the child-rearing and there is little sympathy for fathers who want be active in raising their family. I think this causes many foreigners to hesitate in setting down roots in this country.
It doesn't even affect me directly, but the way the way women are treated here does irritate me.
@@TwoWheelCruise does that mean Japanese woman want out of Japan?
traditional is a understatement, women are barely out of gender feudalism in Japan.
@@FrVitoBe It usually does if they are married to an Expat since it means usually that they have seen how woman are treated in other countries and the difference in work life balances. But you are trolling and trying to hook him now aren't you. It doesn't matter what country you come from that is always your country. So even if a Japanese woman wants out of Japan; they still have ties to Japan in many ways from personal, profession etc.....
Actually foreigners leaving Japan is good for Japan. They remain Japanese and unique.
Thanks for this fantastic video! This video is nostalgic for me. We used to live in the Pine Erize (パインエリゼ) apartment between Kakuozan eki (easy to catch with the Frante supermarket sign) and Ikeshita eki. すごいなずかしい。You are right about the lack of retirement savings and salary ceiling as reasons for leaving. I was working as an engineer there and the pay increases after 5 years were abysmal. The day I announced my resignation they are offered me 20% pay increase. I don't play those games. The business connections I made while over there however are still bearing fruit.
This is a great video, lots of good info!!
when weebs and some people will stop fetishizing japan and japanese people, and be more wise and mature, they can live everywhere and adapt.
whats a weeb
@@tracks5094 ウィアブー
I have want to move to Japan because I’m bored of American lol
@@RainbowsAreNotReal you left 194 country lol, i bet u didn't even think about them and choose japan directly, there isn't just japan tho.
"think 1000 times before making a choice" it's a good thing to do.
I know im going to be alone there i know its going to be hard learning the culture language and getting a job but it doesn’t matter to me ill try my hardest, i tell myself that all the time do i really want to go? Do i really want to be there? YES I DO!
But yea i totally get what you sayin
There's a book called "The Dip" that talks about knowing when to quit. It's a great little book, handy for those looking to move up in their field. Anyways, I 'quit' Japan when I was about to get laid off from my startup job. I saw a better opportunity back home in Canada and took it. Some people follow a similar path, others move up in Japan, and others circlee through the cul-de-sac (a term from The Dip). Choose whatever makes you happy.
Cul-de-sac is a word used to describe a kind of street, it didn’t come from The Dip. Just thought that was worth mentioning
@@LavaSaver I know. I see why you'd say that based on the way I worded it in my previous comment.
@@LavaSaver - It means a dead-end road in the form of a circle or ovoid whereby you can return and exit. (The literal translation from French is rather meaningless, but it is funny - the "asshole of the bag"!)
That book sounds like something I would want to read. I have quit certain things in my life before, for the better, even though it was hard. I am from Canada too. I always wanted to go to Japan but probably wont now due to circumstances. Where I live they have cherry blossom festivals so I will go to that instead.
@@fennecfox2 Anything by the author, Seth Godin, is worthy of a read IMO.
It's a very informative video. Thanks a lot
Sorry to disagree. It's all person to person. I have many foreigner friends who have lived in Japan for years, and have no plans to leave. I myself lived in Japan for two years, but had to return due to personal issues.
Ofcourse living in a country with a different culture, different way of life is difficult and its very difficult to assimilate, and one tends to get nostalgic, so end up leaving Japan for good. Its not about the country or its people, it about the foreigner who visited Japan and couldn't get along.
I don't think its a bad thing foreigners leave. Some people just want to leave home for different experiences and not stay in one place for too long.
For me it was pretty simple:
1. Working the whole freaking time yet never having any money
2. Visa issues and the uncertainty of when you get kicked out of the country
(3. Hot hot hot summers)
Very well said. I agree with you. It's a tough place even for Japanese. The government is useless and that's an understatement.
@@superhotbm I mean, the worst part is, I speak fluent Japanese (and two other languages, plus one on a conversational level), I did have some experience, not just in teaching, and I actually did a lot of different jobs, including working in an office, doing translations/interpreting, as well as baby sitting, working in a jazz club and many others. ALL of them were equally horribly paid, getting anything over ¥1000/hour is like a miracle. I don't know, I accept the possibility that I was just horrible at all these jobs, but I know for a fact many Japanese people get paid just as much, and I can't imagine how they make their living in big cities like Tokyo.
Hot as balls.
@@anabellik they work as host / hostess...
I work in the banking industry and left Japan after 8 years of living in Tokyo. I loved living there- while work culture is tough, outside of work, Japanese culture is beautiful and people's social etiquette is outstanding (something other countries can learn from). The problem is the country is not growing, the population is receding quite fast, and the work culture is stodgy (so new ideas are not easily received). That means fewer opportunities and less satisfaction for foreigners. The sad reality is young Japanese women I speak to who work outside of Japan, much prefer the work culture (although they do miss Japanese food and other aspects of Japanese life). That should be an alarm bell for a country whose population is already ageing rapidly. In my case, there were bigger opportunities in other countries, and as part of a multinational I could transfer. Japan needs to find a way to revive its economy, inspire young people, attract diverse talent, and be far more agile. I'm hoping the next generation of politicians can help realise Japan's strengths and reform the country. It won't be easy.
Thank you for sharing your experience
Tax are deadly high,No growth or whatsoever.The future is really worrisome.
😢
I like to analyze foreign company financials for fun and to look for investment opportunities in their respective stock markets. Japan has some of the most bloated slow to no-growth companies I've ever seen from a first world country. If companies like them existed in the United States, activist investors would have been trying to take them over, the CEO's would have been fired, and divisions sold.
yes true! Well said!
@@Viper4ever05 I don't know if that would be better. A stagnant company is bad for their stock price, but not for their workers, since they have a stable job.
I agree with what your saying, the problem with Japan is it’s almost impossible to fire non-contract employees. This has become a big problem because a lot of these companies have older salarymen that emphasis looking busy more than being actually busy and getting the job done in a timely and efficient mannar. It’s so bad that you will find these guys sleeping on the job and they can’t be fired. Happened at my old company where they fired a guy, took the company to court, won the case, went back to his job, and I caught him sleeping in a closet during work hours. I told my boss but they said there is nothing they can do about it.
There is even a meme on the Japanese internet and younger people make lots of posts about their 働かないおじさん(Old guys that don’t work) at their companies.
Sometimes being able to easily fire employees isn’t actually a bad thing.
Great video. I also lived in Tokyo for almost 3 years. While in the beginning I loved it as it had so many pros. After some time, you do really start to feel isolated, even with friends. Making real connections was a tough one, although it was just my experience. I think one thing to note was, I was in Tokyo, which didn't represent the rest of Japan. It was just an overworked city with barely much time to relax. Over time, I made Japanese friends who revealed the many things that halted progress in Japanese society, but were never spoken about or addressed. There is a constant habit of ignoring real issues in Japan, which I found quite heartbreaking. So I left... Still respecting the culture but with a clear understanding that it is not the peaceful uptopia some of us (and even myself at one point) paint it to be.
Thanks! That's very true that many large issues are just ignored and not talked about. Both in society and in work, which can be very frustrating if you can't accept that mindset.
@@TwoWheelCruise Thank you for such an informative video. I really admire how you stuck at it and have made Japan your home. All the best 👍🏾🙂
did you know japanese? like fluently, could you speak japanese with any random person and have a real conversation like you could in english? could you pick up a japanese book at the bookstore and just read it with 95% or higher comprehension?
@@babygorl9541 Oh wow, your loaded questions are a bit extreme. I feel like i am being quizzed before taking a JLPT test again🤣. Yes, I was good enough to interact with most people, although many other expats I knew could speak much better than me (They also left at some point). Not really sure what the point is to your questions, but I get the feeling that you're trying to prove a point. Let's not do that.
Name one big city in the world thats relaxing. Theres no way I would expect warm fuzzies in Chicago or New York for example, Dont know how youd think Tokyo would be any different. Would be interested in what small city living is like in Japan
Thank you for giving the salary numbers and pay and pension details. Great information!