Saturday, November 21, 2009

Will it be safe to live in Japan after the they clean up all the radiation leaks and whatnot

Will it be safe to live in Japan after the they clean up all the radiation leaks and whatnot?
I want to go live in Tokyo, but after this terrible earthquake, and more seriously, the nuclear reactors leaking, will it be safe to live there anytime soon, without facing long term effects on my health from the radiation leaks and such?
Japan - 10 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Of course it will be safe eventually, that is as safe as an earthquake prone area can be.
2 :
.... Nuclear power can never be 100% safe, as we are seeing demonstrated right now in Japan. If it scares you (it does me) don't live near it. As to the extent of what is going on in Japan with the nuclear power plants, the end result is not yet known as the story is still ongoing. So far as we know right now it's just low levels of radiation that went up in steam and the likely outcome is their cancer rate is expected to rise over the next few decades. We are all praying the news won't get any worse. As of now though it is still relatively safe to live in Tokyo, not 50km near the nuclear plants but still radiation is very low and harmless so its safe.....for now
3 :
Study it. It depends on how much radiattion you get and whether or not they fixt he power plant which may take a while...so just wait and see. I was gonna go this summer but im not sure if i can go now becasue of the radiation it caused. the earthquake wasnt a problmes
4 :
don't come to Japan if the radiation scares you, we sure as hell won't miss you at all.
5 :
You'll get more radiation from eating a banana, sleeping next to someone, or flying on a plane than you will from living in Japan.
6 :
yea i bet it would
7 :
Most of Japan is safe now. Barring unforeseen circumstances, everywhere except the immediate vicinity of the damaged nuclear plant should be safe within a year or two.
8 :
It's safe to go to Tokyo now. Only a small radius around the Fukushima nuclear plant is at low risk. However you cannot live in Tokyo without a work or student visa. I believe if you want to be a Japanese citizen you must also need to speak Japanese fluently. However you can still be a Japanese resident without being able to do that but you'll still need a job.
9 :
-- and more seriously, the nuclear reactors You've got it backwards. The tsunami did most of the damage. The power plant problem is minimal. A small radius was evacuated, but the radiation there should be gone in a few weeks. If anything, the situation shows how safe nuclear power is. Consider that forty year old plants were hit with an earthquake five times the strength they were designed for and yet they still shut down safely. The generators came on like they were supposed to when grid power was cut. Then the tsunami hit and the generators were wiped out. However, the battery backup still worked for the designed eight hours. The problem happened when no new generators could be put in. Even so the problems have been minimal--media scare mongering for ratings not withstanding. Here is an informative article describing the situation: http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/03/13/fukushima-simple-explanation/ And here is where you find current, factual status information: http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsunamiupdate01.html Note particularly: "So, in summary: there are some positive indications on the site; precautionary restrictions around the site on certain foodstuffs; and monitoring of the environment is continuing beyond the evacuation zone and at sea. No significant risk to human health has been identified."
10 :
Japan in general will be safe, but not Fukushima. Check out this site. Chernobyl is still abandoned to this day due to high radiation levels. (Chernobyl suffered a similar melt down in 1986): http://villageofjoy.com/chernobyl-today-a-creepy-story-told-in-pictures/

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Saturday, November 14, 2009

Are there any American couples that live in Japan and raise there kids there

Are there any American couples that live in Japan and raise there kids there?
Is there anyone that you might know from a foreign country like America that lives in Japan and raises there kids there with a spouse from the same foreign country? Or does anyone on here do that? If not what do you think about the idea? Do you think the children would like it? Just say your opinion, but nothing harsh please.I just want to know what people think of it. :) And if anyone on here does live in Japan and raised or are currently raising there kids please let me know your experiences :D
Japan - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
ya
2 :
Yes. I know of some people. The only problem is, in Japan, there is a strong system of belonging and bullying. Since I did grow up in Japan (I'm Japanese) for a while when I was younger I know that the odd one out would be picked on, sometimes quite severely and even to the point of the child's suicide. However, the suicide part is not a major point. The only thing to remember is that if you are different in Japan, you open yourself up to being bullied. Pretty much, it's because Japan is a homogeneous population. It's not like America where you get all different types of races co-existing (some places co-existing better than others though) and you are exposed to many different types of people. There is nothing wrong with raising your kids in Japan. They have an excellent school system and a very unique culture. Of course, the school system is tough, tougher than in America, but they will learn quite a bit.
3 :
Raising kids in Japan is a great idea, it will give your kids a second language from a young age which is a great asset. My mrs is Japanese, we are moving back to Japan next year, we will definately raise our kids in Japan, they learn respect, honour and team work, and they stick with it generally, education in second to none. Japan has many International schools, which is where you will have to send your kids if they have no prior knowledge of Japanese, these schools have mostly Japanese students who intend to study abroad once they leave school, aswell as many students from other countries and half cast children living in Japan. The main concern for you will be getting VISAs sorted, Japan has a very strict VISA system, Please check out http://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html for further information And goodluck! Make good choices ;)
4 :
Well, some military personnels and expatriates are living in Japan as a couple and raising their kids. They are sending their kids to international schools. But some of them send kids to Japanese schools. Even if the kid was born in Japan, he could not get citizenship if both parents are foreigners. The biggest problem will be how to get a job here.
5 :
There are plenty of American families in the Tokyo area. Disney is there and many American families work there and bring their children overseas. The ones that I know so far enjoy it. The children had a hard move at first but adjusted well. I'm not even sure if little Brent wants to go home anymore. I do believe it's different for each family. Right now, as a baby, I'd prefer my son to be raised in Japan over America but when it's time for him to attend schools, I'm in debate. I'd like to send him to American schools so he can be an individual but I do like the study skills learned in Japan..

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Saturday, November 7, 2009

What type of Bachelor's degree should I get in order to work and live in Japan

What type of Bachelor's degree should I get in order to work and live in Japan?
I am planning on moving to Japan as soon as I get my bachelor's in something. Right now I'm getting an associates for transferring to a four year college. But I'm not sure whether I should be getting an Elementary teaching degree (Bachelor's), or if it really matters as to what my BA is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Japan - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You can teach English in japan and world history . best if you take a 2 semester course in Japanese so that you can easily relate with the students ( Unless you fluently speak and write kanji) Accounting and media related jobs are also good in japan but its nice to be a teacher
2 :
What you're talking about is at least 5 years in the future.A lot can change in that time period.A degree in teaching would probably be your best bet as that can also be used in the US. You may want to realize that many people who go to Japan to teach English get burned out after just a year or two. The average monthly pay hasn't changed in years.Teaching English is not likely to be a long term affair.You may want to look beyond the time you'll be teaching English. There are a lot of wannabe teachers now, and the schools can afford to be more picky than they were in the past.So yes, what degree you have can matter.Just keep your future in mind if you discover working in Japan isn't for you.Outside of teaching English & high tech jobs, there isn't much available to non-Japanese.Most common jobs will always go to a native Japanese first. You can check out the web site below to get an idea of what kind of jobs employers are offering.
3 :
You should approach your plan based on your total career path. Going to Japan to work is one of the many steps in your career. If you want to work in education, then study a language or education. If you want to work in business or technology then pursue those paths. My BA helped me get hired. My transfer to the Japan offices was based on my work experience. Your work in Japan should be in line with your career goals.

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Sunday, November 1, 2009

What career path would be good for people wanting to move to and live in Japan

What career path would be good for people wanting to move to and live in Japan?
My current dream right now is to move to Japan and become an English language teacher. I know the pay is fairly mediocre and getting visas and crap can be hard as hell, but this is my dream, if this doesn't work out for me then I'm pretty sure I have nothing left. For instance what college degrees should I get, what jobs should I look into, and what skills should I pick up? Japanese language proficiency is a given but what else should I be looking at as far as skills go?
Japan - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Yakuza
2 :
I have a friend or 2 that have been teaching English there now for about 6 years. They both had degrees in obscure majors. It was a bachelors degree and I think that is all the company's that hired them are concerned about. Although you could possibly teach english there without a degree but it would be somewhat hard. Neither spoke a word of Japanese when they got there. As far as the work permits and visa are concerned the teaching company that hires you will help you with that part. As far as skills are concerned...I think maybe learning how to eat with chop sticks and bowing would be a good start. I left you a site to look at that might answer more of your questions. Good luck
3 :
Fred, the more English / teaching skills you have, the better chance you have of being hired. More qualified people are applying for these jobs, so the competition is getting tighter. The JET program is one of the most popular, but you are limited as to how many times you can renew the contract. But that doesn't mean you can't be hired by another school. This isn't really an easy job, as many people get burned out ( or home sick ) after just a year or two. Repeating the same thing day after day can get to many people. You could major in English, and minor in something else. It's always best to have something as a backup in case plan A doesn't work out. Knowing Japanese isn't needed to teach English as many schools don't want Japanese to be spoken in the classroom. Knowing Japanese won't hurt though.
4 :
Currently you need a degree and be a native English speaker. You will get a better job if you have recognised TEFL certification (like CELTA) and experience. Most jobs available at the moment are teaching kids. Of course, things may change, it depends of the foibles of the Japanese government. Have you ever been to Japan? Why do are you so keen to come here?
5 :
Teaching English at a conversation school is a job but not a career. If you get special certifications than you have more of a chance working in some private high school or somewhere, or if you really want to go for the gold you can get a Doctorate and become a university professor. But few ever receive any kind of tenure.
6 :
In most cases in order to work full time in Japan you need to have a University degree and you also require the backing of a company in Japan to sponsor your visa. Most recruiters usually require the following for teaching English in Japan 1. Native English Speaker 2. Full Bachelor Degree (in any field) 3. Basic Japanese Ability They also prefer teaching qualifications like TESL and ESL as well as some teaching experience. A lot of major language schools now operate recruitment offices overseas, so you can get in touch with them and set up interviews before even visiting Japan. Working in Japan http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2010/06/working-in-japan.html

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