I am 25 years old and I am in college going for an English major. Living in Japan has been by dream for a long time, but I wanted to ask, is it better to just go on long vacations every year instead of relocating? I was thinking about becoming a translator, but I heard those jobs are hard to come by down there.
Japan - 8 Answers
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1 :
Translation jobs are hard to find, though teaching jobs may be easier to come by. However, an english major gives little advantage in the job search, since teaching jobs usually just look for native speakers. I would suggest the long vacations. Relocation is hard, as Japanese immigration is extremely strict; you probably wouldn't ever get citizenship either.
2 :
Relocation is a whole new ballgame altogether. Imagine leaving all your friends / family back home and moving to a totally different land where you're unfamiliar with the language and culture. Also, if you're not Asian, you will stick out as pretty much 99% of the population is Japanese. People staring at you on the train (even in large cities like Tokyo) and at places where there are few foreigners is pretty common so that is something you'd have to get used to. Think of a white person walking into a black neighbourhood and you'd get the idea. As for myself, I've been living in Tokyo for close to a year now and sometimes I do miss my friends and family back home. I am Asian so I don't stand out which really helps in my opinion. It really depends on how you deal with it at the end of the day.
3 :
I said hundreds of times here that Japan is a country to visit as a tourist; not a country to live in as a resident. As long as you are a tourist, you are welcome! But don't live in our neighborhood. We will kick you out.
4 :
Only you can decided which is better for yourself. Have you ever even been there ? If not I suggest you go there on a vacation for as long as you. can. It's a different world than it is here in the US. It's not easy to live in a country where most people speak another language, TV and radio isn't in English. Buying things in a store can even be a problem because most of the labels are in Japanese. Being a translator won'tbe easy as there's already a lot of people there who can do those kinds of jobs. You best bet would probably to apply for a job as an English teacher. That would at least get you into Japan for a year or more. Then if you still feel comfortable there, you can look into something better.
5 :
It is easier to grow 6 inches taller or lose 100 pounds than to get a work visa in Japan. you must have at least a 4 year degree and speak, read and write Japanese like a native. Then, the only jobs available to foreigners are jobs Japanese citizens don't need. they are a tiny, overcrowded nation, very well educated, and they neither need or want foreign immigrants or workers except in a very few occupations...and then they choose to allow other Asians in. You need to build a live and a retirement fund in the U.S.!
6 :
Might want to consider traveling to Japan for a visit first. You can stay up to 90 days with no paper work if you're American (just your passport). If you want to live in Japan for the rest of your life, your best bet is to work your way up from English teacher to some sort of University professor at a school that has an international exchange program with other English speaking countries. That job would have alot more in terms of longevity than simply teaching English in rural Japan.
7 :
For a first step, I would recommend traveling to Japan as a tourist for a visit to see if you like the place. Traveler's from most Western countries can stay up to 90 days with no visa. Second step, you have visited Japan and really liked the place. Consider working in Japan for a short period on the Working Holiday program. The Working Holiday program is open to young citizens (between 18 and 30) from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, Ireland and the UK: those eligible may apply for working holiday visas without having a job offer. Working in Japan http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2010/06/working-in-japan.html
8 :
If you have never been to Japan before, how can you decide to live there indefinitely? Go there and experience some of it first. It may or may not be for you. As for translator, you had better think of something else. Even if you became one, it pays poorly and it not long term oriented.
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