I really like Japan and I would like to visit or even move there when I am older. I just want to know how much Japanese I would need to know, also I would like to major in International Business and minor in Japanese, is there anything you can tell me about that?
Japan - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I know people who've lived there for several years and didn't learn much of the language at all. They must have just hung out with other expatriates and not mingled with the locals at all, which sounds like it would be awful - you could hang out with people from your own country without leaving home! You can get away with a fairly basic level of Japanese but reading can be a bit of a struggle. Fortunately the public transport system is very good, some signs (eg station names) are multi-lingual, and restaurants have plastic display food so you can just point to things until you find out what they're called. Learn the language as best you can before leaving and you'll get a lot more out of it. You'll never regret knowing too much!
2 :
To visit Japan, you do not need to speak Japanese. To work in Japan, you need a job and a visa. It's difficult to find a job other than English teacher without speaking Japanese.
3 :
Going there for a visit wouldn't be a problem. But actually living there would. Most Japanese don't speak English, so if you don't know the language, you're very limited with whom you can talk to. Moving there isn't easy. You need a four year degree & a job offer before you got there. In most cases, teaching English won't be a long term deal. Realize if a Japanese can do the job, it will always go to them first.
4 :
like moving to any country you need to learn the language. there are bubble communities similar to a vietnamese town or china town. my school's international business program was not to aggressive and my japanese program was very elementary. i think the two best business majors are accounting and economics. they really cover everything that other business majors cover.
5 :
A smattering of the local language is always handy when you visit. When I visited Turkey to see an eclipse in 2006 my "command" of Turkish was about 15 carefully chosen words. But those 15 words were very helpful. If you're going to live or study there you want to learn more, obviously.
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