Why did you go to Japan?

[TrickWithAKnife]

Of course, this question is for people who have visited or lived in Japan at some point.
I do have an ulterior motive for asking this question: Many of the characters in the game I'm working on will be foreigners in Japan.

Anyway, I'll start the ball rolling.

Short version:

I thought Japanese people were really nice, and Japanese sounded cool.

Long version:

I used to do a lot of kung-fu, and a group of instructors plus a few others (including myself) had been invited for special training in Singpore, from the master of that particular style.
I had been thinking about learning another language for a while, and it made sense to learn Chinese.
The problem was, Chinese is almost impossible to learn just from books, and I gave up after a few months.
I thought for a while about another language to learn.

One day, while I was playing Tekken 3, I heard Jin Kazama speak in English and Japanese, and he sounded insanely cool in both languages. So cool, that I decided to learn Japanese.

About 6 months after that, I moved to London, and while I was there, I met some Japanese people, and did language exchanges. I really loved doing this. I learnt a lot, and met a lot of really nice people. Many of them became good friends, and introduced me to their other Japanese friends. I just thought that Japanese people were so wonderful and friendly, I absolutely had to go to Japan, so I arranged for a working holiday visa. So many (great) things happened since then, and I've been in Japan since August 2008, and plan to stay here permanently.

[redeyesblackpanda]

I haven't been to Japan, but this might be useful data anyway, so here goes the dump. I'm hoping to study abroad there in a couple years through my college. I've been wanting to go because I'm part Japanese, but have never been there, and am interested in the culture and environment there.

[GARLICBREAD]

I've been to Japan maybe 3 or 4 times and each time I just go around and sightsee, nothing special haha.

I'm thinking about going again, but unlike the last few times I went, I think I might want to study or improve my Japanese. I like Japan and would like to go again, but I don't think I could ever live there.

[Samu-kun]

I went there because of my anime fandom, but that seems too typical to put in your game. XD
Also, I went there to improve my kendo, so I figure there are a lot of people who go to Japan to learn martial arts. Maybe having a foreign kendoka who has come to Japan to learn the way of the sword would be an interesting character in your game!

I imagine that there could be other reasons why foreigners would be in Japan - eg. international business reasons, because of military service, etc.

[SilverxBlue]

My older brother's GF goes there all the time, she goes there for business reasons...

She tried to bring me once, I was all ready and rarin to go, cause I've been wanting to do a little sight-seeing and maybe buying some Harajuku styled clothes, but my father ruins it by punishing me for having a D in my conduct grade. (Yep, being tardy in class almost everyday gives you that.)

[TrickWithAKnife]

Maybe having a foreign kendoka who has come to Japan to learn the way of the sword would be an interesting character in your game!

I've definitely considered that. Personally I've tried karate and wushu since coming here, and from next month I'll be starting boxing.

I think if I was going to choose some kind of "budo" as the reason for coming to Japan, it would be either karate, aikido, or kendo. I may even go so far as to make learning kendo an option in the game if I choose that, and attended lessons myself for research purposes.

[Argeus_the_Paladin]

First thing first: Let's for a moment forget your game and how its setting is "foreigner in Japan". Just consider why one person would want to leave their country to live in another one semi-permanently, of which there are quite a few, each with its own corresponding consequences.

1) Something in his/her mother country no longer sustains his or her civil right or guarantee his/her future, forcing him/her to look elsewhere. Political strife, civil war, civil unrest and extreme poverty are all causes for this. These people become asylum seekers, and while they might eventually be able to settle down in a new country, that would take a very long time and perhaps until the end of their days they would not know the feeling of "belonging" in the host country.

2) Similarly, the person's country may not be a hotbed of civil unrest and war, but it does not facilitate his or her talents. If the person is talented enough to strike out on their own, they leave their country and settle in another one where their dreams could be realized. The prerequisite is that the person has to be skilled, if not very much so. And even if they are a one-of-a-kind genius, the same feeling like in case (i) still apply - they may, at some point, feel unwelcomed in the foreign country.

3) The person is looking for a short term of labor export/expatriation, in which case their skill requirement depend majorly on their career and profession. The unwelcome might still still there, though much less than the previous two, since both the worker and his host country friends know he's not going to stick around for very long.

4) Looking for his/her alma mater. Studying in a foreign country is apparently a thing (I'm one), and is one of those choices many young people like to choose, either for cold hard opportunities for cash (Asian students pursuing business careers in an European-American uni) or for a dream to experience more of the world (European-American student anywhere else). Given enough time, they can transition into type (ii) or (iii).

5) "Because this country is so awesome!"

A reason often cited by romanticist backpackers, this is the reason with the least basis on fact and reality. Often triggered by a desire to stay in a place that has been heavily idealized by popular culture without knowing the delicate nuances and underlying difficulties. Also the one most likely to fail.

Now, considering that we're talking about Japan, one of the most xenophobic country out there (in some opinions), we can expect nothing less than mounting difficulties. I know that Japan has an abundance of type (iv) and some type (iii), but (i) and (ii) are rare, few and far between. There are, if I am to trust the internet, not a small number who want to be type (v) to varying degrees of success.

This is just a very brief rundown on a sleepless night on my part. Hope it helps in one way or another.

[LVUER]

And here are some other reasons...
1. To study, whether he have skills/intelligence that his original country's education system isn't enough for him (Japan education is much more advanced compared to most other Asian countries) or simply because his/her parents have money to burn. Or s/he get a scholarship to Japan and it's a waste to let it go.
2. To have a better life. Perhaps those who live in developed countries won't know why people have this kind of reason. Take my country for example: we have to pay all of our medical expenses here (we have life insurance but again, we have to pay them on our own), we live short life here (life expectancy is 60 at average because of poor living condition), crime and corruption run deep in government, and so on. Given chance, I would move and live in Japan without second thoughts.
3. Jobs. Your boss tells you that you will be promoted and have to move to Japan. OR your job needs you to move to Japan (and/or move back to the original country repeatedly). Simple. My father's friend, a Japanese, works here in Indonesia for the exact same reason.
4. Parents move to Japan and as their children, you are one package. Don't let those anime where the children lives alone while the parents move abroad think you can pull that one too.
5. You move to Japan for whatever reason (just pick one above or from other posts) perhaps only temporary. But then you meet with this one girl... and you FELL IN LOVE with her. You marry her and then you decided to stay in Japan forever. Sounds cheesy and cliche, but it happens a lot more than you know.

[papillon]

Don't forget moving to a foreign country in order to marry someone from there because you met them in your own country, or on THE INTERNETS.

[Argeus_the_Paladin]

Don't forget moving to a foreign country in order to marry someone from there because you met them in your own country, or on THE INTERNETS.

SA always have field days with that. Lulz for everyone!

[papillon]

*shrug* The majority of the relationships in my life did start online. And did force me into international travel. I'm not a normal person.

[Samu-kun]

Pretty cynical view of traveling you have there, Argeus. XD I think exploring foreign countries is fun. Sure, there are going to be problems, but that's also part of the adventure. Every country has bizarre traditions and culture in general is very illogical, but that's pretty much true wherever you live. You'll learn to adopt and get used to it sooner or later.

[TrickWithAKnife]

5. You move to Japan for whatever reason (just pick one above or from other posts) perhaps only temporary. But then you meet with this one girl... and you FELL IN LOVE with her. You marry her and then you decided to stay in Japan forever. Sounds cheesy and cliche, but it happens a lot more than you know.

I met my wife about 2 hours after arriving in Japan. She was the first person I talked to.

Thanks for all those reasons posted above. I already have a reason for the main character to go to Japan in my game, but wanted reasons for other characters. Although those are all valid reasons, they are (hopefully) not common ones, hence my reason for asking here. If every person says "because Japanese girls are hot", then I could consider that a common reasons.

[HikkiPanda]

not so common reasons to go to the japan? mmmm ....

1. the father is a survival of japanese invasion during world war. During that time, he secretly got romantically involved with a japanese woman
2. They have a son/daughter (pick one), illegally off course
3. soon, the war ends and they're forced to say good bye to each other. The father want to give his lover a memento but unable to give it to her in time.
4. not long after, he died because of bad health and grief
5. skip a couple of years. With the hostility between nations caused by wars are diminishing, the son/daughter who is now a teenager decide to go to japan to search for his/her mother and give the memento to her

probably too complicated and not suited with your game setting though XD. Maybe it will be better if I post this in ideas dump thread instead

[TrickWithAKnife]

Oops, I worded my last post badly. I meant that common reasons are good.
The reason for that is that they are more realistic.