What do you want to know about Japan?

[TrickWithAKnife]

I'm curious what people would like to know about Japan, Japanese people, and the language.

I'm not trying to say that I can give advice, (not yet, anyway) but I'm doing research for a project that involves the three things mentioned above. Knowing what people are curious about means I can provide info on those topics, with the help of Japanese people I know, or my own experiences.

This is a really broad question, so answer it however you like. Maybe there are things you have already learnt, or perhaps things you hope other people will discover.

[kkffoo]

Most of the coverage we get on tv here tends to focus on either gadgets and technology, or very traditional design..such as architecture, kimonos, gravel gardens, flower arranging etc.
Since getting involved with the community here I know more about manga.

I'm more interested in how people live their every day lives in modern japan, especially women my age (nearly 50)
How do they get together with friends, what kind of celebrations do they have, what are the differences between urban and rural life.
What do they eat and cook, day to day. What kind of hobbies do they have.
Do people in general live close to their families, or are they choosing to move away for work.
Do they but houses or rent, do older children live at home.
What kind of religious communities exist.
What do they do as families for fun.

[Valour-n-Arms]

I'm an economics major and I'd love to know more about the Japanese economy. It's a very stand-out one even decades ago till now. The growth, then the slump, and Japanese game industries versus western ones.

[dramspringfeald]

Actually I just want to know where the good food locations are... because I find the holes in the wall places far better then the high end restaurants.

[AshenhartKrie]

I know I could probably find books on this somewhere, but anyway.
I've always been interested in the history, the feudal period specifically, and the ways the Japanese people worship the shinto Gods. Being me, I am mainly interested in philosophy and religion, as well as how people used to live their lives.

[LVUER]

What do I want to know about Japan? I want to know how I can move and stay there (and at least acquire a PR).

[dramspringfeald]

What do I want to know about Japan? I want to know how I can move and stay there (and at least acquire a PR).

Well Fukushima needs a good scrubbing... I know they'll be putting ads out for that soon.

[LVUER]

What do I want to know about Japan? I want to know how I can move and stay there (and at least acquire a PR).

Well Fukushima needs a good scrubbing... I know they'll be putting ads out for that soon.

Is this a sarcasm? I'm not really good at taking hint...

Still, that kind of job can open a chance for me to stay in Japan, I will take it (as long as I don't need to risk my life, that is).

[TrickWithAKnife]

@ LVUER:

How's your English? I can't see any problems from your writing.
Teaching English seems to be the most common job for foreigners when they first come to Japan.
I do know Spanish, Chinese and Korean are fairly popular too, but not sure about other languages.
I see on your profile that you're a teacher, so that's a huge advantage.

If you can speak Japanese at a conversational level, there are a lot more opportunities as well.
I'm not sure what your full background is, or what a PR stands for.

[LVUER]

My English is only so-so. You can see that from all my posts. My English was once quite good (TOEFL level) but with no chance to practice, my skill keeps dwindling. Still, no matter how good my English was, it's very hard to compete with native speakers (since teaching English is the most popular job for those English natives).

My native language is Indonesia but it's hardly a popular language in Japan.

PR means Permanent Residence. So I can stay and work in Japan without the hassle of making a special visa. AFAIK, Japan is the most difficult country in accepting foreigners. If I wanted to, I can easily get a PR for Australia... but I don't have any interest in living there.

[TrickWithAKnife]

Getting permanent residence is difficult. I've been in Japan more than 4 years, and my wife is Japanese. Basically I have to keep renewing my visa until they decide to give me PR.

As far as I can tell, the only way to stay in Japanese is to get sponsored by a company, which usually requires unique skills or good university qualifications, or marrying a Japanese person.

It would still be possible to teach English here, but if your English isn't native level you'd probably end up teaching only young children.

[fioricca]

Wait -- does this thread mean that Trick is going to be Detective Trick and investigate our queries for us *A*

... no I'm joking haha I do have a few questions myself, but I'll reserve them for now! I am interested in how to be able to live and work in Japan myself, and their strict immigration policy. I can't believe they'd still make you renew visas even though you have a wife, and you've lived there for four years. That's ridiculous. Japan has an ageing population problem, so it wouldn't hurt for them to be more flexible with immigrants; are we really that hostile to them? ):a

[TrickWithAKnife]

Japan is still figuring out how to deal with foreigners. For example, earlier this year there was some kind of conference to discuss how to make Japan more appealing to foreigners, and how to help them enjoy being here more. Unfortunately no foreigners were actually invited to the event...

My purpose for creating this thread is to find out what other people are interested in, and the results so far have been quite surprising. I could answer some questions, but I'm hardly an expert on Japanese culture.

As for getting residency, it seems to be completely random. I know of people who got residency after a few years. I know others that have been in Japan more than 10 years who are married to a Japanese national and have children, but still don't have residency.

The strictness of immigration really depends on the arrangement with Japan and your own country. The US has strict laws regarding immigration, so it's harder for Americans to stay here long term.
On the other hand, Japan and Australia have a great relationship, so it's relatively easy to stay in the other country for longer periods.

I've really enjoyed my time in Japan, so I'd especially like to help people who are thinking about staying here and finding work. I got screwed over badly in my first job because there was so much I didn't know. But now I have a much better job, more money, better working conditions, and more free time.
And my qualifications are not so impressive.

[fioricca]

For example, earlier this year there was some kind of conference to discuss how to make Japan more appealing to foreigners

By lowering the Japanese yen

... no well on a more serious note, it's somewhat amusing to hear that they organised a conference about foreigners without inviting them. XD It would really be nice if the yen was cheaper

Ahh in that case, my questions -- well, you mentioned that you've been teaching English in Japan (Tokyo? Or some other city?), and I'm curious as to if there are some interesting stories that you can share with us. :p Do your students learn English simply because they have to? Does any of them ever find it useful? I heard from an acquaintance in Japan that students find English difficult because the teaching method is mundane, uninteresting and unhelpful. Do you agree?

[Ryue]

For japan I'm interested in the mentality of the ppl there. And what stereotypes are true and which are not.
(I've met a japanese exchange student here.....and she was almost 100% like the stereotype that one knows out of reports and films, while being bad at english.
Then again the teacher I have in the japanese language [taking a course] native speaker who married someone from here....aside from how she nods her head to
punctuate her statements and also mumbles "mhm" nothing is with her like I've seen from reports and films.....maybe she has been living here already for too long
but the difference was still astounding too me so I'm mostly intereted in how they are like and their mentality and what stereotypes are true and which ones are not).

Typical stereotypes: Always smiling for girls as one example, or teachers noding their head lightly to punctuate their statements and making "mhm" noises, ....
(behavioural stereotypes.....hope stereotype is the correct word thus I also gave the examples above).

On a sidenote the english of the exchange student (if I understood her correct she was studying music....but then again the university we were both heading to offered no courses for that) was really bad....WAY worse than mine (around how I talked after having the 2nd term with english during my schooltime (I think in american school system that would have been junior high)