Living in Sendai: Pros and Cons

Hello
I've been offered an interesting position in Sendai and was wondering if there's things to consider pro and con moving there. I have to commit for 2 years, not too long, but still a period that makes you wonder.

First concern right of the bat is if there are any radiation issue, directly or indirectly, I've read they re-activated the nuclear plant there and distributing anti-radiation pills to people.

Second is financial soundness and a possible fallout from Abe'nomics. Is the bubble close to burst in Japan?

Third is living costs. What's a standard salary and monthly expenses for a foreigner in the region?

Fourth is social net (both services and relationships):
- How are people in Sendai seen in general?
- What can a foreigner look to in moments of distress.
- Are there many foreigners in Sendai?

Probably already too many questions. I don't mind a few generic links with general info about the Japan. The most local concerns to me are definetly the radiation issue and living costs.

Cheers

Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku region and as a result can be called a medium sized international city (around a million people from memory)

I was only there for a long weekend, but the town was easy to get around and had all of the amenities you would expect from the more easy to live in cities. There is also quite a bit to see in the city and there are many places to visit in the weekend which will be an important thing if you plan on living there for 2 years.

Now onto my main bugbear with your question - please be very careful with wording about radiation in Japan. The way you worded you comments will often upset people which will be an important thing if you intend on working in a Japanese based environment. I'm making this comment from a Western perspective - not one of an entirely Japanese perspective.

First of all - Sendai is quite a distance from the Fukushima plant and is almost the same distance from the plant as Northern Tokyo. As such - you will have no problems with radiation. I've stayed in Koriyama which is 80 KM's from the nuclear power plant and it was fine. I'm a Science teacher (and also a scientist) and can say that you have little to worry about in relation to radiation.

So - no people are not being given anti radiation medication apart from if from people who might be working directly with the clean up (which I doubt you will be). Ironically - people you flew to Seoul one way will receive more radiation than those who lived in Koriyama in those first 6 months in 2011. That's just some food for thought - most people don't really understand radiation.

Abenomics is not as bad as you think it is - with the main problem being a devaluation of the Yen. It does not affect the locals that much (apart from minor appreciation of prices which is a good thing for Japan) and reducing your ability to save money in USD. A devaluation in the yen has allowed Japan's export industry to expand which is good for the economy in general.

I don't want to get into the semantics of the economy - but not much will happen as Japan's governments debt is almost entirely funded by the Japanese private sector which removes many problems that other highly indebted countries may face.

The people in Sendai seem to be a nice bunch and there should be a reasonable number of expats. Getting into touch with the local government expat forum (run by the Sendai government) should help.

How much you should earn really depends on what job you have, how you live and what expenses are paid for.

As Sendai is a medium sized city, I'd probably want to earn 350,000 + yen a month after tax to live comfortably. 200,000 is probably the minimum basic wage.

Your comments on where can foreigners look for help in times of distress is really the same as any countries - within your general friendship and family group. In your case - your place of employment will probably be your first port of call.

One question which is not often asked is will our personality suit working in Japan?

The Japanese in general are a great bunch of people who are proud, hard working and can have a great sense of humour. Many also work hard and play hard. These are of course generalisations and do not explain everyone.

I will say that having an open mind and taking time to make decision is something which is strongly needed in Japan. Being quite brash can upset some people quite a lot - but other people find it as a breath of fresh air.

So what I guess I'm saying is your questions are valid but they are a little to coarse for some Japanese. Asking as though you are unsure can make a big difference as the questions read as slightly condescending. My guess is that they are not written with this context which is one of the main problems with the written word.

I will say that many Japanese people (and many other nationalities) don't like condesention. If I come across as brash or aggressive - I apologise for this. It was not my intention but I can be quite defensive of the country in which I used to live in as an expat.

Best regards,

mfedley

Well mfedley, then I have a problem, because I thought the post was simply showing I wanted to know more about subjects that worry me of which I have some sample information, but I know I'm not in the know, hence posting here.
"Asking as though you are unsure can make a big difference as the questions read as slightly condescending."
I thought to be condescending you had to show you knew it all or that the other person doesn't know things. I honestly don't understand why showing I'm unsure of things can sound condescending. Can you develop that?


Thanks for the broad feedback on the questions.
I may have been taking wrong steps already by wording my concerns already about Fukushima. So there's that... :/

I'll keep on investigating with the pieces of information you gave me.

Cheers

It's understandable to be concerned about radiation with all the fearmongering in the Western media, but please try to do your own research about that, it's not that hard.

Other than that, I will only say that the city's official website has some information in English.

I've read they re-activated the nuclear plant there and distributing anti-radiation pills to people.
If you can remember where you read this, never trust the information from that source again.

It is unbelievable that in 2015, 4 years since the earthquake/nuclear disaster, this level of ignorance persists. Please do some basic research into this subject as it seems to be concerning to you and you will find the accurate information to be very reassuring.

Sendai is a pretty livable city. Good shopping, dining, facilities. Rents are reasonable, with plenty of new-built apartments to modern earthquake standards. Simple transport for a compact city of 1 million people. A well-regarded university town, so plenty of younger people around. Well connected to Tokyo and limited connections from a very convenient airport, as well as plenty to visit in the surrounding area.

I think some people are being a little unfair to the original poster. Any Westerner who was offered a job in Sendai would have the same queries and want to find out more. I don't see how it's brash or patronizing to ask about the radiation on an online forum.

The problem with the written word is no context. What someone reads and what it's true meaning is is often different.

I read your comment about radiation in Tohoku as a rhetorical question - which I'm sure was not it's true intention.

I'm guessing that this was only the real problem - as many people can very quickly upset about this topic.

As mentioned in my previous post - I expected that was not your intention - but just wanted to point it out as making similar comments in Japan may cause some problems.

A lot of this animosity actually comes from many Western people leaving Japan straight after the attack - so they kind of felt abandoned at their greatest time of need. This comment has nothing to do with anything either of us has said yet - it's just an interesting tid bit.

I wish you luck in finding your other answers.

First concern right of the bat is if there are any radiation issue, directly or indirectly, I've read they re-activated the nuclear plant there and distributing anti-radiation pills to people.

Check your sources. Fukushima Daiichi was soon after shut down and permanently decommissioned (mostly in 2012), while Fukushima Daini was unaffected by the tsunami/earthquake.

Second is financial soundness and a possible fallout from Abe'nomics. Is the bubble close to burst in Japan?

The bubble bust in Japan several decades ago. Abenomics is just one set of reforms meant to recover from decades of stagnation and has had some effects already. But for regular people, there isn't really any major change on cost of living apart from the sales tax increases. As mentioned, the biggest effect that it will have to you is that you won't be able to save as much USD due to the weaker yen to dollar rate. But note that Abenomics may not be a strongest influence in this one number, as last year the yen was incredibly strong.

Third is living costs. What's a standard salary and monthly expenses for a foreigner in the region?

About the same as in any big city. The average person in Japan basically needs about 150,000 yen/month to cover living expenses. What you spend over that depends more on your shopping/entertainment habits.

Check your sources. Fukushima Daiichi was soon after shut down and permanently decomissioned in 2012, while Fukushima Daini was unaffected by the tsunami/earthquake.

Fukushima Daini was severely affected by the disaster. The workers battled for 4 days there to achieve cold shut down with loss of life. There was a lot of damage and there is some debate on whether it is worth repairing as a restart in that area is politically sensitive. Tepco are pushing ahead and have replaced the turbines and some pumps, but it is a long way off.

CLoser to Sendai than either of these plants is Onagawa plant. This had an incredibly high sea wall and was entirely undamaged by the tsunami. They have applied for a restart, but that hasn't happened yet.

Probably what the OP has read about in misunderstood reports is the Sendai power plant. This was recently restarted and no doubt the nuclear idiots and snake oil salesmen around there have got together to take "anti-Nooclear" pills. All nonsense. (some unethical foreigners certainly made some money out of similar frauds after the Fukushima meltdowns). However, probably more reassuring for the OP is that Sendai Power plant is not near Sendai City, it's in Kagoshima prefecture about 1,500 km away. Presuming the OP means Sendai city in Miyagi, not towns surrounding the Sendai River in Kyushu.

Thanks for the correction. That was careless on my part. I should take my own advice and check MY sources ;)

@Lady_Kodaira
You are correct. When I did a search and Sendai's plant came about I didn't considered it could be in the opposite side of the country. I guess this teaches me to not rely solely on single names but investigate lateral references to pin point things down a little better.
Here is an article: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/02/06/national/sendai-reactor-fa...

@mfedley
Sounds in a way your advising me not to be naturally expressive and upgrade my masking skills. In the case in particular because it doesn't seem to be the way the subject is approached, but mostly that is approached at all. Though I admit I will probably will have to take some times to adapt to the japanese social decorum.

About the weak yen, that probably means that there are several products I should consider to take in with me and not wait to buy later I guess. A laptop for example?

Thanks for all the hints so far.
Cheers

About the weak yen, that probably means that there are several products I should consider to take in with me and not wait to buy later I guess. A laptop for example?

It depends on the product and the relative pricing in each country. You'll find some things, like macbooks, cost the same either way once you factor in exchange rates.

OP - are you confusing Sendai in Kyushu, where they are considering restarting the nuclear plants and Sendai Tohoku which is 100km or so from the Fukushima plants?
There is no plan to restart the Fukushima plants.You can find radiation levels online by independent organizations; they are not elevated.

haha,
if you get information from "JAPAN TIMES", you will become a radical, communistic, and anti-governmental person.

the article you cited is wrong, from the beginning.

"The Abe government is aiming to restart a nuclear reactor by around June,"
No.
the electric power company, Kyushu Denryku, is aiming to restart the reactor for the company. Prime Minster and his party support the restart for the sake of Japan economy.
his party, the Liberal Democratic Party, has been developing Japan from the destruction after WW2.

"Japan Times" is announcing their propaganda to ignorant foreign people as analogously as ISIL is doing to Islamic people.

ken, I am really curious about how you managed to get anything "radical" or "communist" out of the Japan Times. Click-bait sure, sensationalist yeah, and I'll even give you "anti-government" if you want, but I'd really like to see the articles where they're advocating socialism.

If you do want news from a communist perspective, I recommend you go to the horse's mouth:
http://www.japan-press.co.jp/


Anyway, to help the OP out, here are some links:

The Sendai International Relations Association (SIRA), which maintains a nice space with lots of information and a multi-language library in the International Center there:
http://www.sira.or.jp/english/index.html

The "Life in Sendai" guide, which has lots of basic information, including what do in the even of a disaster:
http://www.sira.or.jp/english/foreigner/

And the "Sendai at a Glance" guide, which has a lot more detailed information on specific doctor's offices, places to have fun, etc.:
http://www.group-niji.org/index.html

And to answer your questions:

They are not distributing anti-radiation pills. However, the nearby Onagawa nuclear plant (operated by Tohoku Electric Power), which suffered no damage in the disaster, could possibly restart within the next two years.

There is no bubble to burst, as Japan has experienced only slow, and most likely sustainable growth in recent decades. The effects (if any) of "Abenomics" are still unclear, and most likely will remain so in two years time, but they certainly haven't caused rapid economic growth that could possibly be leading up to a bubble.

People in Sendai are seen as people. The city itself is probably considered a bit out in the boonies for the people of Tokyo, but within Tohoku it is the major city and happening place.

If you find yourself distressed SIRA offers quite a lot of support and contacts. They may be able to set you up with a counselor, etc. who could help you with your problems.

There are quite a lot of foreigners in Sendai. Having good transport links it is a mildly popular tourist destination, as a large city there are a fair number of foreign English teachers, and with a large number of universities there are quite a lot of foreign students living in the city.

@OP: did you decide to come in the end?