Canceling teaching job in Japan?

I just landed in Tokyo for teaching English today and I'm already going crazy wanting to leave. I have to report to the company in 2 days but I just want to leave and never come back to Japan.

I made a terrible decision. At first I thought it would be cool, but then now regret to death now.

I thought it would be great experience to teach in Japan, but I realize that this is not what I want to do.

The company already placed me for a job position and already booked hotel for few days for training, and also I asked to live in company apartment and is in the process of happening.

But I realize now that this has been a terrible mistake. I just want to leave and go back to USA. I have to report to the company in 2 days.

What would happen if I go back to USA now? Can the company take legal action and sue me? I don't care about Working Visa being cancelled, as I have no problem never coming back to Japan.

I know I sound pathetic wanting to leave before the job even got started, but I just don't care. This may be the worst decision I've ever taken.

I need some urgent responses, please!!!!! And yes, I know that I should not have agreed to take the job to being with, but everyone makes a mistake.

To answer your question you'd have to read over your contract. Look for a cancellation clause. If you don't give them the notice stipulated in your contract, they certainly are within their rights to sue you for damages. Not knowing anything about your company, it is hard to say whether they actually would or not. If they paid for that hotel stay, though, I rather imagine they would want at least that money back.

Frankly, though, I would first recommend you re-read your original post aloud to yourself. Does it not sound like you might be having a bit of a panic attack? Coming to Japan is overwhelming for everyone at first. So much comes at you all at once; it can be hard to take in. This is normal.
Perhaps there are reasons you shouldn't stay, though. I would try to concretely identify them, write them down, and really think about whether they would be impossible for you to overcome. Try and look at yourself objectively, as if someone else was examining your life, and make a rational, dispassionate decision.

Dude, you just landed in Tokyo, give it a few days and I'm sure you will love the exprience
Don't make a fool of yourself by running back in a day without even making an effort

I agree with others, think it over :) What is it exactly that you want to get away from? Is it the prospect of "teaching" others (mayb you've never taught anyone before, but there will be training)? Or is it the crowd (though seeing that you are from NY, I can't quite imagine the crowd getting to you)? Or is it just the totally different environment that is making you panic? Calm down, take a deep breath, and sort through your thoughts.

For practical matters, you "might" face claims for damages - I don't know who is paying for airfare, initial hotel/apartment set-up, etc. As a grown-up, it would be decent to show up there and talk with them face-to-face. You'd do that in your country, right?

Best wishes.

I just landed in Tokyo for teaching English today and I'm already going crazy wanting to leave.

I'm guessing it's not that important that we know what happened?

Arnold, I landed here two and a half months ago and immediately had the same reaction as you. I spent my very first night here up all night looking at flights home. Trust me, I know how you feel. But then I managed to convince myself to give it a few weeks, I could leave anytime I wanted and the worst case scenario would be I wasted a few weeks of my life, certainly not anything to regret in the long term. Leaving as soon as I felt out of my element though? I would have regretted that, probably for the rest of my life. Ten days into my stay here everything changed, I had a good day out where everything went according to plan, since then things have steadily just been getting better and better for me and now this feels a lot like home. I don't know how I'll feel in five years, or even six months, but for now I can say for sure that I never want to leave. Just give it a chance, go to an international supermarket and buy some American food, download some American podcasts to listen to, whatever you have to do to make yourself feel more at home. Just ease yourself into it however you feel most comfortable because if you want to get on a flight home tomorrow, you really can. But I think that if you do come to regret it, it will be far greater than the regret of having stayed a while and giving it a chance. Unless you are a perfect human being, coming to Japan probably isn't the worst decision you ever made, but leaving might be. Please don't go yet, there's a lot that you will love here.

How selfish of you! You took the job someone else would have LOVED to be able to accept and you're squandering it. Someone else applied just like you and you took that position instead. You owe it to all those others who would have jumped at the chance to do right by them and take the job and see it through.

Arnold,
I hope you are feeling a little better today. I imagine you got off your flight from USA, tired, after being crammed in an economy seat for 8-10 hours, and arrived exhausted. Homesickness is a hideous feeling, and you sound stressed. You mention you will be getting a company apartment. I'm sure once you have moved, spread your own possessions out and as an earlier poster says, put on your own music and bought some familiar food you will be able to accustom yourself to Japan in small bites. I remember feeling overwhelmed when I first arrived and I had my husband and Japanese speaking daughter with me. Over time the homesickness waves flattened out, I made friends with some great people who have stayed in my life to this day (25yrs) and whilst I don't live in Japan now, I treasure my regular visits back to Japan. I hope you give it a go.

You can go back to USA immediately, I don't know what would happen if you leave now. Just need to take responsibility for your action. But it sounds better for you to go home now.

Tokyo can be overwhelming, esp if this is your first trip to Japan. You must have had more than one reason wanting to go to Japan and teach English there, it probably was a decision you carefully made. You arrived tired and jet legged and experienced kind of a cultural shock. Believe me, Japan is beautiful and interesting in so many ways, allow yourself some time to get used to the difference in culture and lifestyle and Japan will more than likely grow on you. Get in touch with some fellow teachers, exchanging thoughts and experiences will also be helpful. Come on, accept the challenge and make the best of it, in the end you will be glad you did. Best of luck!

i really do think that everyone goes through at least a form of this. i cried the whole way to the airport. the only way i could convince myself to not immediately get on another plane back home as soon as i got here was to tell myself that i could if i wanted, but i had to wait one day and get where i was going. the next day, i just had to pick up my contract and figure things out at my job. i took everything one day at a time - sometimes even every step one at a time! it can be really overwhelming to think any further ahead than that. i think if you take baby steps like this, and definitely take the advice of the other posters and listen to music or eat some food that reminds you of home, you'll be okay in a week or so, once things stop feeling so terrifyingly foreign.