Expat famil in Japan

I have an option of taking an expat package to work in Japan for at least 2 years. I already know I will like the job since I worked there for 3 months already. Now I need to decide if I want to stay and move my family over. My wife do not speak japanese and we have two young kids. Are there neighborhoodswithin Tokyo that expat families congregate so that my wife can meet new friends more easily? Also what are somethings that a non-japanese speaking mom can do to keep her self occupied since she will not be working.

How old are your kids?
If they don't speak Japanese yet do you want to send both to an international school which will cost more, if they are still young they can start learning Japanese, though depends on the kids. What are the future prospects for your kids and wife?

There is so much info on this topic on the internet that I don't know where to start. Yes, there are expat neighborhoods and organisations for expat wives etc. where your wife can meet other people and keep herself occupied.

Try Googling your topic title "expat family in Japan" and see what comes up- I'm sure you'll find all the info you need.

I was in Kobe a few months ago and saw hordes of foreign kids of all ages in one area coming from, or going to, a school. So obviously there will be even more in Tokyo. try to find out where your country embassy is located in Tokyo and check if they have an internet site or a snail mail address.

you could try giving more details, like terms of package, where youre from, how many kids, how old... etc

people here are generally helpful, but you have to help 'em out first.

I'd say most expat families come with "non-japanese speaking mom"s. I think that living in a foreign country is more about trying to merge with people rather than knowing the language. Here's a good forum you can start with. You can ask questions at the Discussions section.
http://www.tokyowithkids.com/

Expats tend to live close to those from the same country, so it will help if you can clarify where you will be coming from. Wives might feel more at home if she is accessible to shops that sell groceries from home or to religious facilities if she is attached to a religion.

And although language is less important than friendship, you can always contact your local ward office (kuyakusho) to see if there are any voluntary language classes. Classes run by volunteers require much less fee and will usually accept moms who can't leave the baby home. A lot of people make friends, both local and expat, in class too.

Your local ward office can also provide information on hobby groups. Updated information on playgroups for expat moms and toddlers can be found by asking questions on the previous link I posted.

Hope you all have fun!

I am of Chinese origin and a US citizen and english is my primary language. Kids are 1 and 4. Not worried about international school as the company will pay for it. Company will also pay for language lessons.

I am confident my kids will adjust fine. In fact that is the advantage of the expat assignment it exposes them to a different culture. Concern is if my wife will be comfortable there (she's chinese too). She tends to get homesick easily.