Planning on Moving to Japan

Hi, my name is Matthew and I am 17 going to be turning 18 here soon, and I plan on moving to Japan. I am currently taking Japanese classes. Now I am wondering what must I do in order to live in Japan. The reason for me wanting to move to Japan is I am just sick of how rude people can be here in America, and also because I am wanting to try something new. Also I have been looking for a pen pal that lives in Japan, but I have been unable to find someone help with this would be great. :)

The next step you need to take is get a University Degree for the work visa. There are 100's of post on this check them out.

I would advise you to:

1. Come and study in Japan for your degree. There are some scholarships available if you could not afford it. It would be competitive though. Hope there is relevant subjects available for your interest

or
2. Do your degree and apply work visa. However it is tough to get a good proper job in Japan unless you speak Japanese up to a certain level. Otherwise you might be stuck with the option as ENglish teacher, which might be interesting to some people.

or
3. Or you could do your degree and apply to do your post graduate here - and while doing your postgraduate - you can try to job hunt. It is easier to job hunt when you are in the country.

Keep learning Japanese language - the writings and the keigo (polite form) as you need it in the business world.

I would definitely suggest you research more on Japan, visit it for holiday (if you have the money for it) before deciding to move to Japan.

I totally love my 2 years experience in Japan but I am not sure I would be happy staying away far from my family in a very unfamiliar surroundings for a very long time.

Most countries don't let a foreigner come in to stay for a long while (over 90 days) without special paperwork and permits (visas). this is something that you would have to do with the Japanese Embassy in the US, or a Japanese consulate in or near your hometown.

To live in Japan you will need a job. To get a job you need a work visa. To get a work visa you need to be a university graduate or have 10 years of experience in a job. And the more fluent in spoken and written Japanese you are the better.
Ask any immigrants that live/work legally in the US how hard it was for them to get the visa..then to get a job, especially if they didn't know anybody. This will be your reality check.

Don't be discouraged but you can't just hop in a plane and go to Japan to live there...you COULD visit it, though, to see if you like it as much as you think you will..

Yes, as others have mentioned, the road to moving to Japan is quite complicated but luckily for you, has been covered in dozens and dozens of previous threads.

As for me, all I could say is, "Americans are rude" is a terrible reason to want to move to Japan. Come here to study, etc for a longer period of time and you'll somewhat get a taste for what Japanese people and culture is really like.

If you want true rudeness in the United States, spend some time in New York City or South Florida (which is actually a borough of NYC). Your time in Phoenix will be happy time in comparison.

BTW, people in Tokyo will seem rude also for a while until you get to know the language and the customs.

As you have found out by now, to truely live & work in Japan, you will need a 4 year degree. While you are getting your degree, study Japanese language and then do a year-long exchange program as a student. Make sure at least 1/2 of your stay is with a home-stay family. This way you can experience Japan before you try to live & work there.
You may find its where you want to be or you may find that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.

Japanese people are not all polite and kind like the fairy tales will have you believe...lived here 8 yrs in Tokyo and have barely encountered a smile from a stranger. In fact many (NOT ALL- DONT ALL ATTACK ME) people are in fact quite hostile to foreigners. Anyway, id say come live here for a year or two first then make up your mind, GL

No one so far asked you one important question... have you ever travelled outside the USA, have you ever been in a country where you didn't speak and read the language?

I was lucky enough to start travelling well away from home in my mid-teens. Places like Spain, Paris and London. in these 2 towns, as in Tokyo, huge crowds of commuters rushing this and that way in subways and trains have no patience for bewildered people standing in their way.....a good training for later trips and for moving and living abroad. .

''As for me, all I could say is, ''Americans are rude'' is a terrible reason to want to move to Japan.''

I concur. I applaud your desire to travel and experience a different culture other than your own, but I can guarantee what you're thinking living in Japan will be like, is nothing like the reality. Americans aren't actually more rude than any other people from any other country.

It was said upthread that many Japanese people are not welcoming to foreigners. A cabinet minister was fired for actually saying, 'Japanese people do not like foreigners.' He was drunk at the time, but still. When I was there, it took a *long* time for the neighbors to warm up to me.

Go for it, but proceed with caution.

"When I was there, it took a *long* time for the neighbors to warm up to me"
It is the same it many countries... and not just with foreigners either. A friend of mine moved after retiring to a small town in B.C (Canada) and soon after arriving there was told something like "we don't care much for people from Vancouver" ... yet he was born not far from that small town.

When my parents' job required them to move to a village all of 60 km from the big town in France where they had lived for years, they were told, the very first week, "we don't like foreigners here".
After a few weeks of formal and cautious greetings a couple of families, farmers that had never been to the "big town" and weren't too keen on speaking French, adopted them as if they were kin...so one never knows.

I had similar experiences in Canada..Some people--with great job and a nice education--dismissed me outright " do they even have real schools and houses in your country?" yet tough warehouse workers were very kind to me.

Thanks you comments were lots of help :)