How do you make friends in Japan?

I am hoping to one day move to Japan, and I'm willing to let go of all my friends and family here (which my whole family live here in America) but I am wanting to make new friends over there in Japan after I have setteled in. I was gonna try doing that whole meet and greet thing but I don't know if they would find it wierd or somthing.

Just like in any other country: by being nice to your co-workers, classmates, neighbors, club/circle members, etc.

Some tips from the author of surviving in Japan: http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/q-making-friends-in-japan.html

You can also try reading classifieds like in Metropolis.

Someone on the Surviving in Japan post wrote something about smiling at people. Friendship always starts with a smile and a good first line. (Or in the case with my best friend in the US, we hated each other for three years first. But oh, whatever works.)

This is MN, just logged in for once

Search for a person who likes English!
As long as you join a community such as school, company,...etc, there's got to be somebody who likes English! And those people are always waiting for a chance to speak English. So, if you talk to him/her, he/she would welcome you;)

I used to be that kind of persons:P I was too shy to talk to.

So, good luck!

I found my friends from my time at the language school and via meetup.com. Once you've learned a bit Japanese, mixi.jp is an excellent place. There are many groups which occasionally meet and have a beer or watch a movie. It's a good place to find like-minded people although they are generally less willing/capable to speak English than the Japanese who come to the meetup.com meet-ups.

There are also English conversation cafes in Tokyo and other places.

meeting a friend is just like in any other places.. the only hard thing at japan i encounter is some of them cannot speak in English so my advice is to learn at least some basic words if want to stay here.. but im from a local area.. maybe in the city there are a lot who can speak in english..

Like Uji said the best way to make friends is to get involved in activities and/or hang out with people from work or school and expand your circle from there.

Unlike the previous people I would highly recommend staying away from people who speak English as many are more interested in you as a practice machine than a real person.

hey J-radical McBeastycakes
im wanting to move over there to. what kind of job are you going to get?

and whats your plan in the first place? i maybe able to help you

also i was thinking about moving there to..

Very easy!
Don't be a stupid foreigner, learn the language, and follow the simple laws of "when in Rome do as the Romans do", remember that YOU are the visitor.
Do this, find something you are interested in, join a club and talk to people.

For example, I like cars so I joined an automobile club (two actually) and have made friends that way.

Having a job is also a good idea - meet people in the workplace etc.