I'm an american living in Japan under the US Military SOFA agreement, and I have to say it is definitely an adjustment to live here. Be prepared for crazy weather and bad traffic! However, it is nice in Japan that most stores are open similar to American hours and you can find just about anything you need, for a cost. Japanese friends are very loyal, bit it seems that the Japanese are pretty timid to make new friends, probably because of being so loyal. If you have any specific questions, let me know. I also keep a web site if anyone is interested... http://www.noelleinjapan.com/