[MMM]

You do have an advantage in that as a foreigner it is arguable that you are able to cook your native cuisine better than a native Japanese, and it looks good for foreign restaurants to have foreign chefs.

What that means is you will need to find a sponsor. I don't know that working in a Japanese restaurant is worth it, as there is almost no chance you will be making Japanese food in Japan (for the same reason as the above paragraph).