[MMM]

People recommend coming and checking it out before moving here because many people have a skewed vision of what life in Japan is like.

We get lots of "I hate my life and want to get away from [insert country]. I think Japan is the oasis for me."

Like you said on the "Nobody likes me" thread, maybe you need to look at yourself. Those problems tend to follow people around, and so people here who have some experience try to use their experiences to lead to the best path.

The only people I know who worked in Japan who didn't have degrees were carpenters who came to Japan after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. Of them, one married a Japanese lady, and still lives here. The rest were either kicked out or went home when their tourist visas expired.

What do Rob, Noriko and the others working at...which University was it?...what do they do at the University that that don't need a degree?

You do bring up a good point. Passing JLPT1 is enough for many major companies looking for translators. Most people go to a university to study Japanese in order to take the JLPT and pass at level 1, but surely there are other ways if you are focused and dedicated.