I am native Japanese and a high school dropout. I am a regular employee of a Japanese subsidiary of a major European corporation and currently working as in-house translator. I don’t know if mine is “a respectable job at a company” but at least I am treated equally with other employees with Uni degree in every aspect (pay, promotion etc.).
I was once a rough and delinquent boy from dysfunctional family. I used to believe that I am born different from those salarymen. Anything happens in our lives.