I live in Japan!

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by nick149

hey guys how u doin?i m from greece but i want to live in japan...(this december i turn 16)
I know that u guys said it a lot of times but i have some questions if it doesnt bother u!!! so here they are...
what exactly do i need for the citizenship-residency exept the 5+ years staying?
how can i live for 5+ years and then apply for residency-citizenship?
how good japanese do i have to know to live there?

thats all i can i think for now!!!
please give me some answers it means everything to me
thnx

First, you`ll need to have stayed in Japan LEGALLY for 5+ years. Which means you`ll need a visa. Which means you`ll almost certainly need a degree unless you get married... But you`ll still need to be an adult to do that, so no matter what you`ve got quite a few years to go.

[sarasi]

Originally Posted by nick149

hey guys how u doin?i m from greece but i want to live in japan...(this december i turn 16)
I know that u guys said it a lot of times but i have some questions if it doesnt bother u!!! so here they are...
what exactly do i need for the citizenship-residency exept the 5+ years staying?
how can i live for 5+ years and then apply for residency-citizenship?
how good japanese do i have to know to live there?

It is waaay too early for you to be worrying about what documents etc you might need for citizenship.

First, think about how you will be able to live in Japan in the beginning- will you go as a student? Wait until you've graduated university and get a working visa? What kind of job? There are relatively few jobs for foreigners outside English teaching- what skills will you have that will enable you to get a job in Japan? Then far, far into the future you might want to consider whether life in Japan is so fulfilling that you want to give up your own citizenship (few do).

As for Japanese, the more the better. I know people who barely speak Japanese at all but manage to live here (this is only really possible in the big cities), but the more you know, the more comfortable and fulfilling your life here will be.

Someone else asked "How hard is Japanese?"- that is a "how long is a piece of string?" question. All I can say is... it's quite hard.

[nick149]

thanks....

[solty]

omw..you have been through alot (-_-) *bow*

Well, I am currently studying engineering in South Africa and would like to finish my studies in Japan. Think its possible?My nihongo is pathetic really, in Tokyo last year >_< I nearly went to the wrong-sex toilet. <sigh>

But I deeply appreciate the culture and people.Post grad in Engineering with no nihongo? any tips?

Arigatou gozaimasu ^^

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by solty

omw..you have been through alot (-_-) *bow*

Well, I am currently studying engineering in South Africa and would like to finish my studies in Japan. Think its possible?My nihongo is pathetic really, in Tokyo last year >_< I nearly went to the wrong-sex toilet. <sigh>

But I deeply appreciate the culture and people.Post grad in Engineering with no nihongo? any tips?

Arigatou gozaimasu ^^

Classes at most universities will be in Japanese, and for graduate studies in Engineering, expect advanced and very specialized Japanese. It is perhaps theoretically possible that some fancy, expensive private school for English speakers may exist somewhere in Tokyo, but even if it does, will they have enough students to fill post-grad classes in Engineering? Highly unlikely, IMO. And if by some miracle it does exist, it will likely be very, very expensive.

Finish your degree in an English-speaking country, then go to Japan afterwards.

[bELyVIS]

I wonder if there is a forum somewhere about Nigeria where people are saying "I've never been to Nigeria but I've always wanted to live there"?

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by bELyVIS

I wonder if there is a forum somewhere about Nigeria where people are saying "I've never been to Nigeria but I've always wanted to live there"?

If there is such a forum, I bet it's all a Nigerian scam...

[solty]

Samurai007 : areigatou gozaimasu ne (-_-)

wow, there is a lot to consider hey what with the language/communication barrier. Hmmm, I planned on doing my Masters there but it needs serious thought. You see, I've heard of many foreigners going abroad there, to do masters or doctrates; always wondered how they did it. If however, one plans on working for a Japanese company full-time, then as a foreigner, are you still tied down for life? I only wanted to further my studies there >_<" so that I could venture off to other parts of the world or return home and start my own company (^___^)" Japan is the most advanced in my line <cue nervous laugh>

...I have 3 years to think this through.Your correspondence is greatly appreciated.

Regards.

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by solty

Samurai007 : areigatou gozaimasu ne (-_-)

wow, there is a lot to consider hey what with the language/communication barrier. Hmmm, I planned on doing my Masters there but it needs serious thought. You see, I've heard of many foreigners going abroad there, to do masters or doctrates; always wondered how they did it. If however, one plans on working for a Japanese company full-time, then as a foreigner, are you still tied down for life? I only wanted to further my studies there >_<" so that I could venture off to other parts of the world or return home and start my own company (^___^)" Japan is the most advanced in my line <cue nervous laugh>

...I have 3 years to think this through.Your correspondence is greatly appreciated.

Regards.

I've personally never heard of anyone doing post-grad studies in Japan unless it was in Japanese Language or they were fluent enough to take advanced classes in another subject in Japanese. If you know of people who've done it, though, I'd say ask them about it. Where did they go, how much was it, were the classes as good or better than what they had back home, etc. I was just an ALT in the inaka, very far from Tokyo, who has had an interest in Japan ever since. What Tokyo has or doesn't have isn't really my specialty, but in my experience, if it's something very specialized (like Engineering post-grad studies in English) in Tokyo, it's going to be expensive if you can find it at all...

Good luck though!

[Vigor123]

Originally Posted by bELyVIS

I wonder if there is a forum somewhere about Nigeria where people are saying "I've never been to Nigeria but I've always wanted to live there"?

first of all ive been there and it is a beautiful place and yes one day i wish to stay there for part of my life. and yes there is a forum like that i have an account on there.