For an ordinary person

[Kenitai]

I am always unsure whether it is possible, for just an ordinary single person, to start living in Japan. Especially, as a person who isn't provided with the opportunity to live in Japan, for special occasions. Such as: Being a transfer student, or working in a Japanese company that's linked with a company in the west, etc.

My situation right now is: I am single, I don't go to school anymore, yet I am trying to get a job as a freelance manga artist(hence I don't go to school anymore). I don't know much Japanese yet, but right now I'm working hard on it. I'm working pretty hard on something that isn't clear for me...

( If I know pretty decent Japanese, have enough money to move there, and to take the JLPT ) Is it possible for a person like me, to be able to live in Japan someday?

[Harisenbon]

You forgot one thing:
You need a visa.

There are a number of posts on this forum about the ways in which you can get a visa, and the various options open to people who want to go to Japan. Searching for them would be a first good start.

[Kenitai]

Yeah, sorry, it was kinda dumb not to use the search button first.

It erroneously states that a 4 year college degree is required to get a "normal visa."

You may get a visa if you have:
1) A 4 year degree with some desired technical skill (usually native level English)
2) Prove 10 years of specialized experience in the field you intend to work in.
3) Fluent (near native) Japanese and strong specialized skills.

The last two options do not require a college degree. I know this is possible because I do not have a 4 year degree, but I was able to prove 10 years of experience with technical writing and editing, and I had no problem getting a visa (even with limited Japanese ability).

However, I have 2 questions about what I qouted in a different thread. Which is:

Code: Select all

3) Fluent (near native) Japanese and strong specialized skills.

The "strong specialized skill" bit, would that also include any form of art like manga artist, which all of you know it's a job you can get if you got the hang of it? Or does that just mean, like having a work in which you need a special degree?

2) Prove 10 years of specialized experience in the field you intend to work in.

I suppose this means you'd need atleast 10 years of specialized working in your original country? (Like IT, engineering, etc)

[Adriano]

in my country has many scholarships that you can get to go to Japan, even if you are high school student, college student or just end the university(大学を卒業ってこと).

The bests are of of the Ministery of Culture, Science and Study of Japan (文部科学省) or province scholarshop(県費) that you must to be the descendant of the province, but some provinces let even gaijin to take the scholarship, as my case that may be go to Toyama in 2008.

You can find helpful information in these sites:
http://www.studyjapan.go.jp
http://www.jasso.go.jp
メザシがんばってね〜 :p

[jenl]

Kenitai, are you from the Netherlands originally, or just living there? Some countries are eligible for a Holiday Working Visa.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html
- has a list of the classes of visas. There is a working visa labeled 'Artist', but you'd have to check out the requirements. I suspect you'd need some proof that you would have a source of income once you got there. For example, if you had a career in art in your home country, and then got a job in the same area in Japan... although I'd imagine it's a very competitive field.

There's also visas for 'Cultural Activities' and student visas for which you can't work - you'd need to prove you had enough money for living expenses in that case. However, perhaps if you went to study Japanese art for six months or a year under the cultural visa, you might have the chance to make some useful connections.

[spin13]

Kenitai wrote:
I am always unsure whether it is possible, for just an ordinary single person, to start living in Japan.

You may get a visa if you have:
1) A 4 year degree with some desired technical skill (usually native level English)
2) Prove 10 years of specialized experience in the field you intend to work in.
3) Fluent (near native) Japanese and strong specialized skills.

What the above list should tell you is that Japan doesn't need anymore ordinary people. They have enough ordinary people already and most of them speak much better Japanese than you. What they do need is extraordinary people. Make yourself one of those and you have a much better chance at not only making it in Japan, but making it anywhere else.

-Eric

[keatonatron]

Harisenbon wrote:
You forgot one thing:
You need a visa.

You forgot another thing, as Spin already mentioned: Japan already has about 3 million manga-artist-wannabe's who have studied Japanese since birth, have been drawing manga since they were 7 years old, and are willing to work for $8 an hour, 12 hours a day with no vacations.

Even if you could attempt to catch up with the drawing and language experience, do you really want to fulfill the other standards as well?

[Simon86]

What if you're someone like me who hasn't got a college degree (only high school qualifications), and I only plan on doing some translating work in Japan.

Would number 1 and 2 apply here?

I remember someone saying here before that Japanese people learn english like we learn french and spanish (which isn't very well...).

[jenl]

There are translating qualifications you can get, although they may or may not count for the work visa (the one I'm thinking of isn't a full college degree, just an exam the Chartered Institute of Linguists runs). Also, as you are from the UK, you might be eligible for the holiday work visa.

If you are interested in translation you should look at the Honyaku list over on google groups:
http://groups.google.com/group/honyaku/
and, for those in the UK:
http://www.iol.org.uk/

[AJBryant]

For the record, it's nigh unto impossible -- as a foreigner -- to get a job and visa in Japan unless you have a college degree. (Unless, of course, you are a professional entertainer or supermodel or something.)


Tony

[spin13]

AJBryant wrote:
For the record, it's nigh unto impossible -- as a foreigner -- to get a job and visa in Japan unless you have a college degree. (Unless, of course, you are a professional entertainer or supermodel or something.)


Tony

But...but...but, Tony, he's different.

[AJBryant]

LOL.

There are levels of "different."

Tony

[ss]

But...but...but, Tony, he's different.

He is a little ordinary from the different, and a little different from the ordinary. B)

[Harisenbon]

AJBryant wrote:
For the record, it's nigh unto impossible -- as a foreigner -- to get a job and visa in Japan unless you have a college degree. (Unless, of course, you are a professional entertainer or supermodel or something.)

Or you want to work at a 3K job. They're ALWAYS looking for 3K workers.

[Xuande]

What is a 3K worker exactly?