Born 1983, a 27-year-old Singaporean dreamer who first came into contact with Japanese popular culture at the age of 15 started picking up the Japanese language by himself. Accepted into a Junior College, he decided to opt out and appealed to do Internet Computing in Temasek Polytechnic and there began his official journey in Japanese language learning.
At the age of 20, he met a group of students from Fukuoka and decided to take his first F&E trip overseas with his best friend to the land of the rising sun. An 11-day trip to Tokyo and Fukuoka and he decided that someday he is going to live and work in Japan.
While enlisted in the army, he decided to apply to do Japanese Studies at the National University of Singapore just so he could apply for the Japanese Embassy’s Monbukagakusho Scholarship, only offered to NUS undergraduates majoring in Japanese Studies. As his family could not afford to send him to Japan on exchange programs, that was his only option.
He was accepted into the faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. In his first year, he thought a Japanese Studies degree is only going to get him a scholarship to live in Japan for a year. Given his interest in languages, he decided to forgo the scholarship and majored in English linguistics which would help him get a teaching job and live for a longer period in Japan.
Upon graduation, he started working in the media industry doing broadcast censorship and video editing. For 2 years, he worked hard to save up for a trip to Japan. In the September of 2009, he took 5 weeks of unpaid leave and headed to Thailand to do the CELTA course to increase his chances of getting work. And in the spring of 2010, he headed to Okazaki for 6 months of Japanese language studies and is now teaching English to junior high school students and corporate clients.
It took me 7 years to fulfill my dream of living and teaching here. Don’t give up on yours.
Hi Jinhan,
I just found this About page, after being a silent reader for a couple of weeks. Your style of writing interests me and I really look forward to every post of yours because it’s mostly informative and inspiring, if not just an interesting read.
Just wanted to show my appreciation 🙂
Hi Ching,
Thanks for the message. It means a lot to me.
I’m glad you enjoy the posts.
It’s often easy to opt for the path of least resistance. Thank you for this.
I have this same dream, to work and live in this country. Do u mind me asking, how proficient were u in japanese before u headed to Okazaki for the japanese language studies? And for the CELTA course, u cant do it in Singapore? Seriously, how good were your chances in getting a job there as an ALT compared to the rest of your western counterparts?
Hi Leanne,
Well, technically speaking, I had JLPT2 when I went over but my ability wasn’t at level 2 when I went over since I’ve not used the language for 5 years then and forgot even really basic vocabulary. They also have beginners’ classes so how much Japanese you know shouldn’t be a problem.
You can actually do the CELTA in Singapore. I wrote an entry about it in another post somewhere but I’ll write it here again anyway.
The CELTA course in Singapore costs $5500. But including everything (course fee, accomodation, air ticket, living expenses, holiday, party), I only spent $4000 in Thailand.
I don’t know what my chances were in comparison so I don’t want to speculate but I’m definitely not the only Asian face where I teach and I firmly believe the CELTA upped my chances.
When u went over to okazaki, was it e yamasa institute that u studied at? which course did u choose?
Yes, I did the AIJP course at Yamasa.
Unfortunately, many of the really good teachers who used to be there have left the school, though that doesn’t mean the ones now are no good. Just that I am no longer in the position to comment since I’ve never been taught by most of them.
Hello! I stumbled upon your blog while searching for “ALT in Nagoya”. Enjoyed reading it as I could pretty much relate to your adventures in Japan 🙂 I’m a Malaysian and have been working here for a year, not as an ALT but soon to be. I have a few questions about living in Aichi to ask you. If it’s alright would you mind dropping me an e-mail so I could reply to you? Thank you so much!!!
Hi Andrea,
You’re working in Nagoya? What do you do and what made you want to leave your current job to be an ALT?
If you’ve been there for a year now, you probably already know enough about living in Aichi but I suspect I misunderstood you somewhere. If you don’t mind helping me out here before I drop you an email.
Hey thanks for the reply! I am working in Okayama, was moving to Nagoya initially but change of plans so I will be based in Gifu instead 🙂 My guess is you wont know much bout Gifu eh?
But why are you leaving your work? Ah, or maybe such questions should be asked over email instead.
Anyhow, like you said, I don’t really know much about Gifu. I’ve been there 3 times, all for snowboarding only so…
I do know that the people in Gifu often travel to Nagoya to shop though, because it’s not that far and Nagoya has way more things. Sometimes even cheaper than Gifu. =)
😀 feel free to drop me an email and ill answer you! Well, I see myself traveling to Nagoya quite often too. Tell me all about Nagoya; cheap food, cheap shops etc! Do they have good SEA cuisine out there?
Thanks for your informative blog!! I will be coming to Japan to become an ALT this year (a bit belated but still finally doing what I’ve always wanted to do) 🙂 Have a couple of questions and was wondering if I could email you…?
Hi Angerin,
I’m so sorry I totally missed your message, somehow. I’m probably too late in replying but anyhow, I hope you are having a great time here.
Hi there! Firstly, a wealth of information on your site. Thank you!
I have a question about the Japan work visa. Your article on it was
very helpful but I’ve still got a couple of questions that i hope you
can help me with. Do you have an email address where i can post my question to? Cheers!
Hi Hazlina,
Thanks for the message. I don’t mean to be hostile and I hope I don’t appear to be but if you don’t mind, I’d prefer the questions to be posted on the page instead. I just thought other readers may have the same questions and it may be good to answer them together.
Hi there,
I’m glad that I’ve came across your blog. I’m much more determined and inspired to follow what I truly want.
A 18 year old dreamer, wanting to live in Japan so much.
I have not much of knowledge in Japanese language but I’ll be taking it soon. (Hopefully)
Mind me asking some naive questions from a Teenager?
-Is living in Japan tough? All i know about is that Japan has a very high standard of living.
– How to go about immigrating to Japan? (Really hope to when I’m in my twenties)
-Is finding a stable job in Japan tough? (well, actually, I have low educational standards as I quit school early this year as i thought i want to just pursue my dreams and live my life as i want)
-Is it better to hold a Student Visa?
I hope you can give some advise to this Teenager who wants to lead a life she want in Japan (Tokyo)
Thank you 🙂
Hi Sammy,
Thank you for dropping a message.
Let me answer your questions in points.
– Well, I don’t get what exactly you mean by whether living in Japan is tough. I’ve been here 2 years now and everything’s really cool. If you’re just referring to the living expenses though, it is in general more expensive than Singapore. But at the same time, the wages are relatively higher too. What you have to bear in mind is the rent as well. I don’t know whether you are paying rent back home but regardless, rent is definitely more expensive in Tokyo area and (relatively) crazy cheap in the countryside.
– I’ve never actually taken a look at the procedure for immigration to Japan so I’m afraid I can’t give you any pointers on that. However, naturalization is much more straightforward. According to what I heard, as long as you spend 5 years working here, you can apply to become a Japanese citizen.
– It depends on what you mean by “stable job.” If you mean a permanent full-time position, then it might be difficult especially since after the major disaster last year. While many people have left Japan which opened up positions, the number of businesses that got destroyed by the triple disaster isn’t that few either. On top of that, the European debt crises, the Thailand flood, the appreciating yen all played a part in affecting the economy here negatively. There appear to be more dispatch and contract positions available as opposed to permanent positions. Further, work visas are only granted to foreigners with at least a Bachelor’s. If not, you need to have at least 5 years experience in a specialized field or 10 years work experience in any field to get the work visa.
– Better in what sense? If you mean the ease of getting job then I believe so since the visa conversion process is much simpler and besides, you have more time to look for work since you only get 90 days tourist visa as a regular visitor. But again, you need to consider the amount of money involved in staying here for 90 days without work.
Do think it through and feel free to ask me again if there’s anything else.
Bests,
Thank you so much for replying.
Apologies if I’ve asked some weird questions.
I got a gist of what you’re saying.
Thank you so much. It’s nice reading your blog!
Hi,
As the above poster had mentioned, I was glad to come to this blog. I had thoughts of moving over to Japan, to experience the rich culture and decent characteristics of the people over there, sans the fanboy delusions about the perfectness of Japan.
I am currently pursuing a private diploma, with the intention of using the diploma as a gateway to foreign universities and hopefully, able to get a Bachelor degree. My question is, will a degree from an average foreign university help get a job over there? But let us assume I had second upper honours for the degree.
My second question will be, what is the minimum JLPT level that is needed for me to work there and without having to go through foundation?
To be honest, I had wondered whether Japan is the right place to move there, with all the myths and stereotypes about it. It is great to see that you debunked some of the myths plus adding in some words of wisdom living over there.
It is tough to stay focused on moving to Japan, when your peers are hankering for moving to Oz or US. :p
Hi Snake,
Somehow, the nick just reminded me of Rockman (if you know what I’m talking about).
I am not sure about how the visa evaluation process works and as I mentioned before in one of the posts, criteria for visa application was never and will never be published to prevent people from exploiting loopholes. As far as I know, I don’t believe the ranking of foreign universities play too big a part but of course if you are from an Ivy League college, I’m sure they’d welcome you with both arms wide open.
I don’t understand what you mean by “without having to go through foundation” but I can say for sure, it differs with every company. Some companies might not even require you to speak the language as I’ve met some people who have no clue about the Japanese language but still got hired anyway, mainly because the company doesn’t require use of the language.
I hope this simple reply answers your doubts.
Hi Gaijinhan,
Yeah I know what you are talking about. But my inspiration for my nick came from Metal Gear Solid. 😮
Hmm you see, I was planning to get a law degree in one of the Anglo nations (UK/OZ/NZ). I am taking it as I need a backup in SG in case living in Japan might cock up or what. Touch wood, but I still play safe. Hence, I was asking, when getting a job in Japan, will the ranking or reputation of uni matter? I apologise if I do sound like a typical Singaporean.
My second question, is referring to whether when working in Japanese companies, do they expect you to show any JLPT certification so that you can work there. But it seems from your answer that it varies from company to company, so I have already gotten my answer.
Another question will be, what are the Japanese people really like? Are they the jingoistic and anti-foreigner as what people have said in SG? I know they are stereotypes but I do know of Japanese that can hold foreigners in low standard, especially the Chinese and Koreans. so, since you have been living there, I will like to hear your opinion from your interactions with them. Is there any difference when you speak and don’t speak Japanese? Even if you speak Japanese, will they still keep you at arm’s length? If you speak and try to integrate, will they be more forthcoming and warmer?
Sorry if I asked too much, but I believe in knowing the locals and the situation there before planning out.
Hi Snake,
Ah, MGS… That’d never come to me although I’ve heard of it, I’ve never actually played the game O_O!
Well, playing safe is a personal choice. Nothing to apologise about.
Frankly, as far as I know, the Japanese people I met have been as welcoming, if not more, when they learn that I am not Japanese.
Hi Gaijinhan,
your advice has been priceless. if not for you, i might have got the stereotyped stories of Japan and may still be stuck in SG.
thank you!
Hi Gaijinhan,
Your blog has been constantly inspiring me to push on to achieve my dreams of living and working in Japan. However, I just don’t know where to start. What is the first step? I’ve been learning the language for about 2 years now with breaks in between. I’ve attained the JLPT N5. I know its not enough, but I’m pursuing N4 pretty soon. Thing is, I’m thinking of learning the language there as well. I really need guidance and I hope, with your experience and determination, you can guide me in the steps that I need to take (eg.: Visa, jobs, accomodation, etc).
I look forward to our conversation.
A little about myself,
Name: Syed Firdhaus
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Graduated from Temasek Polytechnic in the field of IT in the year of 2007.
Currently learning Japanese language in Ikoma Language School.
Thanks.
Best regards,
Firdhaus
Hi Firdhaus
Allow me to answer based on my own experience. Like yourself, I graduated from TP with a Diploma in IT (2009 batch).
To work in Japan on an employment visa, you must have at least a Bachelor’s degree so as to qualify for their Employment Visa. It would be best to further your studies and get a degree. A recognized and accredited degree, preferably not a distance based learning type that is prevalent in Singapore right now.
While studying for that degree, keep learning Japanese to as high as a level as possible – many employers like it when they see that candidates are serious. Other areas such as Visa, jobs and accommodation can safely wait until the degree and JLPT N2 (or close) is obtained.
IT happens to be a really good choice. Japan has a chronic shortage of people in that field, especially more so after 2011’s disaster.
Hi Firdhaus,
My apologies for the late reply. Desmond made a good point and I think he did answer a lot of your questions. Everything else, it would be easier to provide more answers if you have more specific questions. Visa-wise, I think I’ve written it somewhere before that like what Desmond said, you need a university degree to get a work-visa. However, it is still possible to get a work visa without a university degree if you have 5 years work experience in a specialized field or a 10-year experience in a non-specialized one. I believe IT is considered a specialized field so you could spend the next 3 to 4 years going for a degree or 5 years in a company to gain experience. I do not know if there is a difference in how easy it is to get the work visa between the option of a degree and work experience but there are at least these options.
Hi gaijinhan
Just stumbled upon your blog, and read this “About” section. It heartens me to see another individual who has spent significant amounts of effort just to realize their dreams.
Just like yourself, I swore to myself that I will live and work in Japan someday, the difference being that particular day was 10 years ago (yours was 7). The rest of the story pans out similarly to yours, and this coming Spring (2013) I will be starting my career in Japan.
Realized that you are in Nagoya, but if chance permits, lets meet up over coffee/tea.
Best Regards
Desmond Poh
Hi Desmond,
Thank you for your comments. Well, I wrote that 2 years ago when I was 27 so it’ll be 9 years ago now. It’s great to hear that you will be moving to Japan next Spring although I’ve actually moved to Tokyo since a year ago. I should probably write a page on the living costs in Tokyo someday.
Hi! I just came across your blog recently. I’m also a Singaporean teaching English in Japan. I’m just curious.. are in the JET Program or are you teaching as a private English teacher? Is it difficult to find an English teaching position as a Singaporean? I understand that many eikaiwa and private schools favor westerners.
Hi Kai,
I wasn’t in the JET Program. I applied to an ALT company in Japan directly and was hired to teach at public schools. Basically, it’s the same as people in the JET Program. I also taught with Eikaiwa schools on a part-time basis before. I don’t really know whether it’s difficult because we’re Asian or if it’s in general difficult for everyone, but I’ve met Asian faces here teaching English too.
Hi, I just stumbled upon your blog through searching for information on CELTA. Like you, I’m Singaporean and have a CELTA cert (and also Pass B) – in 2007. Though I didn’t go to Japan to teach!
I hope you’re having fun there. Cheers!
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for dropping a message. Are you teaching somewhere?
I have an Internet Marketing business right now. But I’m giving private English tuition (mainly IELTS) to foreign students also to a few students. I used to teach in various private schools in Singapore in the past. Are you thinking of returning to Singapore?
hi recently read your blog and found it very informative and interesting! one question i have though.. have you completed your 10 cycles of reservist? if not how did you manage to find time to come back to singapore to serve??
Hi Dixon,
Thank you for reading.
I’m barely 30 years old, so nope, I haven’t completed my reservist, and if you are working or studying abroad, you can apply for exit permit. During that period, you won’t be recalled to go for reservist, neither will you be required to take the IPPT.
Hello , I’m Dixon from singapore. I just want to ask you a few questions, how do you do your ns reservist? I am planning to work and stay in japan just like you, I plan to enroll into ba in eng lang from sim as I am from poly and only have gpa 2+ . Do you know if sim cert is not as good or recognized in japan ? I’ll be going the alt route just like you did. Might take celta too if money permits. Heard u went thailand option as its cheaper is it better or harder that way do you know?
Oops I forgot I asked the ns part b4 pls disregard that question =)
Hi Dixon,
I don’t think a Bachelors from SIM would be a problem. Taking CELTA in Thailand is cheaper. I can’t compare with other countries since I’ve never done it anywhere else but I don’t think there’s too great a difference since they’re externally assessed by a Cambridge assessor.
Hi! I used your method to get a visa and I am now in Okayama since mid April! I am doing homestay for the time being and I am now looking for a part time job.
I tried applying for resort baito but I got turned down for almost all of them because I am not holding a working holiday visa. I think getting a baito that I like is hard! How did u get yours? Or how did u even start getting a job? What did u do when you’re not studying?
Hi Leanne,
Nice to hear that you are in Japan. Did you apply for the work permit?
You are not allowed to work with a student visa unless you apply for the permit, which should be free of charge and will be granted on the same day you apply for it.
The permit stipulates a maximum 28 working hours per week/4 hours per day. It is a separate application from the student visa.
Yes, I got the work permit at the immigration area! But it’s not easy to get the resort baito while studying because it requires u to work 8 hrs a day. I guess that’s while my visa is not applicable for this kind of work. I was kinda disappointed but rules are rules I guess. 🙁
Ah I see. Yes, the reason why there’s such a regulation is to prevent people from arriving in Japan on the pretense of studying but actually don’t turn up for school and work full-time instead. I think the most common type of part-time work you can do is at cafes.
Hi Jinhan!
Thank you for having this blog! I was wondering if you know any language exchange programme for working adults? Because I thought about going to Japan to study more on their language for a few months.
Hi Jun,
I’m not so certain about exchange programs for adults but there are lots of language schools offering courses in 2-week blocks so you can choose to study for as short as 2 weeks and almost as long as you want.
Oh Hello! Chanced upon your blog. I got into the JET 2013 program and it took me about 5 years because I failed in 2008! 🙂 I went to Thailand in Nov 2012 to do my CELTA too! With IH Bangkok! Did a full-time one month course! 🙂
Hi Sakura (if it’s ok to address you this way),
Congratulations on making the program. I would think it’s difficult to get in given the competition, and I’m happy for you.
Bests,
Hi!
I am really interested in working in Japan after I graduate and chanced upon your blog. I am currently studying in the US in an ivy league college and have studied Japanese for a year plus. Does coming from a good college really make a difference in Japan? Furthermore, the jobs I am interested in doing are in the finance/consulting sector so I was wondering what my prospects are and what level of Japanese is needed.
Additionally, I was wondering about the myths that the working/corporate environment for women is quite tough and male dominated and was hoping if you could address that
Thanks!
Hi Su,
I would normally say where your college degree is from doesn’t make a difference, but I believe an Ivy League degree would. There’s a very fine line between good and average, but it’s miles apart between good and Ivy League. Forgive my sweeping statement bu it’s pretty much the same everywhere, isn’t it?
The thing about working in the finance sector in Japan is, sure, knowing the Japanese language will be very beneficial to you, but there are also many jobs in the industry that doesn’t require you to speak any Japanese. I know people who don’t speak a single word of Japanese working in banks and consultation firms here, but that is not to say knowing it won’t increase your chances at landing a job.
As for the gender issues, I’m sure they still exist in many places here but the country has come a long way in the amelioration of women’s roles at the workplace. If you look at one of the posts I wrote sometime last year, salaries of women in their 20s are slightly higher than men of the same age. While it is just a couple pennies more, it speaks a lot about the progress of the nation in terms of gender equality.
Hello!
Very informative blog and I could relate to some of the posts even though I don’t work in overseas. (Idols and Family/Friends related posts in general) 🙂
I’m currently a final year student at the university and is starting to consider seriously about working in Japan. One regret I have is I didn’t pick up the language as early as you did despite being interested in all things Japan at an early age of 13. Think about the level I will be at right now if I did. Oh well all is not lost, I have been taking classes for almost 6 months right now and have been progressing really well I would say.
I’m also working part-time at a ramen store with a couple of Japanese and I’m really enjoying it to the extent that I have been burning my weekends without complaints. It’s a small store so we work with a strength of 5. 2 Japanese and 3 Singaporeans so our relationships are pretty close. Besides having the chance to practise my Japanese with them I have been thinking how I could leverage this experience I have.
So here comes my question, I would like to know how did those people you know who don’t speak any Japanese get a job in Japan ? Did they apply directly or were they being sent over from their company in their home country to the Japan office ?
Hi Aaron,
Thank you for reading. It certainly sounds fun working with a group of people at a ramen store.
I might actually try doing that here someday, although being in my 30s might take the fun out a little.
I don’t know all their stories but interestingly, among those that I do know, they all came via different routes. One of them works for a bank while she was in Singapore and told her management to send her overseas. She didn’t say which country but they sent her to Japan. One other guy saw job openings posted in the newspaper in Indonesia and applied and got in. He’s Indonesian by the way. There’s this other American who was just teaching here and for some reason, got approached by a consulting company and got hired as well.
Hi,
I want to thank you for openly sharing so much of your experiences with living in Japan and really admired your tenacity in making a life for yourself there. I am currently eighteen years, in my last year of a local junior college, hoping to get into the faculty of Arts and Social Science in NUS. Can I seek your advice of how to best pursue my dream of living in Japan with my current level or what profession to pursue for the matter? Thank you. 🙂
Hi Romantically Inept (I don’t mean to call you names :/),
I don’t understand what you mean by your “current level.” Are you referring to being in the final year of JC? I would say to get a degree and take it from there. I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest what profession you ought to pursue because that should be your decision. I believe even a family member is not in the position to tell you what to pursue, what more a stranger as I, knowing nothing more about you than whatever you wrote in the above. If you have other more specific questions about living here, I might be able to offer a better reply.
Bests,
Hi back,
Thank you for your quick response to my questions. Haha…. you didn’t call me names, its an epithet I have given myself! 🙂 Yes, I am in my final year of JC, and will be taking my A’ Levels this year. Perhaps I didn’t phrase my question properly, regarding the profession question, what I mean is: Which of the courses in the Arts and Social Science scene is are more suitable for one who intends to work abroad? I am currently considering English Literature. I apologise for the many questions and the upcoming ones (I predicted), you have just opened up a path for me that I had never thought was viable. Do you have any friends there that you could rely on or encounter any difficulty in adapting to life there?
Hi,
I believe choosing your major wouldn’t be that much different from when you are finding work in Singapore. It depends on the kind of job you want to do. English Literature sounds like a good option. I mean no offence but, I never understand the purpose of doing a major in Japanese Studies although I did enter NUS in order to major in that, but that was only because one of the Japanese Embassy’s Monbukagakusho scholarships is only offered to NUS JS majors. Thankfully, I decided otherwise in my first year and switched to English.
I do have a number of friends in Japan, but fortunately or unfortunately, none were around the area I was at when I first moved to Japan and I didn’t think to seek any of their help. I can’t really recall difficulties I faced, but that means they weren’t really huge I guess.
Hi.. I woke up randomly thinking about how much I enjoyed my time in japan 4 months back. Where I saved up and travel alone to check it out if it could be the best place I wanna stay in, as I really hate sg. Sadly.. it was a really good place.. so now im burdened with the reality of having to fight for my dreams to go there.
Like u.. I m a fellow nus fass grad.. majoring in econs. I have just graduated recently.. but do not know what should I go into. I doubt I can find a job in japan as I have only just started learning the languauge. Do u have any tips how to get there asap? Was hoping if you can offer advices and would also wanna know why are u so determined to leave sg
Hi Wei jie,
Do you honestly feel fighting for your dream is a burden? Is having a purpose in life not better than having none?
When you mean get here asap, do you mean to work or regardless? If the latter is what you are looking at, then I would think studying here is the fastest way to get here. Work-wise, I can’t really suggest what you can do, but with an economics degree, you might be able get some job that doesn’t require much Japanese. Such jobs though, are fortunately or unfortunately, mostly only available in Tokyo where businesses are more international.
I would prefer “determined to live outside Singapore” over “determined to leave Singapore.” Unlike you and a friend whom I’ve mentioned before in some post, I don’t hate Singapore. I just prefer to live elsewhere. Having spent 27 years in Singapore, I think it’s time I get to know life outside the island state. And even though I really like it here in Japan, I’ve arrived at the point where I could see myself living in other parts of the world too.
Hi there Jin Han ,
I found your blog by chance , and am very interested in your experience living in Japan. Understand that you are back in Singapore. I’m in the media, eager to get in contact with you. Hope you hear from you ASAP 🙂
Arigato gazaimasu.
Kenneth.
Hi Kenneth,
I’m actually not back in Singapore yet. I’ll definitely be heading back some time through my current job, but a date has yet been decided. I’m expecting it to be some time after April next year at the earliest but it really boils down to my boss.
Very interesting blog. Thank you for sharing your valuble experiences. I’m somewhat on the same line with you at the moment: running away from family issues, JET for 2 years, now in Eikaiwa and wanting to escape the English teaching field. I’ve been sending out my CV applying for any non-teaching related jobs like crazy but still no luck yet. It definitely puts you down every time you get rejected from a job you applied. Reading your blog gives me hope 🙂
Cheers,
Dianne
Hi Dianne,
Thank you for your comment. I’m glad what I write does something for you. I’ve also sent out tons of resumes before I landed my first non-teaching job. Rather than being rejected by the jobs for which I applied, I never got to hear from most of them, which, more likely than not, means I didn’t even make it pass the first screening. So, if you were rejected after interviews, take heart in that you are at least good enough for them on paper.
Although I got the Tokyo job through an online job-hunting web site, I would suggest registering with a recruitment agency because the chance of getting called in for an interview is much higher since they will also help to sell you to the company. Besides, it’s easier to trust that you are good when somebody else says so, than just you saying it yourself. I got my current job through one of those companies so you might want to give it a try.
Bests,
Hello!
I have been reading your blog posts for quite sometime and found it really interesting! Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your Japan experiences.
I guess like everyone here my dream is to live in Japan. I picked up Japanese 1.5 years ago and despite obtaining my N2 cert this year, my spoken Japanese is…..almost non existent? Hahahha since I am self-studying, I hardly speak to anyone in Japanese. Anyways, I survived NUS and graduated in July! (Hooray!) I am currently looking for a job in Japanese companies so that I will be forced to speak Japanese and sharpen my skills!
Okay, let me get straight to the point, I have always want to be a translator. If you are willing, could you share some of your experiences as a translator??
I just want to know what are the possible career prospects, whether being a free lance translator is sustainable and the necessary qualifications required.
Please just ignore me if you are too busy to reply!
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Cherie,
That’s a nice name and thank you for reading. It’s shocking to me that you could get N2 in 1.5 years. You must’ve put in a lot of effort, or just that you’re a natural at languages. Most Japanese companies in Singapore probably won’t “force” you to speak Japanese but still, I would think it’s a good move.
I’m not sure what kind of experience you are referring to since it’s pretty broad, so let me just answer the more specific questions you have posted and whatever else that comes to my mind.
First, most companies here hire translators from dispatch companies, so there is really very few full-time in-house translator jobs. For dispatch translation, the salary can range from around 1500 yen/hr to around 2500 yen/hr (plus/minus a couple hundred yen). Other companies that hire in-house translators typically don’t pay too much since the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Sure, there are those that pay well (from 4.5 million to 10 million per year), but those are really few and far between unless you do law or finance translation. A number of law firms and financial institutions (especially foreign) pay over 7 million yen or even up to 12 million yen per year to full-time in-house translators, but require years of experience. If you are all for the money, I suggest you work towards either law or finance though contracts are a little tricky.
Next, freelance anything is sustainable… as long as you have the volume of work coming in. I’m not sure how many people don’t realise this, but if you go by hourly rate, freelancers almost always make more than average Joe. The only reason people don’t go for freelance job is because of instability. If I can make 3000 yen/hr and I do just 5 hours of work per day, that would be 15,000 yen/day and over 300,000 yen/month. That’s as much as a regular salaryman at almost half the working hours, minus all unnecessary responsibilities, plus the free time. The unfortunate thing is, since the fall of Lehman Brothers in 2008, the market translation rate has fallen drastically. No thanks to translation companies going on price wars. But it is still possible to get good rates if you go search for direct clients instead of translation agencies.
Last, there is no particular qualification required for doing translation. If any, they would require you to have knowledge of the field you are translating. Of course, there is the TQE, but there are as many translators without neither qualification nor skills as there are English teachers without neither.
Hope these answer your questions. But if you have some other doubts, just feel free to ask. I wouldn’t ignore you, but if I’m too busy, I may take a while to reply.
Bests,
Thanks for your quick and detailed reply!
You definitely answered my questions. I guess I have to work doubly hard from now on!
Cheers and have a great weekend! 🙂
No problem.
One more thing: some companies such as gaming giant Square Enix of the Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Tomb Raider franchise offer project management as an option for career advancement, an option I wouldn’t choose, but you can opt out of it. From what I heard, most translators prefer to stick with translation.
Some law firms also require their in-house translators to do project management as part of their responsibilities. Project management is really just a fancy name for outsourcing translation work to freelancers and checking them internally after submission because there’s too much to finish in-house. Translation agencies typically have more people doing project management than in-house translators because it’s faster and cheaper to have 10 people handling 100 projects in one day than doing 10 translations in the same amount of time.
Thanks for your informative blog ^^
It definitely helped me a lot from the time I made my decision to leave singapore for japan… from settling down first in a language school, to finding a job, to getting the hang of life here in japan.
The biggest motivation I got from your blog was your
“It took me 7 years to fulfill my dream of living and teaching here. Don’t give up on yours,”
because it also took me 7 years to fulfill mine! Lucky seven i suppose? ^^
Anyway, all the best in your every endeavour and may you find joy somewhere, somehow, every day.
Hi Ja-ne,
Nice to know that it helped you and that you are here now. And I wish the best for you as well.
Hey i have been following your blog since 2012 and its great seeing your experiences in japan, just wondering though (dont know if ppl ask this before but too lazy to perform a search my apologies) in your 4 years here, have you dated any japanese girls? If no , why not? no plans of starting a family?
Hi Dixon,
Well, I’ve never written about such things in any of my posts. I try not to write too much about that aspect of my personal life. But to answer your question, I have dated Japanese before but it’s no different from dating in Singapore — sure, I want to get married but if I don’t feel the person is right, then it doesn’t happen. Ultimately, despite turning 31 this year, I think I’m still not mature enough to get married. That’s just unfortunate for me.
Hi Gaijinhan, thanks for taking the time out to reply to the rather personal question, apologies if i am crossing the line here. It seems to me that Japanese people are rather focused on their careers and would not bother about relationships. As such 2 groups are formed , those already married and those who are “married” to their jobs. Are they really like that there?
No worries.
Hmm… i don’t have enough information to make assumptions on how things are, but it seems to me many people even in their 30s or 40s who are not married are still looking to do so.
Hi Jinhan,
I came across your website while looking for English speaking jobs in japan, quite unsurprisingly, and really enjoyed your posts (particularly the tiny bit of coding at the end). I am a recently graduated practicing engineer but due to circumstances, I am planning to go to Japan to find a job there. Although I studied in UK, I suspected as much that being a Singaporean and an engineering grad, getting an opportunity to teach English would not be easy. I was wondering if you’d know whether it’d be more viable to find an English speaking engineering job or a teaching job, English or otherwise, especially since I don’t have a CELTA or TEFL (I studied in Cambridge but didn’t have the foresight to take a course then which would’ve been much cheaper than in SG). Also, did you apply to the dispatch companies you’d listed directly or looked into job sites for vacancies?
Any advice will help; if it makes a difference, I’ve been a private tutor for a year. Thank you!
Cheers,
Gloria
Hi Gloria,
I can’t say for sure how chances are for you as a Singaporean, but I believe having studied for many years in the UK puts you in a better stead compared with other Singaporeans who have never lived in an English-speaking nation. I do not believe having an engineering degree would reduce your chances in any way. As much as I hope to be able to point you somewhere, I really can’t say which is more viable. Based on the information you provided, it sounds you are capable of getting either. I’m not so certain how many English-speaking engineering jobs there are, but if you are open to Japanese-speaking positions as well, I’m sure your chances would increase quite dramatically.
As for the teaching position I used to hold, I applied directly to the dispatch companies. Dispatch companies usually hire around the end of the year for positions starting the following April, but I would suggest you apply anytime throughout the year because there are teachers who quit the company in the middle of the school year, and it is during these times, companies are in desperate need of people because students’ lessons cannot stop. That was how I got started on my first job when I applied around August/September. The company granted me an interview and told me they didn’t need teachers at the moment, but a couple of weeks later, a teacher who had friction with the schools left the company and they contacted me to fill the spot. I would also think any experience teaching should be raised to increase your chances.
Bests,
Hello Gaijinhan!
Just out of curiosity, do you own a Japanese electronic dictionary?
I have always wanted one but it is really expensive and there is like a zillion models out there….
I was wondering if could you give me any advice or recommendations?
Thanks
Cherie 🙂
Hi Cherie,
Yes, I do own a Japanese dictionary although I haven’t been using it for a while. The one I use is a Casio Exword targeted at Japanese high school students so I thought it was appropriate for my level then. The dictionary that it contained was 大辞林 (Daijirin) which, according to what I read, lists the most common usage of words and appears to be good for learners of the language. The more common dictionary you can find out there would be 広辞苑 (Kojien) which is very much trusted and uses sentences that explain meanings of words over their common usages. The most expensive kind one you can find out there would probably be 研究者 (Kenkyusha), which is targeted at professionals who use very specialised terminologies that are not available in Daijirin and Kojien. Of course, there are many others out there like 大辞典 (Daijiten) and stuff but the only information I researched were the three main ones above because they appear to be the most common ones. I personally liked the Daijirin one I have but if you prefer something else, I would suggest one with Kojien.
Brand-wise, I’m afraid I can’t offer anything useful since I haven’t used that many different brands, but I hope this is enough reference.
Hello!
Appreciate the quick reply! I kinda figured out that an electronic dictionary will be beneficial to me a the long run. I am especially interested in things like 類語 so maybe I will get one that contains a 類語 dictionary. Well, time for me to start sifting through all the Casio EX models to find one that suits me. Thank you so much for the advice!! Really appreciate it. 🙂
By the way, A (late) Happy Chinese New Year to you! Have a great year ahead!
Cherie
No problem! You too!
Hi
I have exactly the same experience as you~!!
and I’m a huge fan of J-pop as well.
do you have twitter?
eririn
Hi eririn,
I used to have a twitter account. Well, I still do have that account, but I don’t use it anymore since I’ve got nothing much to tweet about.
Hi, Han. It’s great that you got to fulfill your dream!
I’m currently studying Japanese, and I was thinking of taking some courses at the Yamasa Institute this summer.
I wanted to ask you, since you were studying there, what could you tell me about the acceleration program? Is it too hard? Do the people that take it have little to no free time? (I’d like to have some to check out the place and try to meet new people)
Hi yahaire,
No, it isn’t too hard. Lessons are only 4 hours a day, and you can take up to 3 optional courses held once a week (meaning an additional 3 hours each week), so there really is quite a bit of free time to do anything you want. I enjoyed it then, but I was there 4 years ago, so things might have changed but as far as I know, it was a fun and great experience.
would you comment or do a piece around this story – not the credit card bit but the English speaking robber in the streets of Tokyo ? (theindependent.sg/i-got-robbed-in-tokyo-stan-chart-says-its-my-fault/)
Hi Han,
I can’t find anywhere in this blog which I like to ask you a few questions about moving to japan. Are able to email ?
Hi Edward,
Actually I’d prefer to do it over here if you don’t mind.
If it’s really private then I guess I could email you, but I’d also prefer not to be privileged to too much personal information.
Hey Jin Han, I’m a fellow Singaporean that is looking to move to Japan. Wondering if you can share with me more about the tax system there? And I would certainly hope to connect when I get there.
And I have to say your posts are very informative and I really admire your courage and perservarance for making your dream a reality!
Thanks!
Hi Aud,
Hmm… I’m not sure what information on tax you would like to know. Income tax can range between 10 to 20 percent depending on how much salary you are drawing. Apart from that, you have to pay into the pension, insurance, as well as residential tax. Your company usually takes all these off your pay and if you earn the average amount, these can come up to between 50,000 to 60,000 yen per month.
Hope this helps!
Hi,
I’m still currently studying in a junior college in SG, and would like to ask you which degrees are more highly sought after from foreigners in Japan. I don’t really have much preference on which degrees to take next time, but would hope to take something which would give me a higher chance of working and living in Japan! 🙂
Hi Lawrence,
I usually try to avoid answering questions like that because it would seem like I am directing you toward a certain path which may not necessarily work out for you. Having said that, I shall give you my thoughts which should be understood as a personal opinion and not the gospel truth, and should only be taken as reference to a much more comprehensive research you would be doing yourself.
Japan is a land of opportunities especially for fresh graduates here (not so sure about fresh graduates from other countries). I know programmers in Tokyo who majored in agriculture milking cows in Hokkaido in university, and language editors who majored in economics, etc. So majors and jobs have about no direct relationship at all.
If you are referring to well-paying jobs, Tokyo is generally not too different from Singapore. IT, banking and finance, engineering, economics, etc. And you’ll have a better chance at landing a job here if you have at least three years experience in the same line back home, which is again, not too different. If you want to teach English, degrees don’t matter at all although that’s not where the money is, unless you teach private, which would mean you need enough students to get a decent amount.
Hi, thanks a lot for your reply, it helped me a lot:) I still have a few questions which I really hope you could help answer. Firstly, would the jobs in the finance sector require knowledge of the japanese terms instead of english ones? Like for example if I’m a chemical engineer there, do I need to learn the various japanese terms for chemical terms? Secondly, this may be a bit too far fetched(sorry), but is it easy for foreigners to buy a house in Japan? Including getting a loan. Thanks a lot again!
Hi Lawrence,
I’ve never worked in the finance sector and haven’t spoken about work with people who do, so I can’t say anything for sure, but I’ve done a number of translation work with financial terms in Japanese so I think it’s not uncommon. Fortunately, they’re mostly in either kanji or katakana, which puts Singaporeans at an advantage since if you can read Chinese characters, you’ll have fewer problems with kanji and katakana financial terms are mostly English phonetic transcriptions. However, there are also companies that do not require much Japanese so it boils down to what company you apply for.
Regarding properties, I do not think it’s far-fetched since it’s something I’ve thought about myself. First, to get a loan, most financial institutions require you to be a permanent resident, so it’s extremely difficult to get a loan on a work visa though not necessarily impossible. Second, I haven’t tried it myself, but if you could pay in full cash, it does sound less of a problem. Last, there are actually Tokyo apartments for sale to foreign investors including Singapore. In that case, you can get loans in Singapore instead. I can’t remember the website, but you can try doing a search or ask a friend who is in the property business, and they might be able to point you the right way.
Hi! Firstly I want to say that, your blog has really inspired and motivated me in my journey to live in japan in the future. The only problem is that, I have a bachelor degree in information technology from a private institute, I did it through a distance learning program, and I am not really sure if IT companies in japan would recognize it.I also have a celta cert and would like to become an alt if I fail to get a job in the IT industry.I would like ur thoughts of the chances I stand of being able to get a job as an IT professional/alt with a distance learning degree.Thx in advance !
Hi Hiro,
Please note that what I’m about to write is only my own hypothesis based on what I’ve observed so far. I do not think a distant learning Bachelor’s degree would be that much a problem with companies as I’ve met a Spanish guy who got a job even though he didn’t have university education. Your best bet is to have job experience then the Bachelor’s wouldn’t be so important apart from for visa application. ALT job-wise, I don’t think they are particular about the kind of Bachelor’s you have although I have no evidence to prove this.
Thx so much for the reply, it really putted my mind at ease !
Hi! Just wanna drop a thank you note for being the inspiration behind of what I am doing now. Because of your blog, I realised that there are alternatives to JET. Because of your blog, I realised there is a way to get myself certified.
So here I am in Chiangmai, all ready to do the CELTA course which starts tomorrow! 🙂 Really excited that I am one step closer towards my dream of working in Japan!
I really like this quote in your blog which goes along the line of… “it’s not about making the right decision but making the decision right”. This actually made me see things from another perspective.
Please continue to write. You never know the impact of your words. Like how they made a change in my life. Thank you once again! 🙂
Hi Inspired,
Thank you for the message.
It’s messages like this that give me a reason to keep writing.
I passed my CELTA! 🙂 Will be helping out with a local teaching project first to gain some experience. Hopefully will be able to move on to Japan in the near future!
Congratulations Inspired! That sounds like you’ve got your plans all drawn out. All the best!
It’s been a while. But I thought I should let you know… I’m teaching in Japan right now. Almost coming to 6 months. Yes! I made it! It still feels very surreal at times that my dream actually came true 🙂 Thank YOU! & A HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR to you! ^^
I’ve been busy moving around this past couple of months and finally got back to doing this again.
Congratulations to you! Hope Japan treats you well!
P/S Your new blog looks awesome! Keep writing! 🙂
Thanks Inspired!
Hi gajinhan, thanks for sharing your experience. I am actually planning to go over japan and work but I am at a lost how to. I am currently 29 and is a working as a IT consultant, I only started my dream of learning japanese starting this July as my commitments are less now. For starters if I were to look for a job in Tokyo. How should I go about and what are the things I need to look out for?
Hi mxpj,
That’s a pretty broad question. I’ve posted a number of job recruitment agencies’ sites somewhere in this blog, so those would be very useful resources for job hunting.
As for what you need to look out for, there are lots of stuff like whether the company sponsors your visa, number of off days you get, availability of bonuses, frequency of overtime work and if they are paid, availability of insurance and pension scheme, ratio of male:female workers, etc. Why is the ratio important? Because “black organizations” that have horrendous work culture usually results in an all-male company. Transportation is usually covered so if the company doesn’t cover that, something must be wrong with it. Some companies try to negotiate inclusive OT hours e.g. you will not be paid for OT for up to 20 hours per month. If you can, I’d suggest you negotiate yourself out of such a deal because if they already paid you for those 20 hours, chances are that they will use it regardless of what they say at the interview.
Thank you for your advice, they are very insightful and I didn’t knew about them.
Hi sir
Very surprised and happy to see a Singaporean sharing valuable experience and information.
I have previously worked with SIA and as an active karate black belt I have been to Tokyo at least a dozen times. Each time 2 weeks.
Very intrigued by japanese culture and hope also to work there some day. Currently I have been teach in a school for teenager with special needs for 2 years now.
Would like to meet up with u in Tokyo I’m December when I’m visiting if possible to chat more.
Hope to hear from u
Regards
Alex
My sister had taught in a secondary school here. She has a PGDE from NIE to teach English and Chemistry. She has taught English for 3 years in a secondary school. Does she needs CELTA to teach in Japan? Every bit helps. I’ve been supporting my sister since both my parents passed away in a car accident 7 years ago, I’m hoping to fulfill my sis’s wish to teach in Japan.
Hi Catherine,
You’re an amazing sister!
No, CELTA is not required regardless of your background. I took the CELTA only to increase my chances of getting a teaching job especially when I had no mentionable teaching experience. PGDE is a teaching Diploma. It’s worth more than a CELTA which is just a Certificate.
I wish the best for you and your sister.
Hello, Jin Han. Hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to share that I had my CELTA interview an hour ago via Skype. When the interviewer asked why I wanted to take up the CELTA, I gave the answer I had and I also mentioned that I read good reviews about the CELTA course through blogs such as yours. The interview went well. There were a few grammar points in the pre-interview task that I missed. However, during the interview, I had a glimpse of how the language learning methodology of CELTA is. It’s exciting and interesting. At the end of the call, I was offered a spot for the course dates I applied for. Thanks again. Your CELTA-related blog posts were most helpful. =)
That’s wonderful, Angelo!
I hope you enjoy your time at the course.
Hey there as a fellow singaporean male,I am curious about two things:1)CPF 2)Reservist how do you deal with them as an expatriate working in Japan?
Hi Louis,
1) My employer doesn’t contribute CPF since they are not bound by SG employment laws.
2) I’m exempted from reservist during the period I’m working overseas. That’s why it’s important to make sure you apply for your exit permit.
1)Then do you have any plans to settle down?Im thinking whether to settle down at Japan or SG lol
2) So do you intend to work overseas until your reservist term(10 years i assume) expires?
Thanks for the prompt reply!Keep writing!You are an inspiration 🙂
1) I’m assuming you mean to get married and live here for good. It’s hard to say. I somehow have this feeling I’ll return someday.
2) I think reservist term is either 10 years or 40 years old, whichever is earlier. So in my case, it’s probably 40 years old. I didn’t move to Japan to escape reservist so whether my reservist term is up or not doesn’t affect my decision to remain or return.
Hi there.Sorry for the questions but
1) Why didnt you try to get a job in Japan via NUS/NTU career fairs?
2) Do you find the current salary as an English teacher (SGD 2600 I assume for fresh grad) stable?I want to get married too so Idk if its enough or not lol.
3)U found your job while holding your student visa right
Hi LAC,
1) First, I’m not sure if there was a career fair to work in Japan then. Anyhow, despite having a JLPT2 at that time, I didn’t think I was good enough to work in a Japanese company with that level of language skill so I decided to study first.
2) It depends on your hiring company though. It can be stable, it can be unstable. Some dispatch companies pay by number of working days, so you don’t get paid on public holidays which makes your salary fluctuate by the month, which also means you get almost zero in August during the summer holidays. Other companies pay by the month, so you get paid a fixed amount every month, which means you get paid without having to work in August. The average is probably around 240,000 yen. But if you’re hired by the Board of Education, you get paid around 300,000 yen. Eikaiwa schools typically pay around 260,0000. Let’s say you take home 200,000 a month, pay your rent of around 60,000, utilities and bills at around 20,000, and food at around 60,000 (if you eat out everyday), you still get to save 60,000 a month. That’s 30% which is considerably high. Many teachers I know also teach part-time. For me, I taught part-time twice a week and received around 20,000 to 30,000 yen more a month, so it’s not that bad. Besides, if you don’t live in Tokyo (Tokyo ALT jobs are hard to come by) and don’t go traveling every month, you probably won’t spend too much on leisure. It can be tough to save if you want to “live the moment.” But some small leisure a week should still be fine. It also depends on how much you plan to spend for your wedding though.
3) Yes, I got my first job while holding a student visa.
Thank you for the promot reply:) i might follow ur path someday but Im planning to do a BA in linguistics instead of English.I plan to get TESOL too after I ORD. As a Singaporean,do you feel the discriminations by some English teaching institutions citing that we are not westerners plus SGReans are not considered native English Speakers?
Well, my BA is actually in linguistics although the name says English Language which is confusing. Because we study mainly the linguistics of English, that’s why the school names it BA in EL.
There are a lot of people with that opinion although it appears to have changed a lot over the years. I don’t particularly feel it probably because I’m lucky, but also, since I topped my CELTA course even with experienced teachers from the US, Canada and UK in the mix, I was pretty confident I could land a teaching job somewhere. If not this company, then try another.
Thank you!I personally want to work for Japanese companies (get xferred from SG hopefully) but I do not know what are they expecting of me.In your honest opinion, do you think N2 is enough?Or should I go for N1?Sure, N1 is way more impressive than N2 but the materials we are studying for N1, are not v practical imo.
Hi LAC,
It’s been 5 years since I last took the JLPT, I don’t even remember what is being covered in N1. Honestly, if you can speak the language well, I don’t think qualifications matter at all. I personally think a “Fluent in Japanese” carries more weight than a “JLPT N1” in the resume. Just a thought.
Hi gaijinhan,
i came across your website while googling singaporeans working in japan, glad that information shared was really helpful. I aim to work in japan (regardless of the area) in a few years time even though currently i am only holding a N3 level. I have a few things that i’m still unsure of and was wondering if you could clarify or share your opinions, its certainly no issue if you do not wish to answer them! ^^ I’m currently working as a nurse for about 4 years and will be trying for a N2 level next year in 2016, do you think there is a need to study japanese language first in japan language schools before job hunting with N2? While studying japanese in japan language school, will it be possible to look for full time jobs? Can i quit the japanese study halfway once full time job attained?
Thank you!
Hi Annie,
Regarding your questions, I do not think it’s necessary to study in a Japanese language school here before looking for work. It is possible to look for jobs while studying here but some schools are aware of students doing that (i.e. enrolling into a language school for the purpose of job hunting) and do not permit such activities if it means you skipping classes constantly. I personally do not think it’s a problem to quit the language school when you get your job although it is frowned upon. Not so sure about the legal consequences. Everyone I knew from the language school I was at finished their studies before starting work even though they were all job hunting while still at school. However, all of us started looking for work only toward the end of our course since our original purpose was really to study.
Hello! Came to your blog by chance while googling and just thought I should say hi to a fellow Singaporean in Japan! I kinda have quite the same history of getting to Japan like you, just that I picked the tough way of not teaching english, and going into the Japanese corporate world with terrible Japanese years back. (Glad I worked it out and now doing freelance)
Have fun in Okazaki and maybe I should give you a buzz if I am in Okazaki next time! 🙂
Cheers,
Junel
Hi Paper Pigeon or Junel,
Thanks for dropping by. I’ve actually left Okazaki many years ago and have been in Tokyo some 4-5 years now. Give me a buzz if you’re in Tokyo!
Hello Jinhan,
Pardon for my late reply as WordPress only sent me a notice of this a moment ago. I’m located in Tokyo too! Hope to see you around for coffee soon! 🙂
Junel
I just moved out to Kawasaki, though still not too far from Tokyo.
Maybe I’ll drop you an email!
Hi Jinhan,
I am considering a job opportunity which requires me to work in either Chiba or Omuta for 2 years. I was just wondering if I could get more information from your experience in living in Japan. Thanks.
Hi Jihao,
May I know what kind of information you’d like to have? I’ll do my best to share them if you have more specific questions!
Hello.
Fellow Singaporean here that is also interested in the hopes of working and living in Japan someday. I currently have a job in the arts, and I graduated with only a Diploma certificate (also in the arts).
I am not too sure how would I be able to make my way around realizing my dream of working and living in Japan with what I have achieved so far in life. (And to be honest, that statement sounds rather sad, as it hit me.)
I figured I could do with some guidance from you, and would really appreciate if I could get a response.
Thank you very much.
Hi twentyfive,
It might be easier for me to answer if you have more specific questions but in any case, I’ll try to offer what I can for now. I’ve written somewhere before that if you do not have at least a bachelor’s degree, the other way to get a work visa here is to either 1) have at least 5 years experience in a related field for technical positions, or 2) have at least 10 years experience in a related field for non-technical positions. Alternatively, if you have the financial abilities and the time, you could attend undergraduate school here and apply for work with your batch of graduates upon graduation.
Hi there. I have just gotten my JLPT N1 and will be starting university next year. I am looking for employment in Japan once I graduate. I read gaijinpot and here is the conclusion that I came up with:
1) becoming an English tutor despite being N1 certified
2) Entry level in the hotel industry(probably going to become the bilingual/trilingual staff at the front desk)
As you can see, everything else requires me to be in Japan. I am seriously thinking of getting a CELTA just for that first step in Japan. What are your thoughts? I will be studying Linguistics in NTU.
Hi ace,
I don’t want to speculate what you mean by “despite being N1 certified.” But if you don’t enjoy teaching one bit, perhaps going through the trouble to do a CELTA to get a teaching job just to get another job in Japan will be a torturous journey. I’ve got two suggestions you may want to consider:
1) Send out your resume even if they say you must already be in Japan. If you are that good, they will be willing to give you a shot.
2) There are tons of other job-hunting sites around and apart from those that do allow Skype interviews, some are willing to fly you over for an interview, expenses paid. So, don’t stick with Gaijinpot.
Sorry, I forgot to ask about this too. I feel that the textbooks are all too easy for me at the moment but at the same time, I still do not consider myself anywhere near a native’s command of the language. Any tests or textbooks to recommend? I hope to make a career out of Japanese.
Unfortunately, I have no recommendations to tests or textbooks because I feel that to get a native command of the language in writing, the best way is to read actual books written for native Japanese. After all, that’s how native Japanese children learn. And for speaking, I strongly recommend watching Japanese shows without subtitles. I personally suggest variety programs over drama because the conversation is more real than scripted drama. Further, they like to plaster the spoken words on the screen occasionally so even without subtitles, you won’t be struggling through the entire show. The downside is, depending on the show you are watching, you might hear more Kansai dialect than standard Japanese. But if that is a goal for you as well, then I’d say give it a try.
Hello, GaijinHan. I’ve been following your blog since 2011, albeit irregularly. Your interesting take on posts and unique writing style always kept me captivated. I actually learnt Japanese in 2012 when I was 15, now I’m 19 and I only have a JLPT N3, but people have told me my conversation level is way above that so I’m happy for that. Your posts have helped to kept this spark in the language, and although my view on the society have somewhat gotten more realistic throughout the years, I still hoped to live in Japan someday. I applied for a private university’s scholarship in Tokyo since I couldn’t get in the local unis in SG with my 2.7 GPA, and miraculously I got in. In the process of settling VISA and things like that… But I can’t help but feel a lot of uncertainty. Whether I will grow to like the place or not. Whether I can survive there as a gaijin… I will miss food and cheap things in Singapore, along with my friends and family. Have you ever had insecurities like these? I remember reading a post similar to that but I can’t find it no matter how much I search… Sorry for the long comment XD you can just ignore me I just needed to get this out of my system.
Hello Sharmine,
Thank you for reading. I’m happy for you that you’re moving here.
As for your question, perhaps I’m a little bit of an oddball by most people’s standards because many people have expressed surprise and called me a cold person when I say I’ve never missed anyone or anything since coming here. Well, to be honest, I had wanted to see my baby cousin (who is really in his teens), and was worried about how my mum is doing from time to time. But to say I miss something, I guess it’s just the food in Singapore. I probably can’t say anything to make you feel more assured but you will only find out how much this place suits you when you are here. Hope you have a good time in Tokyo.
Thanks for the reply GaijinHan ^^
Thank you very much for your encouragement ^^ Maybe we can meet up in Tokyo if possible 🙂
Just wondering, is there any cheap shippimg options from singapore to japan and vice versa? Thinking of sending some of my stuff before i go but singpost is the only one i know of…
Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer on that. I came with only one luggage and one carry-on bag and have never sent anything huge either direction. Perhaps you can try Ta-Q-Bin by Yamato Transport. I believe they have a Singapore office even though I’m not sure how much it costs.
Thanks for your swift reply. Hahaha you have so little things I’m amazed. I’ll try that out!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 🙂
Happy New Year to you too!
Hi GaijinHan,
Interesting to see the span of comments and your replies over the course of 2011-2016! Hope u r still doing this when i m writing this to you. I am a Singaporean guy age 33 with no teaching background. I have been in the commodity industry for almost 6 six years and in between I lived in Korea for a year learning Korean (some love story in there and basically i wanted to travel and live outside of Sg for the experience). I am now living in Beijing for a year and I think the corporate world is enuf for me. I am considering a MAJOR job switch and I was thinking of being an educator. I want to educate people and one way perhaps is to teach English. If anything relavant, I have been writing poetry and short writing for 9 years on a blog (this Nov is the 10th). Is there a max starting age to teach English in Japan? What’s popular to teach in Japan these days? Really cool to find this blog. I am also considering to teach in China!
Regards
Dexter
Hi Dexter,
I don’t think there’s a max starting age because I’ve met people in their 50s doing ALT work.
I’m not sure what you mean by what’s popular to teach in Japan nowadays but if I understand your question correctly, there’s a growing number of programming lessons in English for children.
Hi Gaijinhan,
Is there any events about Singapore in Tokyo?
I wonder how you found Singaporean friends in Japan…
Is there Singapore Association?
I heard that if you’re registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you will receive notifications about activities that gather Singaporeans (like the National Day gathering, etc.). There probably are a lot of other related events but as I’ve not participated in any, I’m afraid I can’t comment.
The Singaporean friends I have in Japan are:
1) People I met at the language school
2) People I met through this blog
3) People I met at work
4) Friends from Singapore who moved to Japan
5) Friends of the above friends
I’ve been introduced to this Singapore Association group on Facebook though I’ve never actually participated in their events. If you’re interested you can try searching SAiJ (Singapore Association in Japan). I guess I’ve just never felt the need to go out of my way to deliberately look for friends from Singapore.
Hello again Jin Han, this page is so amazing it has 2011 – 2017 worth of comments! I realized my earliest post here was 2012 and finally next Oct 2018 i might be able to graduate from SIM (now SUSS)… I plan to follow in your footsteps and apply for a student visa (probably the Oct 2018 or Jan 2019 intake, depending on how fast i can get my official degree and certs etc) and i have some questions about the student visa and transitioning to work visa etc.. i understand it has been many years for you and things might change now but i was hoping you can share or advise me on this portion. By the way i realised in your old blog layout, you stickied some post on visa matters, how much it cost to Nagoya and various tutorials, now it is quite hard to find them through the search button 🙁 but i digress..
Anyways i wanted to ask, if i apply for a 6 months Japanese language course, would they still give me 1 year student visa or are things stricter now and i will only get 6 months? Also in the event it is stricter now and i am only given 6 months visa, how long or difficult is it to get an ALT job in Japan within 6 months? My greatest fear now is that i am unable to find an ALT Job in Japan during the 6 months language studies and the course completes and i have to return to Singapore (BROKE 🙁 ) that would be an epic fail and a very sad 5-6 years of struggling in Singapore with a full time job and part time uni studies :'(
Sorry for the long wall of text!
Hello Dixon,
The posts were “sticky” because I posted as a page instead of an entry, but had to shift them to regular posts due to some layout issues. So, searching for “visa” or “cost of living” might get you what you want.
Anyhow, the visa issue appears to depend on the institute you apply to. When I came over for studies, there were two types of student visas available: 就学 and 留学. The former was mainly for language school students while the latter was typically for college students. However, in July that same year in 2010, 就学 visa was abolished and now, everyone gets the 留学 visa regardless of the institute. At that time, I applied for a 6-month course, but I remember the school got me a 1.5-year 就学 visa. So, even though I left school after 6 months, I had some time to look for work. But regardless of the visa period, I remember I was told that we could stay for a short period of time after that but don’t take my word for it. Please do find this out.
I can’t say for sure how long it’s going to take or how difficult it’s going to be to get an ALT job. It depends on so many factors. But for your reference, recruitment for the following academic year usually begins at the end of the year prior, so if your timing is right, getting a job will be much easier when many companies are looking to hire. Like what I’ve written before, even if you don’t manage to catch the recruitment period, just send out your resume so that if someone suddenly quits in the middle of the school year, they could possibly contact you. Just do what you can so that even if things don’t turn out the way you hoped, at least you’ve tried your best.
Wow thanks for the quick reply! I see thanks for the tips to find the old valuable posts 🙂 i got another visa question which i am slightly still confused about T_T
At the time when you finished your school, having 1 year left on your 1.5 years student visa, how long did you stay in Japan to find a job? I have read a couple of forums (reddit etc) where there seems to be conflicting info such as (you have to leave immediately after you are done with school as your school will inform the immigrations etc), while other reports say that (immigrations will give you roughly 3 months to tie up your loose ends before you leave.. of course all these scenario depends on whether your student visa is of a longer duration than your course of study.. which leads me to think, why then would they issue you a 1 year visa if you are only studying for say 6 months? :S even on the mofa jp web (http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/long/visa6.html) not much details are actually given for these “unique scenarios”… >__< haha..
I see, seems like going for the lang school sometime in Oct would be the best option since i can start applying. Thanks for taking the time to reply my lengthy questions, i truly appreciate your help! 🙂
I was lucky and only took 1 month to get my job.
I’m not sure how much the system has changed but from what I heard from my teacher back in 2010, when you leave a school, the school is obliged to inform MEXT, and MEXT doesn’t liaise with the immigration office so nobody at the immigration office knows you are no longer studying.
But rules might have changed because it has with work visa, where in the past, once you get your visa, you can just use that same visa to do any work allowed by the visa. But since 2012 (I think), you are required to inform the immigration office if you left the company that sponsored your visa. It seems that it’s not very strictly enforced yet but informing them also doesn’t seem to mean your visa will get cancelled because my friend informed the office when she left her job and they just said, “Ok.”
I am uncertain how much time you get to “tie up your loose ends” in the event your visa gets cancelled, so I don’t want to speculate. But one thing I’m certain is, while your visa renewal application is in process, even if your existing visa expires, you are still allowed to stay in the country for a fixed period of time until the results are made known. The duration is probably like 1 or 2 months.
I have no idea about the rationale for the longer-term visa but it works out fine for us. Just be sure you don’t apply for a 3-month course, because then, the schools might not apply visa for you since Singaporeans do not require visas for up to 90-days stay.
Hi Jin Han,
was browsing thought google searching Singaporean living in Japan and stumbled across your blog. read about your story and I find it really fascinating!!!
Just wanted to pop by to say Hello to a fellow Singaporean living here.
Am currently living in Kyoto myself and happily married to a Kyoto Lady.
Do drop me an email if you visit Kyoto. Would like to meet up for coffee or tea 🙂
In the meantime, take care and have a good 2018
Hi Luis,
Thank you for leaving a message. It’d be great to be able to meet up with you.
While I have no plans to visit Kansai anytime soon, I’ll be sure to drop you an email if I get to visit Kyoto again.
Hope you have a great 2018 too!
Hello Jin Han! I just wanted to say, 2 years ago, I was at a really low point in my life. I had a Masters, a Celta Pass B, 2 years experience working in the Japanese school in Singapore, another 2 more previous years of teaching English before that, and great recommendation letters written by my supportive heads of department. And, I had just failed a job interview for a school in Japan, the only response to the many many applications I’d sent out to various schools. I was so crushed.
But when I read this post of yours it did give me a little hope. Just enough to keep going on in the job searching process. Now I’m 1.5 years into a brilliant teaching job in beautiful school in Hakodate, and I just want to say huge thank you! Thank you for sharing your experience. It was just the encouragement I needed at the time.
Hello Serene, that’s one really impressive profile! I’m happy to hear that this blog somehow found its way to you during a time you needed it and even happier that you’re doing something you enjoy at a beautiful place now =)
Hello Jin Han,
Thank you for sharing all the wonderful experiences you are having in Japan. I stumbled upon your article when I was browsing about GABA interviews. I have my interview scheduled for Monday and was wondering if I could ask you some questions about it. My name is Rebecca and I’m from Mumbai, India. Look forward to connecting with you.
Hello Rebecca,
I’m so sorry I hadn’t been checking my blog the last week as I’ve been really busy. I hope your interview went well and do let me know if there’s any other questions Dirtyshoes or I may be able to answer. All the best!
P.S: There are 2 other casual writers here apart from me. Dirtyshoes is the one working at GABA so you can direct your questions to her over here too!