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I Wish I had Known... Before Moving to Japan

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adminee
  5/10/2011 09:06 EST

If there was one thing that you wish you had known about living in Japan before you arrived and started to settle in, what would it be?

oceanpaige
  9/18/2014 11:56 EST

That becoming a citizen is almost impossible, that becoming a permanent resident takes about 10 years if you're not married to a national, and that if you aren't Japanese, you're not really going to be accepted as a national ever...you'll always be CFA (come from away). Other than that, Japan is wonderful. If you decide you can live somewhere without considered to be actually a citizen, then I think it would be an easy place to live if you have the income. Very polite society with lots of interesting things to do.

Emmnemsm
  9/20/2014 03:40 EST

I just moved here about a week and a half ago. I really wish I was prepared for how short the days are! The sunsets so early in the day.

hsakakibara1
  2/12/2015 23:39 EST

NONSENSE! Becoming a citizen is fairly easy in Japan and all you need is 3rd grade knowledge of the language. Many people do it and I personally know at least 2-3,including 2 Westerners who did it with no problem. Also getting PR is much easier as well.

sunandsqualor
  12/9/2015 05:47 EST

Umm yeah I don't know where the above user got their information from but you cannot become a citizen. A japanese citizen is naturalized, they are considered japanese citizens if they have japanese blood. In whichever case, it doesn't stop people from living here because it's a warm and hospitable place either way. People are very kind and are willing to help you out even if you speak little to no Japanese.

As for me, I really wish i didn't overstock on things like make up because they're so much better here. But if you have the luggage space, I do recommend bringing a bottle of pain killers because the first couple of days I was here I had a splitting headache and I had no idea how and what I needed to ask for haha

thedean
  12/9/2015 07:26 EST

http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/tnl-01.html

This is where the above user got their information from, directly from the Japanese ministry of Justice webpage dedicated to the Japanese law on naturalization. For cliffnotes you can also look it up on wiki.

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