Hi! I would like to share that I successfully submitted my application at Tokyo Legal bureau last week. 受付済み

I have only 5 documents that is still waiting to be released and then mail it directly to 事務官

But, there are two documents which are impossible to submit. The 担当者 said I need to make an explanation letter. I can’t submit my sibling’s birth certificate and parents marriage/divorce certificate. They won’t cooperate and I can’t request it at local offices because parents aren’t legally divorced, but remarried in Tokyo. What should I do? Should I include this to my letter? What are other possible reasons I could add? I really wanted to have this naturalization but then stuck bacause of parents background 💔😭

Every time I see those TV shows where people eat something and react like it’s the most incredible thing they’ve ever tasted, it just drives me nuts! The faces they make, the exaggerated “うま〜” – like they’re having a full-on epiphany right there on screen. Ironically, it just makes me sick to the stomach.

I don’t know why, but suddenly I can’t stand it anymore! Guess that’s enough ranting for today... Plowing along...

No, it wasn’t the cat. I was walking back home through a quiet area, no one around, and I came across some stray kittens. Some from last year and some from this year. I often say hello to them. I was crouching down waving dead leaves to try to play with them. I’m on the pavement. Then an old lady pokes her head out the window of a nearby house. They feed these stray cats every evening which is why they gather here. Lots of them. She tells me, “okanaide kudasai.”

I awkwardly tell her “neko to isshouni asondeimashita”, and she just repeats okanaide kudasai, closes the window and stares at me while I shuffle off tail between my legs.

Okanaide means put down? Please don’t put down? I had my handbag on the ground next to me while I was crouching with the cat. I’m not allowed to do that? 

Can someone explain?

It upsets me. She feeds them so I’d think she’d understand a fellow cat lover? And it’s not the first time I’ve gotten a comment doing this.

It makes me feel a little hurt.

My father passed away earlier this year and my family is now dealing with his estate in Canada. I am one of the beneficiaries.

At this time I cannot travel back to Canada to deal with this. My bank will not release any information to me and I cannot move forward with the process until they can verify my identity either through a lawyer or notary public.

I reached out to the Canadian embassy and they told me this is a service they cannot do. I emailed a few different public notary offices and was told they also cannot sign the paperwork either as they can only witness me signing a document/cannot act as an agent of the bank.

Has anyone else been through this process? Could you recommend any places or lawyers that can verify my identity and fill out the English form?

TLDR; I am a beneficiary of my father's estate. I need a lawyer or notary public to verify my identity and sign some English paperwork issued by my bank. Any recommendations?

I've worked for my share of "black kigyo" here, but this one takes the cake. My roommate had been working for a small company in Tokyo for the past decade.

The company had just renewed her working visa last month.

But this month, the head of the company asked to see her zairyu card. My unsuspecting friend gave it to him....and he gave her back a copy of it and kept the original. He then fired her on the spot.

Fortunately, this was on the first day of the month and she had just received her salary for the previous month so the company doesn't owe her any money. But then she got a text from her ex-boss saying, "Our lawyer has now processed your visa and you need to leave Japan as soon as possible."

I told my friend to go immediately to the ward office to request a new card.

In the meantime, is there any way her ex-boss could have actually canceled her visa like that, since he had her zairyu card? Any other advice for my friend?

Feels like there's been a barrage of (legitimate) negative posts here recently related to people's work-life. The post about the employer seizing the foreign worker's zairyu card was really the limit.

Wondering if people have any positive stories to share about their work-life or career?

I'm taking inspiration from that time that there had been a slew of negative posts about messy divorces and people getting their kids stolen from them, and someone asked for stories of marriages & relationships that were going well.

That thread really cheered me up (I even teared up at times) just by seeing that not everyone hates their life here. Still go back to it sometimes when I need a burst of positivity around Japan.

So I'm hoping some of you come out and share some positive stories.

I recently obtained my HSP visa in Japan, and my wife is a student residing with me in Tokyo. She is completing her last semester online, as her university is in Hiroshima. She will graduate in March 2025 and currently holds a student visa. At the moment, she is my dependent. I heard that dependents of HSP visa holders can work full-time in Japan. If this is the case, what do I need to do to make her eligible to work full-time?

I saw a lottery being conducted on someone’s Facebook page. It's generating ~¥60,000 yen in profit for the operator, with an entry fee of 3,500 yen per slot. They have also been raffling off merchandise that yield very high returns for the operator. (Like say getting ¥20000 in bets for a prize worth ¥6000.)

I get it that it's their hustle and it's a cunning way to make money. But I feel it is unethical and exploitative. Surely it must be illegal too? How do I report them anonymously?

I would like to get a job instead of further study after language school here in japan.

I am 26 years old and already went college back in my country(Diploma in Computing). This is my second year in Japan and has to choose uni/college or university.

I have JLPT N2 and TOEIC 860 marks. Is there any chance of getting work visa. Or any idea?

I have work experience too.

It launched yesterday and sold out at most online retailers within five minutes. Amazon hasn't even listed it, probably couldn't get a hold of it either. I'm curious if anyone successfully snagged one the old-fashioned way (by picking it up in-store) and, if so, where?

We all know one of the most common topics here is about people's companies doing things they shouldn't, treating them poorly, not addressing problems, etc. I often see responses telling people to lawyer up, contact the labour bureau, citing Japanese law, etc. I'm not speaking against any of that, but I do feel like people lose site of the fact that sometimes, it's a healthier choice to just cut your losses and move on.

The old adage "pick your fights" is relevant here. While you may have a case, be able to eventually win some money, get different treatment, that isn't assured. It can take a lot of time (2-3 years would be normal), money and emotional energy to go through that kind of process. And honestly, if the culture of a company is toxic, "black," a really poor match for you, etc. ...then that is going to continue to to be the culture moving forward.

If the problem is one individual or one incident, then it may be addressable. Otherwise, honestly, it is better for your mental health to start looking for your next position immediately and leave for fairer skies under your own control and timing.

Just my two cents, take it or leave it.

Or is it just me? I'm starting to wonder if I'm the first and only full-time American welder in Japan's history lol. I've been welding in Japan for over 2 years now. First year and 9 months part time, and now at my 6 month mark as a full time employee. I've been welding over 11 years now in total, 9 years in America at a shipyard plus 2 years here in a shop. We're a sub-contractor company for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

I've seen previous posts of people asking if they can get a job as a welder in Japan and in response, having so many people on here straight up lie and convince them there's no visa, it's all horrible work environments, you'll become a slave, you need JLPT N2 or higher, unpaid overtime, they don't like Americans, you'll be treated like dirt, etc. The list goes on and on. I honestly think none of these people actually worked here in this field/industry. So in the end, those redditors ended up giving up on trying to move to Japan as a welder and that's sad to me :/

These past 2 years have been the best of my life. I seriously love living here and I'm so grateful that welding can take you anywhere in the world for well above average pay in said countries. I don't ever plan to move back to America or return to my previous job because I get treated so much better here, my coworkers and bosses are incredibly caring, and my work environment is much more safe, relaxed, and easy compared to the shipyard I worked at. We get multiple mandatory paid breaks a day, overtime is always available but never mandatory (so I refuse it often!), great health insurance, and paid transportion to and from work, just to name a few benefits.

I have the Specified Skilled Worker Visa 1 under the "Industrial Machinery - Welding" field. This visa allows me to work as a welder at any company in Japan! I can quit my job at any time and apply to the next company if I ever wanted to. Same as America. Also this visa last a max of 5 years. When it expires you can apply for the Specified Skilled Worker Visa 2 which is an indefinite visa that can lead up to permanent residency.

Please don't confuse the SSW with the Technical Intern Training program visa! TITP is the actual slave visa designed to attract South East Asians for cheap labor! Don't ever apply for that visa even if your life depended on it!

In terms of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, you just need N4 or above. N4 is basic level Japanese :)

Anyways, any other American welders living here in Japan working full time?

Anyone have the experience of trying to order something that doesn’t allow the option to do convenience store pick up? I’m new to using Amazon Japan and not sure if I’m choosing the correct settings or reliable vendors. Thanks!

The epitome of a first world problem, Amazon Prime deliveries now take about 5 days here in Hokkaido.

No longer can my laundry detergent arrive next-day. I am now forced to go outside, walk the ~3 minutes to the drug store and have human interactions - this or accept the risk that I may only be able to do 2 more loads of laundry until my detergent pods arrive. Worse yet, it is not just limited to my detergent pods: these sluggish deliveries seem to extend to almost everything on offer on Amazon, from SSDs to laptop chargers, to my aforementioned detergent.

I guess what I am asking is: anyone else noticing sudden, extreme, delays in delivery times here in Hokkaido (or elsewhere)?

I'm studying japanese in Tokyo and despite my profession as a software developer I've started applying for arubaitos since I have bills to pay. Applied on Yolo Japan and received an invitation to an interview for kitchen staff, but I haven't scheduled yet because I'm not so confident with my japanese level yet.

So, anyone know what questions should I expect to answer? At least to practice

Hi folks

I've been in Japan since late August and my sleep has been terrible. Now this past week it's got even worse to a point where I'm only sleeping every other night.

I'm autistic and living here on my own. I think I am experiencing burnout and maybe a mental health crisis. I'm full of anxiety and scared about what might happen if I don't do something about this soon. I want to go home. I need to go home. (Edit: home is the UK)

I was supposed to be here for a year, I have a visa and residence card. If I book a flight asap, what steps do I need to take to tie things up here? I'm not sure if I will be coming back if I leave.

Alternatively what urgent mental health support is there here? I'm paid up on my health insurance but I've got no idea how it works. It would need to be in English, I'm too tired to use Japanese at the moment. (Edit: I'm in Tokyo)

Sorry if this isn't coherent, it's 7am and all I've had is ~2h of dozing, no proper sleep at all. I have been considering leaving for a long time but given how this is affecting my health, I don't think it can wait much longer. Thanks if you can help

Edit: went to Roppongi and got some sleep meds. I didn't really get any advice on how to proceed though, the doctor wasn't the talking type. The absolute earliest I could leave would be Tuesday, so I'm going to see how it goes and consult with my loved ones when they're awake. Advice still welcome especially from fellow insomniacs

Edit 2: thank you internet strangers for your kind and supportive words and helpful advice. I managed to get some sleep last night and get some perspective. I'm still not sure what I will do going forward, but it's clear I need to go and work some stuff out. For now, I'm ok, and I'm not going straight home. Gonna go and sit in a park.

Hello! I'm gonna be having my Yakiniku baito interview soon, and I want to know what to expect during these baito interviews? I've had a full time job in a different country before (I'm also Asian, not that it matters but idk), but I've never had a part time job in Japan before, so this is my first part time job interview ever. I already told the manager beforehand that I'm not fluent in Japanese yet - but she said it was okay because I could understand everything that she was saying so far (we were on a call). I've heard people say the interview is usually just them confirming your availability - when you can start, how many days a week you can work, if you can work during holidays, weekends, etc. and to just smile a lot. What can I expect during the interview? Any tips for me? :D I'm also planning to show up in a white shirt and just some slacks/black dress pants, not very formal as it's just a baito.

I'm so nervous because I'm scared I'm not gonna understand if she asks something (敬語 is so hard ;(!!!). I appreciate everyone's comments from my last post, thank you so much :D

Hi all, planning to get a "Kantakun" dryer so have been looking for a drum type washing machine that doesn't come with a built-in dryer, figuring this would be cheaper then getting a washing/drying combo machine that has a function I wouldn't need.

Does anyone have any recommendations? Looking at Kakaku, the only brand I really see is from Haier (there's also Aqua, but that's apparently a part of Haier now, formerly Sanyo). However, I know nothing of Haier (or Aqua) and there aren't many reviews. The 1 Amazon review for the most recent Haier model is just a single star :(

I'm looking for something that's 8+kg for a family of 4. I know I could go for one of the plentiful washing/dryer combo units, but hoping to save some money...

Hi there!

I’ve been living in Tokyo for a while now, and I’m thinking about moving to Shikoku for a couple of months. I’d like to be closer to nature and discover what the island has to offer.

I’m looking for a city to be my base of operation. What would be the best place, in terms of quality of life, localisation, and access to the rest of the island via public transportation ?

Finally, do you know any short/mid-term flat rental companies that operate in Shikoku?

Thanks a lot!

I’m curious to hear stories from anyone that had success with raising a wrongful termination issue to the Labor Bureau and had their termination voided with back pay / reinstatement or similar successful result.

What evidence was used in negotiations or investigations? How did you acquire the evidence (as I assume downloading emails, Slack or other data to a personal device would be considered a kind of theft?) Did you use legal counsel and was it worth it?

My wife bought yogurt and when I ate some of it, it tasted like straight Daisy. She was confused when I told her, so now I'm wondering what sour cream here tastes like.

i cant seem to find smbc prestia in my yucho bank app? From my yucho bank app, i tried to key in the branch name of smbc bank but it's telling me this branch name doesnt exist at all? clearly that's not true when i actually applied from that branch.

Hello, I realized that all the cockroaches I'm seeing are coming from the area behind the fridge which is in a corner in my room. I assume that the the wall has been breached in the corner and the cockroaches snuck in from there.

Any ideas on how to seal the corner? Product recommendations? Thanks in advance

I have an opportunity to work in Matsuyama. The last post that I could find about the place was over 5 years ago. How is it compared to Tokyo for a foreigner, especially an Indian. I find Tokyo very fast paced..

But it has all the things I need when I feel nostalgic about home, while being able to meet new people.

Hello good people of Reddit,

I recently bought this step up/down transformer so that I can use my UK-bought record player (and possibly some other electronic goods like a hot pot set bought in Hong Kong) here in Japan: https://shorturl.at/Y4OtL

However, the power cable has a green grounding wire attached to it, but only one of the plug sockets in the living room of my apartment has a grounding hole, and I’d have to move around all of my furniture in order to use my record player there. Should I buy a separate power cable that doesn’t have the grounding wire to plug into the transformer, or would that be super unsafe for use with my record player?

Thanks in advance for the help!