Moving to another country is always a big life step and has the potential to change the course of your life and career. The process can be a whirlwind of mixed emotions – overwhelming yet exciting, difficult yet motivating. Living in Japan is often described positively by current expats, yet it can come with a lot of obstacles to overcome. If you are thinking about why you should become an expat in Japan, keep reading.
Well, here’s what Japan has to offer you.
1. Language
The thought of having to learn a new language can be quite intimidating. However, learning a language is a great skill to have on your resume. It can come in useful if and when you return to your home country, and from a personal viewpoint, it is an enriching experience. An issue many people face in their workplace is a feeling of stagnation.
Learning a language can eliminate this as you can feel yourself constantly improving and upskilling. While it is not necessary to know Japanese to live in Japan, it will help make the experience easier and help you integrate into the local community.
2. Safety
One of the most common aspects of expats discussing differences between their home countries and Japan is safety. This is generally considered an indisputable point in favor of living in Japan. There is an extremely low crime rate due to efficient police work and a completely different social mindset.
Most Japanese people will not even consider going outside of societal rules as these rules are so ingrained from a young age. Many foreign travelers and residents have stories of forgetting a wallet, phone, or bag in a public place, assuming the worst, and having it turn up completely intact 30 minutes later. Japan has truly cemented itself as one of the safest countries to live in.
3. Health
Japanese food is often touted as some of the world’s healthiest and for a good reason. While there is junk food and unhealthy food in Japan, it rarely makes up a significant part of one’s diet. Food is often very fresh and simply seasoned. There is a limited amount of preservatives and artificial flavors added to the food. Several Japanese foods also have impressive health benefits. Some of these include the antioxidant properties of green tea and the digestive benefits of fermented foods like natto and umeboshi.
Not only is the food healthy in Japan, but the overall lifestyle includes more exercise. As most people utilize public transport for their daily commute, there is an amount of walking naturally built into your daily life. For information on healthcare and insurance options in Japan you can visit Expat Financial website.
For example, if the train station is 15 minutes from your house, and your workplace is 15 minutes from the destination station, you already have 1 full hour of walking as part of your daily commute time. This natural inclusion of exercise and healthy foods is a great lifestyle improvement for many people when moving to Japan.
4. Culture
While the last few points have been quite pragmatic, more soul-enriching aspects make Japan a great country to move to. Japan has a rich and vibrant culture that has survived, largely untouched, through the centuries. From traditional locations to events, many parts of Japanese culture are wonderful to engage with and enjoy.
The wide variety of cultural aspects in Japan also means there is something for everyone. If you don’t enjoy visiting temples and shrines, maybe practicing traditional Japanese martial arts is for you. If you aren’t interested in the tea ceremony’s slow-paced activities and flower arrangement, perhaps the seasonal festivals and the accompanying activities are a better choice. Interacting with Japanese culture is a great experience for anyone visiting Japan, and as a resident, you have an even better opportunity to be part of the culture.
5. Experience
It may sound simplistic, but one of the best reasons for living in Japan is the experience. Whether on a personal level or a professional level, living abroad can enrich your life in many ways. Professionally, there are several skills that you need to utilize to successfully live and work in Japan, which can be useful later in life.
These include self-organization – keeping up with visas, health insurance, banking in multiple countries, etc., requires a lot of careful documentation. Another skill is problem-solving – you will inevitably run into issues or make mistakes while living in Japan, and solving these issues becomes your responsibility solely.
One of the most important skills in Japan is interpersonal communication and bridging a cultural gap. Learning to communicate effectively with others despite large differences in methodology, beliefs, and cultures can be challenging. However, this experience will provide the skills to manage any communication issues in future workplaces successfully.
On a personal level, living abroad can improve one’s self-reliance, independence, and confidence. Navigating new and difficult situations without any access to your usual support systems will teach you how to use your skills and knowledge to your best advantage.
Planning to become an expat in Japan?
If you become an expat in Japan, you will be rewarded wonderfully in terms of the experience that can lead to improvements in multiple areas of your life. It can be overwhelming at first, and there will be difficult situations along the way, but it remains a positive choice for most expats in Japan. In fact, the decision to live in Japan is described by many ex-pats as the best decision they have ever made. Note that at present because of the current Covid-19 situation, it may be very difficult to become an expatriate in Japan. Check online for the latest updates.
