Reality of living in Japan. Watch this before deciding moving to Japan

SUMMARY

Kyn, a digital nomad stock trader, critiques long-term living in Japan for foreigners, highlighting social rules, language barriers, and immigration hurdles, based on his extensive visits and cultural insights.

STATEMENTS

Japan is not suitable for most foreigners to live long-term due to strict social norms and practical challenges, despite its allure as a travel destination.
The speaker has deep familiarity with Japan from annual family trips since age 10, fluent Japanese, and connections through relatives and friends who have lived and worked there for over a decade.
Traveling to Japan differs vastly from residing there, as the fantasy of polite service, onsen relaxation, and cultural icons like anime fades against real-life barriers.
Japanese society emphasizes "kuuki wo yomu" or reading the air, requiring foreigners to intuitively grasp unwritten rules, implicit intentions, and subtle communication to integrate effectively.
Foreigners face significant initial hurdles in Japan, such as difficulty opening bank accounts at major institutions and renting apartments without local guarantors, stemming from perceived lack of social credit.
Japan's immigration policies under recent leadership prioritize super-rich investors, highly skilled professionals, and low-wage laborers, while tensions with China have tightened rules for others.
The speaker prefers Thailand over Japan for long-term living and maintains a home base in Singapore but avoids full relocation there for personal reasons.
Despite challenges, Japan offers strong welfare benefits to long-term foreign taxpayers similar to locals, and foreigners can buy property unlike in some Asian countries.

IDEAS

Japan's English proficiency is lower than many expect, with even school-taught education failing to overcome cultural shyness in conversations, making daily interactions tougher than in Thailand.
Social harmony in Japan relies on "kuuki wo yomu," an unspoken skill to detect atmosphere and adjust behavior, which foreigners often struggle with, leading to isolation.
Popular anime like Pokemon and Demon Slayer create a romanticized "bubble" of Japan that ignores the grind of long-term residency, turning dreams into disillusionment.
Bank accounts for new foreign arrivals are restricted to regional institutions due to fears of short stays, contrasting with seamless processes in places like the UK.
Apartment rentals demand a Japanese guarantor to mitigate landlord risks from lease defaults, a barrier not as prevalent in other developed nations.
Immigration favors economic contributors: the wealthy for job creation, elites for taxes, and manual workers for undesirable roles, sidelining average skilled migrants.
Recent political shifts under Prime Minister Sana Takahi have hardened policies amid Japan-China tensions, complicating paths for many non-elite foreigners.
The weak yen makes short visits appealing for enjoying Japan's services without commitment, allowing nomads like the speaker to visit biannually without residency hassles.
Cultural vagueness in communication, where "yes" might not mean agreement and direct "no" is avoided, extends even to personal relationships, frustrating straightforward foreigners.
Family ties, like the speaker's aunt's marriage to a Japanese man in the 1990s, provide insider perspectives but don't eliminate systemic barriers for outsiders.

INSIGHTS

Romanticized media portrayals of Japan mask a conformity-driven society where social intuition trumps explicit rules, alienating those unaccustomed to indirectness.
Practical barriers like banking and housing reflect deeper Japanese caution toward transients, prioritizing stability over inclusivity in a homogeneous culture.
Immigration selectivity underscores Japan's demographic crisis response, valuing fiscal utility over diversity, which limits opportunities for mid-tier global talent.
Language mastery alone insufficiently bridges cultural gaps; true integration demands adapting to emotional undercurrents that define interpersonal dynamics.
Short-term tourism exploits economic perks like cheap currency, but long-term living exposes rigid structures that favor locals and elite outsiders.
Global nomadism thrives on flexibility, making rule-bound environments like Japan less viable than adaptable ones like Thailand or Singapore.

QUOTES

"Japan is never a suitable place for most foreigners to live long-term."
"Traveling to Japan and living in Japan for a long term are two completely different things."
"You have to try understanding the deep meaning of what a Japanese person is saying or doing. Yes doesn't always mean yes under their context."
"They don't want to open an account for you now and then have to close it after you leave. Too troublesome for them."
"Right now, Japan only welcomes three types of immigrants: the super rich people to invest and create jobs, the scholars or highly skilled talents who pay the highest taxes, and the cheap laborers to fulfill the jobs that Japanese people are not willing to do."

HABITS

Traveling to Japan once or twice a year with family since childhood, staying for a full month each time to immerse in culture.
Maintaining fluent Japanese through repeated visits and family connections, enabling seamless navigation without language issues.
Staying with relatives like cousins, uncles, and aunts during trips to gain authentic local insights.
Basing home in Singapore while frequently visiting parents, balancing nomadism with family support.
Opting for short stays via a 5-year tourist visa, limiting to two months annually to enjoy benefits without long-term commitments.

FACTS

Japanese people study English from elementary to high school but remain shy about speaking it due to fear of mistakes.
Foreigners need JLPT certification for jobs, university admissions, or language schools in Japan.
Major banks like Mitsui and Mitsubishi typically refuse new foreign arrivals; regional banks are required instead.
Apartment leases in Japan often last two years, with landlords avoiding foreigners without guarantors to prevent legal hassles.
Japan permits foreigners to buy land and properties, unlike restrictive policies in Thailand.
Recent immigration changes under Prime Minister Sana Takahi have increased scrutiny amid Japan-China political tensions.

REFERENCES

Anime and media: Pokemon, Dragon Ball, Digimon, Gundam, Ultra Man, Naruto, One Piece, Demon Slayer.
Cultural concepts: "Kuuki wo yomu" (reading the air) and "Ima" (vagueness).
Personal connections: Aunt's marriage to a Japanese husband in the 1990s; friends studying and working in Japan for over 10 years.
Vehicles and experiences: Onsen with Mount Fuji view, Nissan GTR, Toyota Supra.
Policies: JLPT exams, immigration under Sana Takahi; comparisons to Thailand, Singapore, London banking.

HOW TO APPLY

Assess your tolerance for indirect communication by practicing "kuuki wo yomu" in low-stakes social settings, observing unspoken cues before responding.
Prepare for banking by researching regional Japanese banks and gathering residence documents early, avoiding major institutions until established.
Secure a local guarantor for rentals through networks like employers or friends, or explore foreigner-friendly agencies to bypass traditional barriers.
Study JLPT levels intensively if job-hunting, focusing on practical fluency beyond certification for workplace integration.
Evaluate immigration fit by categorizing your skills—investor, talent, or labor—and monitor policy updates via official Japanese government sites amid geopolitical shifts.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Japan captivates as a visitor's paradise but repels long-term foreign residents with rigid social and bureaucratic demands.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Master Japanese nuances like indirectness before committing, to avoid isolation in a harmony-obsessed society.
Prioritize short-term visits over relocation, leveraging weak yen for cultural immersion without daily struggles.
Build local networks early for guarantors and insights, easing entry into housing and banking systems.
Target Japan's immigration tiers strategically: invest if wealthy, upskill for elite visas, or niche for labor needs.
Compare destinations like Thailand for flexibility, ensuring cultural and practical alignment with your nomad lifestyle.

MEMO

In the shimmering glow of Tokyo's neon lights and the serene steam of an onsen, Japan beckons with an irresistible allure—polite service, iconic anime worlds, and precision-engineered dreams. Yet for Kyn, a globe-trotting stock trader who has crisscrossed the archipelago since childhood, this fantasy crumbles under the weight of reality. Fluent in Japanese and armed with family ties forged in the 1990s, Kyn warns that long-term living here is a mirage for most foreigners. "Traveling to Japan and living in Japan for a long term are two completely different things," he says, shattering the bubble inflated by Pokemon marathons and Mount Fuji vistas.

The heart of Japan's challenge lies in its unspoken code: "kuuki wo yomu," or reading the air. This intuitive dance of sensing atmospheres, decoding implicit intentions, and navigating vagueness defines social life. Yeses that aren't yeses, nos veiled in politeness—these cultural subtleties demand mastery beyond language. Kyn, who prefers Thailand's straightforward warmth, notes how even dating a Japanese partner involves this eternal ambiguity. English, despite years of schooling, remains a whisper; shyness silences what textbooks instill, creating barriers thicker than any city's fog.

Practical hurdles compound the cultural ones. New arrivals find bank doors at giants like Mitsubishi slammed shut, funneled instead to regional outposts wary of "social credit." Renting demands a local guarantor, a shield against lease-breaking transients, turning apartment hunts into ordeals. Kyn recalls London's ease—HSBC accounts opened on day one—versus Japan's caution rooted in fear of abandonment. Immigration, reshaped by Prime Minister Sana Takahi amid China tensions, welcomes only the elite: tycoons sparking jobs, tax-paying scholars, or grunt workers filling thankless roles. Average aspirants? Left in the cold.

Yet Japan isn't without its draws for the committed. Foreigners can own land, unlike in Thailand, and tap welfare akin to citizens after years of taxes. Kyn savors biannual escapes on his five-year tourist visa, basking in cheap-yen luxuries without the grind. For digital nomads like him, rooted in Singapore's supportive embrace but unbound by it, Japan shines brightest as a periodic thrill. His verdict: If the rules resonate, dive in. For the rest, the dream stays just that—a vivid, visiting reverie.