9 ms·

We'd love to but the immigration policies are very unfriendly.

dopidopHN 3y ago
If you are from the US: tit for tats :) I’m joking, none of that is the individual faults.
0max 3y ago
Would really love to see the LDP decide to open up immigration for folks from ASEAN member states. The JICA's infra projects in the region are a strong soft power play, and are getting delivered faster than anything funded by the Belt and Road initiative (or at least when I look at the different projects in Metro Manila, they are).
- prottog 3y ago
  I would certainly prefer to drive on a JICA-built bridge than a OBOR one.
- galaxytachyon 3y ago
  Not sure how true it is but an Asian friend told me the race that an Asian hates the most is another Asian... Looking at the immigration policies of China and Japan, I think he might be right.
  - jutrewag 3y ago
    Yeah but all that can change in the span of a generation. The old die and things change quickly.
    - red-iron-pine 3y ago
      It can -- maybe. So far don't see that happening.
  - 0max 3y ago
    On the flip side, you have subreddits like 2asean4you where nationalist rhetoric is acknowledged and lampooned in their memes. There's also so much shared between cultures in the region, like how kakigori evolved into Halo Halo in Manila or how Takoyaki is popular all over the Philippines. Most of the names of our popular foods have names rooted in Hokkien/Southern Min.
- midoridensha 3y ago
  I've met a bunch of Chinese people here, some of whom are naturalized Japanese. How much more open do you think it needs to get, open borders?
rippercushions 3y ago
If you can secure a job in Japan (admittedly a big if), they're far more friendly than, say, the US.
- onepointsixC 3y ago
  Not in how you're going to be treated. During Covid permanent residents were kept out because they're foreigners while citizens were able to travel to Japan[1]. Anyone who expects a western immigrant experience in Japan would be sorely mistaken. [1]: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/19/national/social-issues/japan-foreign-residents-stranded-abroad-coronavirus/ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/19/national/social...
nibbleshifter 3y ago
A while back I looked at how I would score on their "points based" immigration calculator thing. It wasn't good at all. I suspect they will have to have a strong rethink of their immigration policies in the next 10-20 years.
- ng12 3y ago
  It's very intentional. Japan is largely homogenous and there's a lot of support for keeping it that way.
  - jutrewag 3y ago
    Until they homogenous their way to a country that doesn’t breed and has 75% of the population above 60.
    - bradlys 3y ago
      I’m pretty sure they’re more okay with that than letting immigrants in. The Japanese have no interest in bringing different looking people into the country.
      - jutrewag 3y ago
        I’m sure they are but will that sentiment persist when threatened with extinction/forced breeding programs.
- franciscop 3y ago
  There's many ways to immigrate to Japan, and the point system is one of the hardest because it gives you direct access to Permanent Residency (incidentally I will apply next year to it) instead of the temporary Work Visa. As far as you have a degree and a job offer from a Japanese company (both should be related) it's trivial to fill the paperwork to come here. Engineers in particular have it pretty easy, with many Engineering jobs not even requiring you to speak Japanese. But that's the trick, it's "okay" to come to Japan with a work permit, which allows you to work and pay your taxes but you have to be actively working with those, unless you have switched to PR (which IS a lot harder), or get out of the country. This has been criticized a lot, Japan is very friendly for young professional workers, but will never treat you as one of their own and once there's a sign of trouble you are on your own.
rtpg 3y ago
Do you have a college degree or 10 years professional experience? Congratulations, after finding a job you can move here. And on top of that your visa is not tied to your employer so there’s no visa risk if you find a better job on the spot ([0]) There’s some immigration stuff that’s tougher, but based off everything I’ve heard from dealing with Anglo countries or the EU, most people on this website would have zero problems dealing with immigration. [0] technically the high skilled professional visa is employer-associated but people doing these jobs can easily pay to navigate the subtleties in any job change
- jutrewag 3y ago
  Can you become a citizen? Because most people aren’t interested in some perpetual limbo.
  - rtpg 3y ago
    Yes, “easily” based on what people who do it say. But getting citizenship requires [0] renouncing other citizenships. There’s a permanent resident status which is I think is closest to a green card. You can’t vote but you don’t have to work or otherwise justify your existence. You can temporarily leave the country for several years if you intend to return (apparently this is pretty loose so “several” = 10) There was a window during COVID where permanent residents were stuck outside the country. It was a couple of months, and I’m hopeful future incidents would be more humane… but citizens were not stranded. [0] there is some pedantry on “requires”.
    - bradlys 3y ago
      The answer is no. No, it isn’t easy and no you will not get citizenship. Japan is notoriously difficult (impossible) to become a real citizen in.
      - karaokeyoga 3y ago
        I've lived in Japan since 2009. In my opinion, most foreign residents who want to stay here long-term are interested only in permanent residence, and not citizenship. Reason being they don't want to give up their existing non-Japanese citizenship (which is technically a requirement for citizenship in Japan).

If you are from the US: tit for tats :) I’m joking, none of that is the individual faults.

0max 3y ago

Would really love to see the LDP decide to open up immigration for folks from ASEAN member states. The JICA's infra projects in the region are a strong soft power play, and are getting delivered faster than anything funded by the Belt and Road initiative (or at least when I look at the different projects in Metro Manila, they are).

prottog 3y ago
I would certainly prefer to drive on a JICA-built bridge than a OBOR one.
galaxytachyon 3y ago
Not sure how true it is but an Asian friend told me the race that an Asian hates the most is another Asian... Looking at the immigration policies of China and Japan, I think he might be right.
- jutrewag 3y ago
  Yeah but all that can change in the span of a generation. The old die and things change quickly.
  - red-iron-pine 3y ago
    It can -- maybe. So far don't see that happening.
- 0max 3y ago
  On the flip side, you have subreddits like 2asean4you where nationalist rhetoric is acknowledged and lampooned in their memes. There's also so much shared between cultures in the region, like how kakigori evolved into Halo Halo in Manila or how Takoyaki is popular all over the Philippines. Most of the names of our popular foods have names rooted in Hokkien/Southern Min.
midoridensha 3y ago
I've met a bunch of Chinese people here, some of whom are naturalized Japanese. How much more open do you think it needs to get, open borders?

rippercushions 3y ago

If you can secure a job in Japan (admittedly a big if), they're far more friendly than, say, the US.

onepointsixC 3y ago
Not in how you're going to be treated. During Covid permanent residents were kept out because they're foreigners while citizens were able to travel to Japan[1]. Anyone who expects a western immigrant experience in Japan would be sorely mistaken. [1]: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/19/national/social-issues/japan-foreign-residents-stranded-abroad-coronavirus/ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/19/national/social...

nibbleshifter 3y ago

A while back I looked at how I would score on their "points based" immigration calculator thing. It wasn't good at all. I suspect they will have to have a strong rethink of their immigration policies in the next 10-20 years.

ng12 3y ago
It's very intentional. Japan is largely homogenous and there's a lot of support for keeping it that way.
- jutrewag 3y ago
  Until they homogenous their way to a country that doesn’t breed and has 75% of the population above 60.
  - bradlys 3y ago
    I’m pretty sure they’re more okay with that than letting immigrants in. The Japanese have no interest in bringing different looking people into the country.
    - jutrewag 3y ago
      I’m sure they are but will that sentiment persist when threatened with extinction/forced breeding programs.
franciscop 3y ago
There's many ways to immigrate to Japan, and the point system is one of the hardest because it gives you direct access to Permanent Residency (incidentally I will apply next year to it) instead of the temporary Work Visa. As far as you have a degree and a job offer from a Japanese company (both should be related) it's trivial to fill the paperwork to come here. Engineers in particular have it pretty easy, with many Engineering jobs not even requiring you to speak Japanese. But that's the trick, it's "okay" to come to Japan with a work permit, which allows you to work and pay your taxes but you have to be actively working with those, unless you have switched to PR (which IS a lot harder), or get out of the country. This has been criticized a lot, Japan is very friendly for young professional workers, but will never treat you as one of their own and once there's a sign of trouble you are on your own.

rtpg 3y ago

Do you have a college degree or 10 years professional experience? Congratulations, after finding a job you can move here. And on top of that your visa is not tied to your employer so there’s no visa risk if you find a better job on the spot ([0]) There’s some immigration stuff that’s tougher, but based off everything I’ve heard from dealing with Anglo countries or the EU, most people on this website would have zero problems dealing with immigration. [0] technically the high skilled professional visa is employer-associated but people doing these jobs can easily pay to navigate the subtleties in any job change

jutrewag 3y ago
Can you become a citizen? Because most people aren’t interested in some perpetual limbo.
- rtpg 3y ago
  Yes, “easily” based on what people who do it say. But getting citizenship requires [0] renouncing other citizenships. There’s a permanent resident status which is I think is closest to a green card. You can’t vote but you don’t have to work or otherwise justify your existence. You can temporarily leave the country for several years if you intend to return (apparently this is pretty loose so “several” = 10) There was a window during COVID where permanent residents were stuck outside the country. It was a couple of months, and I’m hopeful future incidents would be more humane… but citizens were not stranded. [0] there is some pedantry on “requires”.
  - bradlys 3y ago
    The answer is no. No, it isn’t easy and no you will not get citizenship. Japan is notoriously difficult (impossible) to become a real citizen in.
    - karaokeyoga 3y ago
      I've lived in Japan since 2009. In my opinion, most foreign residents who want to stay here long-term are interested only in permanent residence, and not citizenship. Reason being they don't want to give up their existing non-Japanese citizenship (which is technically a requirement for citizenship in Japan).