Job Discussion Forums

[FAQ]

Part 2, FAQ about Teaching in Japan

Table of Contents (continued from Part 1)
(revised 4 February 2007)

21. Is it easier to get a job if you go to Japan, or by applying from my home country?
22. When is the best time to look for a teaching job?
23. What should I bring to Japan?
24. Will my DVDs and video tapes work on Japanese equipment?
25. Should I bring a computer to Japan, or buy one there?
26. How is life for a vegetarian in Japan?
27. Do Asians have problems finding teaching jobs in Japan?
28. How can I send money home?
29. What is the situation about paying taxes in my home country when I work in Japan?
30.What do things cost in Japan and what can I expect to spend on food, entertainment, rent etc in each area of the country?
31. What insurance do I need, what are the different kinds? Am I getting the right insurance from my employer?
32. Are there any language schools that should be avoided?
33. Are there unions in Japan that can help me with employer-related problems?
34. Where can I find out all the rules and regulations on visa and immigration?
35. Where can I get a copy of the Labour Laws in Japan?
36. Where can I find out more about the pension system in Japan, and the bulk pension refund?



21. Is it easier to get a job if you go to Japan first, or by applying from within my home country?
Obviously, if you are in Japan, you will have the opportunity to interview with more places (most require this), scout out the territory, make contacts, and learn something about the country before making a decision. So, in a broad sense, yes, it is easier to get a job if you are in Japan.

However, some employers do not hire from within Japan. NOVA, AEON, GEOS, ECC, the JET program, Language House, James English School and Westgate Corporation recruit teachers overseas. (Recently, JET has allowed applications from within Japan, but the interview process is still required in your home country.) Getting hired from your home country is still not as simple as it may sound. You will have to travel to the interview site, which may be quite a distance from where you live, and pay for the travel and lodging yourself. Sometimes such interviews last 2-3 days. The JET Program hiring process takes months (from the December deadline for applications to the July/August date that all successful applicants fly together to Japan). Look at each employer’s web site for details.

AEON
JET program
GEOS
NOVA
ECC
Westgate

If you decide to come to Japan for job hunting, you will have to deal with housing first. Most of the time, you will be unable to get an apartment because you don’t have a guarantor (usually an employer), and even if you find a place that doesn’t require a guarantor, you will face other obstacles. The first is “key money”, which is a largely non-refundable payment to the landlord and/or real estate agent just to let you move in. It amounts to 2-5 times what a single month’s rent would be. You may pay an agents fee, one months 'gift money' to the landlord and two months deposit. Some places charge a maintenance fee or a deposit fee for any damages.

Beginning the second month, you have to maintain your regular rental fees. Secondly, some places that waive the guarantor requirement (for example Leo Palace21 will ask you to pay for your entire stay up front, whether it’s a month or a year.

Coming to Japan for work will also entail other expenses, knowing a bit of Japanese (written and spoken) to survive, traveling to interviews (sometimes a costly venture itself, and sometimes confusing, as mentioned in the question about interviews), using the Internet to locate job openings (more money spent), and just general living costs (which are higher than in most countries).

You may even have to leave the country to process your work visa. The trend recently has been against this, but you never know what employer or immigration official will ask of you. Many people fly to Korea for this because it’s the closest country to Japan, and that entails more money out of your pocket, no matter where you go.

22. When is the best time to look for a teaching job?
That depends on what kind of job you are looking for. Eikaiwas hire just about any time of year. (Looking in November or December is not a good idea because of the impending New Year holiday. Golden Week in spring, and Obon in August are also unlikely times for many eikaiwas because they are closed.) February-March is considered ideal for joabs starting in April.

For places like high schools, elementary schools, kindergartens, high schools and universities, the school year begins in April. The largest number of advertisements appears in March, but this is often because exiting teachers give notice so late. Many high schools, colleges, and universities post ads 6 to 12 months in advance of the start date.

23. What should I bring to Japan?
If you plan to live in cooler regions, obviously you should bring warmer clothes. Summers in the areas from Tokyo on down are very hot and humid (up to 70F degrees in the summer or 35C), so appropriate cooler clothing is advisable, plus antiperspirant (because there just isn’t any good stuff in Japan). If you are someone with unusual size clothing, plan ahead and bring more than the usual person. This includes shoes (men’s sizes over 27 cm, women’s sizes over 24 cm).

Money. Even if you come here with a job in hand, you will need money for several reasons. First, your paycheck may not arrive for several weeks after you arrive. Second, depending on the type of housing arrangement you have, you may need to put up a large deposit. Third, emergencies happen. Fourth, if you arrive on a tourist visa, you might be asked to fly out of the country to have your work visa processed (see question on visas, above). How much money should you bring? Probably about 480,000 to 600,000 yen just to be safe. If you can bring this in travelers’ cheques, in Japanese yen, you will have the safest stash of cash.

Prescription medication is a tricky subject. You might be limited in how much you can bring, but customs officials are not always that nosy. Whatever you decide to bring, it would be a good idea to carry some paperwork from your doctor as well. And, always keep these medicines in their original containers to avoid suspicion.

General over-the-counter medication. Japan’s drugstores have some things, and the variety is growing, but you may find the potency different and the prices too high. Be careful about certain cold medicines because some ingredients are prohibited by law.

Eyeglasses and contact lenses. It would be a good idea to bring a spare pair of glasses. Japan still seems to use hard contact lenses a lot, so whatever supplies you need for soft ones should probably be packed with you.

Vitamins. Japan does sell these, but it may be difficult to find multi-vitamins, especially those mixed with multi-mineral supplements.

Other items that seem logical but may be neglected include address book, recipes, photos of friends & family (not just to keep you company, but to show to students), international driver’s license (if you plan to drive, this is required, but it is valid for only a year), power converters and electrical outlet adaptors (if necessary), documentation for your visa (if you plan to arrive on a tourist visa, that is), and perhaps a gift or two for the office (cookies will do just fine, and they will be even better if they are individually wrapped). Some people claim that there is no fluoride in Japanese toothpaste, but this is not true. Some people prefer to bring their own spices as well, but they soon find that Japan has nearly everything they need. If you have certain food tastes, you can even order them through the Foreign Buyers Club or Tengu Natural Foods.

Tengu

Foreign Buyers Club

Other links for tips on what to bring and what not to bring are shown below.

Japan FAQs
ELTNews
Packing List

24. Will my DVDs and video tapes work on Japanese equipment?

That depends on where you are from and what kind of system you are using. Videos copied in the USA and Canada will work on Japan video cassette players. Read the links below to see if your system is compatible or not.

(video tapes)
[/url]http://www.tvcentury21.com/collectables/ga-videos.html]TVCentury21 [/url]

(DVDs)
DVDFaQs
Tech Tips
E-repair
The Japan FAQs


25. Should I bring a computer to Japan, or buy one there?
First of all, don’t even consider shipping a desk top model computer. You risk damage to its vital components, and your apartment is likely to be too small to use it comfortably anyway.

That limits you to laptops. You can get computers with English operating systems in Japan, but it will cost you a little more, and you may have problems getting an English operator’s manual. What’s more, the warranty is not valid outside Japan. You may even find issues with the Japanese keyboard. And, unless you can discuss details of computer lingo with a Japanese salesperson (in either language), you may find it difficult to get answers to your questions.

Some people purport the use of a split drive system (using Partition Magic software) that allows you to switch from English mode to Japanese mode, but it is not without its problems.

Gaijin Pot

You shouldn’t have to worry about bringing your laptop to Japan. They usually have power converters inside (check with your dealer or manufacturer just to be safe). Of course, buying Japanese CD-ROMs will be somewhat of a problem if you plan to use them on your English OS.

26. How is life for a vegetarian in Japan?
How strict a vegetarian are you? Some eat eggs, dairy products, and fish. Some don’t eat any of those.

Japan is a fishing-based culture, so you will find many of its dishes contain a fish stock (dashi). Various soups, especially ramen, are prepared from pork or beef stock, too. Some restaurant staff don’t consider the source of the broth to be important, and if you ask them if the dish has meat or fish in it, they may say no, thinking you have to see chunks of it in order to qualify. Japan is also a soy-based culture, so you will find a huge assortment of tofu, and noodles are also very popular here (Italian pasta as well as Asian noodles of many varieties).

The larger cities have Indian restaurants, but you may still have to verify certain ingredients. Larger cities will also have access to stores that sell beans, but you can also order them through the Foreign Buyers’ Club and Tengu Natural Foods.

Tengu

Foreign Buyers Club

Other links on vegetarianism and vegetarian cooking in Japan are shown below.

Japan Times article
Vegsource
VegieTokyo
Bento
Kitchen Recipes
Vegetabe table

27. Do Asian Americans have problems finding teaching jobs in Japan?
Yes. Many Japanese employers and students still find it hard to accept the fact that an American person of Asian heritage can speak perfect or native English, let alone teach it. Non-native English speakers with Asian backgrounds face an even larger hurdle getting accepted for jobs as they are not considered native speakers. So, you may find some discrimination in your job hunting depending on your nationality. The most important things to remember if you are a native speaker of English but "Asian" are as follows:

A. Emphasize your native English speaking ability
B. Emphasize your years of education from an English environment
C. Point out any teaching experience, particularly in English classes
D. Don’t become upset. This will only antagonize your potential employer. Besides, there are many more openings in Japan.
E. Persist in the job hunt.
F. Be as professional as possible at all times.

28. How can I send money home?
Basically, there are 3 ways: wire transfer through a bank, postal transfer, or a special remittance service.

Bank wire transfers are fast, but they are also the most expensive route. You can send any amount, but you will have to pay 5000 yen as a service fee for same day transfers. You should know the exchange rates before you send, of course, and learn what time of day the bank stops using that day’s exchange rate. This money goes directly into the bank of your choice, but you may have to pay an additional charge for your bank to receive it.

Daijob Banking

Telegraphic transfers from the post office are cheaper (around 1000 yen for a certain amount, followed by 500 yen for subsequent amounts). You can even get money sent home in this way in your own currency if you use a money order, but it will be slower and cost about 700 yen for each amount.

Banking

The Japan FAQs


GoLloyds is an international remittance company that charges 2000 yen to send your money by telegraphic transfer from a large number of ATMs in Japan. Registration is free.

Additional links on this subject are shown below.
Living in Fukuoka
Sending money
Postal Banking



29. What is the situation about paying taxes in my home country when I work in Japan?
Obviously, each country has its own set of rules, so you’d be better off checking with a tax authority in your home country. Participants of the JET program have a brief description of the major countries’ tax information available to them.

The JET program

Americans are required to file taxes in the U.S. even if their sole income was earned overseas. However, they are exempt from paying taxes on such income up to $78,000 (2003 figure), provided they meet the residency requirements.

American IRS

Australian taxes.
Australian taxes
Australian Govt
Australian Tax Office

Canadian taxes
Canadian Tax Office

New Zealand taxes
NZ taxes

U.K. taxes
UK taxes

Information on these and other countries may be available at the following web sites, or you can contact your embassy for initial consultation.

Tax Info


30. What do things cost in Japan and what can I expect to spend on food, entertainment, rent etc?


Commodity prices such as rent, food costs, in Japan are generally expensive compared to back home but you will also find average salaries are higher than your home country as well. Retail prices in Tokyo are on par with prices in London or New York,so if you live inthe city expect to pay more but things cheaper in provincial areas.


Here is a government website with recent prices (December 2004) of consumer-related items

Cost of living statistics in Japan

also check prices in Tokyo at

Price Check Tokyo


31. What health insurance do I need, what are the different kinds? Am I getting the right insurance from my employer?



The law currently requires Nova to enroll those working full-time or (approx. 3/4 of a full-timers hours) in the employers health and pension plan. They are breaking the law if they do not enroll you. In fact they are currently under invesitgation for breaking this law. The law does not allow for "choice" e.g between JMA (NOVA) and Social Health Insurance (Shakai Hoken). They must enroll all eligible employees.

Shakai Hoken

For company workers. Required to be enrolled by employer. Premiums are based on ones salary. You pay monthly premiums out of your salary and the employer pays 50% of the premium. When you go to the doctor you pay 30% of the hospital bill.

Kokumin Kenko Hoken (National Health Insurance)

Self- employed, part time and housewives etc join the Kokumin Hoken.Premiums are based on ones salary and are cheap in the first year. You pay monthly premiums out of your income. When you go to the doctor you pay 30% of the hospital bill and you pay monthly premiums at the local ward office

Very rarely, teachers at NOVA will read or hear something about the health/pension ( Shakai Hoken). If they ask Nova for it, Nova will usually, begrudgingly enroll the person but they have at times tried to talk people out of it (because of the cost of premiums each month NOVA must pay, payment of pension premiums etc)


The law states that you must either be on the employees' health/pension fund through their company, or on the National Health/pension fund thru the local ward office. There is no option for people to be on travellers' insurance alone. People are breaking the law if that is what they do.

This has been fine until the past year or so. But now, city offices are becoming more eager to enforce enrollment into Shakai Hoken. There are a growing number of people being presented with bills for up to 2 years of back enrolments. It appears that moves by the government are to increase this kind of enforcement. There can be penalties such as having your permanent residency refused, back enrollment, bank accounts seized, employers contacted. Are these things likely to happen?


Many people choose to break the law though they have a choice of insurance plans (and choose JMA etc) or may just be ignorant of it but as we all know, ignorancy is not a valid defense under law.


English schools face huge insurance probe: Government agency to investigate illegal non-enrollment of teachers in health, pension schemes

By BARRY BROPHY

The Social Insurance Agency is to investigate Japan's largest English-language teaching companies over a suspected failure to enroll their full-time foreign employees in the employees' pension and health insurance schemes.

Japan's largest "eikaiwa" chain, Nova, is already being probed by the Social Insurance Agency and could see itself slapped with a multibillion-yen bill for missed payments.

The agency has been investigating Nova since the end of March and expects to have its results at the end of May or beginning of June.

But Nova is not the only company in the ministry's sights.

"It's not just Nova that has been failing to enroll its employees. There are other large eikaiwa companies that are in a similar situation," says Noboru Sugiyama, deputy director of the Health Insurance Division of the Social Insurance Agency. Sugiyama is heading the Nova probe.

The failure of many companies to register employees in Japan's pension and health schemes is costing the government billions of yen a year in lost payments.

"We have had many requests to clarify and tighten the (pension/health) systems," he says, "and we will launch an investigation of the eikaiwa industry."

Non-enrollment of full-time employees is illegal in Japan, where the Health Insurance Law and Employees' Pension Law stipulate that companies must enroll all workers who have been in Japan for over two months in both the health insurance and pension systems, regardless of nationality.

Under these laws, the burden of payment is split between employer and employee, with each paying half the monthly premium amount.

The General Union in Osaka has estimated conservatively that Nova saves itself at least 1 billion yen annually in premium payments by not enrolling its teachers in the health insurance and pension schemes.

Nova policy demands that all new teachers have insurance before they arrive in Japan.

But foreign teachers who are employed by Nova have not been told in the past that enrollment in the Employees' Insurance System is compulsory and are instead offered private health insurance schemes, one of which -- Japan Medical Assistance -- is a Nova-group company.

The issue was brought to the the agency's attention after the union filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office in Osaka accusing Nova of failing to obey the law.

Nova has admitted that it does not automatically enroll its workers, even though all Nova teachers are employed on a one-year contract basis. Instead it says it lets its instructors join the health and pension schemes "when they wish to."

Nova declined repeated requests for an interview, and a list of questions e-mailed to the company's head office in Osaka last week went unanswered.

Although Sugiyama concedes that the Social Insurance Agency has had problems enforcing participation, a failure to enroll still constitutes a breach of the law.

"In the worst sense it's breaking the law," he says.

"When foreigners come to a country, of course it's a basic rule that they enter that country's social insurance system according to the law."

Under Japanese law, the employer, not the employee, is liable for punishment for failure to enroll or pay premiums.

And Sugiyama says the SIA cannot rule out hitting Nova with a hefty back bill.

"It's not impossible that there will be individual cases involving back payments, though the emphasis will be on what to do from now on."

"If there are people who should have originally enrolled, we will ask them to enroll."

Dennis Tesolat, of the General Union, says that under the law, Nova is obliged to enroll all full-time workers in the two schemes, irrespective of whether employees want it or not.

"It is 100 percent the responsibility of companies to enroll their employees," he says.

The point of lodging the complaint, says Tesolat, is not to see Nova punished in any way, however. "The purpose of this action is not to punish the companies but to make sure that the people who work for these companies are getting adequate health care. It is expensive; it doesn't offer the coverage it should, but it is better than not having it at all."

He also believes that eikaiwa employees may benefit in other ways from the investigation and subsequent enrollment in the system.

"This investigation could result in an increase in wages for teachers, since Nova may have trouble attracting new teachers if they don't raise wages in line with newly imposed premium payments."

Nova has claimed it is difficult to convince its teachers of the merits of joining the health and pension systems because of the short duration of most teachers' stays in Japan.

According to the union, Nova has some 5,000 foreign teachers that it has not enrolled in the health insurance and pension schemes. The union also estimates that some 4,500 Nova teachers have JMA insurance.

"Nova's position has been 'We know the teachers are eligible, but it's not necessary to enroll them. Furthermore, teachers don't want to join,' " says Dennis Tesolat. But Tesolat believes this is the inevitable result of a lack of information provided to teachers.

"If teachers get no information about the schemes, then of course they're not going to want to join them," he says.

But Tesolat says teachers he has spoken to have expressed their support for joining the system.

The Justice Ministry estimates that some 90 percent of foreign residents in Japan stay for three years or less. For eikaiwa teachers, however, that figure rises to between 96 and 97 percent, making it possible for most to get an almost full refund of their pension premiums.

Under Japan's Lump Sum Withdrawal Payment system, foreigners who have been paying into the pension scheme for at least six months and up to three years can get back 90 percent of premiums paid. There is no refund of health insurance payments.

Bob Tench, president of the Nova Union, says that Nova's failure to enroll its teachers while offering JMA insurance is irresponsible.

"This JMA insurance is only designed to 'patch you up and ship you home,' " he says. "JMA is travel insurance and should not be used for everyday health care.

"The government and the teachers are being ripped off," he says.

Moreover, the underwriters of the JMA scheme, Mitsui Sumitomo, have told the General Union that Nova suggested that all its teachers were part of the health and pension systems.

Mitsui Sumitomo also said that no resident of Japan can be offered JMA-type insurance unless already enrolled in the national system.

Additional reporting by Tony McNicol

March 3rd, 2005
NOVA not enrolling foreign instructors on social insurance
(Translation of Asahi Shimbun report on Nova breaking Shakai Hoken Law)

Nova, the major English conversation school, (general headquarters: Osaka) has not been enrolling their foreign instructors on the employees health insurance and pension scheme as required by law, it came to light on the 3rd.† Nova has admitted that there are employees who are not enrolled, but claimed that "foreigners who will go back to their own countries will not receive the pension in the future, therefore the present scheme has some problems," while the Ministry of Health and Welfare says "if this is true, it is a violation of the law which stipulates the obligation to enroll." The Social Insurance Agency is going to conduct an inquiry into this.

The General Union, a trade union that foreign teachers join (Osaka City), held a press conference to disclose the fact at the Osaka Judicial Press Club in Kita-ku, Osaka City on the same day.†The union is considering filing a complaint with the prosecutors' office for violation of the Health Insurance Law and Employees' Pension Law.

http://www.generalunion.org

According to the union, Nova has approximately 5000 foreign teachers it has not enrolled on the health insurance and pension scheme.†While not informing the teachers that enrollment on to the scheme is compulsory at recruitment, they introduce overseas travel insurance by a Nova-group private insurance company, as a substitute for the health insurance.

The Health Insurance Law and Employees' Pension Law stipulate that the company should enroll full-time workers working for more than 2 months on the social insurance, regardless of their nationality.†Foreign teachers at Nova are normally employed on a one-year renewable contract, therefore, "they are eligible for enrollment," the union says.

When they are not enrolled, employees will not be able to receive sufficient compensation when they fall ill, nor receive the pension when they are old.†The Insurance Section of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour points out that "if they are not enrolling those who are eligible, it is a problem."

Nova's publicity officer says that "the present scheme has problems for foreign workers.†It is necessary to design a system that suits the status quo." On the introduction of the private insurance, he described it as "a product suitable to foreigners who are not familiar with Japan, with introduction service for interpreters and medical institutions."

Robert Bisom, an instructor from the U.S. who attended the press conference, said, "if I had a sufficient explanation, I wouldn't have taken out the private policy the company presented.†It is sad that we are not enrolled on (the social insurance)."

32. Are there any language schools that should be avoided?Well, of course. No country is without its share of inscrupulous places. Unfortunately, listing them on any site such as this one usually leads to the thread being deleted because the site gets advertising money from such places, and they often threaten to take it away, or to sue the site when such negative press is posted. So, the best bet is to post the name of a place you feel is suspect, try to read responses soon before they get deleted, and perhaps even ask for a private message or email to be sent to you instead of a public one. Moderators cannot read private messages or your email.

Bear in mind, too, that you will see names of many places lambasted on forums all over the Internet. That may be because the places are truly bad, or because the posters have not adjusted well to circumstances in Japan. Many newcomers have not held a full-time job in their own countries, for example. Many also bring with them a sense of their own country's morals and business ethics, and therefore try to judge a foreign operation based on different rules.

33. Are there unions in Japan that can help me with employer-related problems?
Yes, the two most popular ones are linked below. You don't have to be a member to ask them questions, but you will probably get better responses if you have joined before you run to them for help.

Teachers Union
www.generalunion.org

Union of Foreign Workers (not just teachers)
www.woollerton.c/nugw-top-e-fs.shtml

34. Where can I find out all the rules and regulations on visa and immigration?
Ministry of Justice Immigration Control and Refugee Act
http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/icrr-01.html
Immigration Procedures Guidebook
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/t_main.html#zairyuu
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) visa web site
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html
Working Holiday Visa
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html

35. Where can I get a copy of the Labour Laws in Japan?
http://www.jil.go.jp/english/laborinfo/library/documents/llj_law1-rev.pdf

36. Where can I find out more about the pension system in Japan, and the bulk pension refund?
http://www.jetaasc.org/php/article.php?content=pension
http://www.najapan.com/TAX_Irish-Net%20Nippon-Japanese-Pension-Refund.htm
http://www.sia.go.jp/e/np.html#ls

[PAULH]

http://www.tefl.com/home/col_survey.html?ci_id=44


JPY USD GBP EUR
Accommodation
Furnished 2 bedroom house in good area - monthly rent JPY 200,000 $1,777.46 £1,001.24 €1,475.47
Unfurnished 2 bedroom house in good area - monthly rent JPY 180,000. $1,599.72 £901.12 €1,327.92
Furnished 2 bedroom apartment in good area - monthly rent JPY 140,000 $1,244.22 £700.87 €1,032.83
Unfurnished 2 bedroom apartment in good area - monthly rent JPY 120,000 $1,066.48 £600.75 €885.28
Room in shared apartment in good area - monthly rent JPY 70,000 $622.11 £350.44 €516.41
2/3 star hotel - 1 night stay JPY 5,000 $44.44 £25.03 €36.89

Food and Drink
Milk 1ltr./ 2.11pints JPY 220 $1.96 £1.10 €1.62
Butter 500gr./1.10lbs. JPY 200 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Plain yoghurt 180grams / 6.35oz. JPY 180.00 $1.60 £0.90 €1.33
Cheese 500gr./1.10lbs. JPY 500 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Eggs 12 (large) JPY 300 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Bread (white loaf) 1 kg./2.20lbs. JPY 160.00 $1.42 £0.80 €1.18
Bread Whole (wheat loaf)1 kg./2.20lbs. JPY 180.00 $1.60 £0.90 €1.33
Rice (long grain) 1kg./ 2.20lbs. JPY 5,000 $44.44 £25.03 €36.89
Spaghetti 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 300 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Sugar (white) 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 400 $3.55 £2.00 €2.95
Flour (white) 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 300 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Cornflakes (packet) 375gr./13.23oz. JPY 230.00 $2.04 £1.15 €1.70
Coffee (instant) 125gr./4.41oz. JPY 150 $1.33 £0.75 €1.11
Coffee (ground) 500gr./17.63oz./ JPY 550 $4.89 £2.75 €4.06
Tea bags (pack 25) JPY 150 $1.33 £0.75 €1.11
Coca Cola 1lt./2.11pints JPY 150 $1.33 £0.75 €1.11
Mineral water (still) 1liter ./2.11 pints JPY 150 $1.33 £0.75 €1.11
Mineral water (sparkling) 1lt/2.11pints JPY 200 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Orange juice 1lt./2.11pints JPY 200 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Margarine 500gr./1.10lbs. JPY 300 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Olive oil 1lt./2.11pints JPY 500 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Corn oil 1lt./2.11pints JPY 400 $3.55 £2.00 €2.95
Potatoes 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 600 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Onions 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 700 $6.22 £3.50 €5.16
Tomatoes 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 800 $7.11 £4.00 €5.90
Lettuce 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 300 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Sprouts 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 200 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Spinach 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 300 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Oranges 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 700 $6.22 £3.50 €5.16
Apples 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 700. $6.22 £3.50 €5.16
Bananas 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 500 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Pears 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 700 $6.22 £3.50 €5.16
Grapes 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 1,000 $8.89 £5.01 €7.38
Peas (can) 250gr./8.82oz. JPY 200 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Beans (can) 250gr./8.82oz. JPY 200 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Whole peeled tomatoes (can) 250gr./8.82oz. JPY 80 $0.71 £0.40 €0.59
Peaches (can) 500gr./17.63oz. JPY 200 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Pineapple (can) 500gr./17.63oz. JPY 300 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Fresh beef filet 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 600.00 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Fresh roast beef 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 600 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Fresh minced beef 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 400 $3.55 £2.00 €2.95
Fresh veal 1kg ./2.20lbs. JPY 500 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Fresh lamb on bone 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 600 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Lamb chops 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 600 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Pork chops 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 600 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Pork loin 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 500 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Bacon 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 700 $6.22 £3.50 €5.16
Cooked ham 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 700 $6.22 £3.50 €5.16
Sausages 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 700 $6.22 £3.50 €5.16
Chicken (fresh whole) 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 800 $7.11 £4.00 €5.90
Fresh salmon 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 1,000.00 $8.89 £5.01 €7.38
Fresh cod or similar white fish 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 1,000.00 $8.89 £5.01 €7.38
Shrimps 1kg./2.20lbs. JPY 1,200.00 $10.66 £6.01 €8.85
Table salt 500gr./1.10lbs. JPY 100.00 $0.89 £0.50 €0.74
Black pepper 50gr./1.76oz. JPY 100.00 $0.89 £0.50 €0.74
Frozen pizza 320gr./11.29oz. JPY 320.00 $2.84 £1.60 €2.36
Marmalade/jam 370gr./13.05oz. JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Ice cream 1lt./2.11pints JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Fresh or frozen apple pie 500gr./1.10lbs. JPY 400.00 $3.55 £2.00 €2.95
Ketchup 340gr./12oz. JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Milk chocolate (bar) 100gr./3.52oz. JPY 90.00 $0.80 £0.45 €0.66
Biscuits (plain) 200gr./7.05oz. JPY 100.00 $0.89 £0.50 €0.74
Beer (local, can) 0.33lt./11.15oz. JPY 200.00 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Beer (imported, can)0.33lt./11.15oz. JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Table wine 0.75lt./1.58pints JPY 1,300.00 $11.55 £6.51 €9.59
Fine wine 0.75lt./1.58pints JPY 2,000.00 $17.77 £10.01 €14.75
Scotch whisky 0.75lt./1.58pints JPY 2,500.00 $22.22 £12.52 €18.44
Gin 0.75lt./1.58pints JPY 2,500.00 $22.22 £12.52 €18.44
Cognac 0.75lt./1.58pints JPY 3,000.00 $26.66 £15.02 €22.13
Cigarettes (20 pack, imported) JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Pipe tobacco 50gr./1.76oz. JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21

Household
Laundry detergent 2.5kg./5.51lbs. JPY 600.00 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Dishwashing liquid 500ml./1.58pints JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Furniture polish 330gr./11.64oz. JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Insect killer spray 330gr./11.64oz. JPY 340.00 $3.02 £1.70 €2.51
Shower gel 250ml./8.45oz. JPY 400.00 $3.55 £2.00 €2.95
Soap (bar)150gr./5.29oz. JPY 100.00 $0.89 £0.50 €0.74
Toothpaste 120gr./4.24oz. JPY 200.00 $1.78 £1.00 €1.48
Shampoo 200 ml./6.76oz. JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Deodorant 50ml./1.69oz. JPY 350.00 $3.11 £1.75 €2.58
Razors/blades (5 pack) JPY 250.00 $2.22 £1.25 €1.84
Aspirin (100 tablets) JPY 300.00 $2.67 £1.50 €2.21
Antibiotics (12) JPY 500.00 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Face cream JPY 500.00 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Men's shampoo & haircut JPY 2,000.00 $17.77 £10.01 €14.75
Women's shampoo & haircut JPY 3,000.00 $26.66 £15.02 €22.13

Utilities
Telephone line (monthly rental) JPY 8,000.00 $71.10 £40.05 €59.02
Purchase of low cost Mobile/cell phone JPY 1,000.00 $8.89 £5.01 €7.38
3 minute telephone call - home phone JPY 100.00 $0.89 £0.50 €0.74
3 minute telephone call - mobile/cell phone JPY 210.00 $1.87 £1.05 €1.55
Monthly energy costs apartment (100sq.m./1076sq.ft.) JPY 15,000.00 $133.31 £75.09 €110.66

Eating Out, Entertainment & Health
Three-course dinner in restaurant JPY 8,000.00 $71.10 £40.05 €59.02
Fast-food meal JPY 800.00 $7.11 £4.00 €5.90
Cup of coffee in bar/cafe JPY 500.00 $4.44 £2.50 €3.69
Beer in bar JPY 600.00 $5.33 £3.00 €4.43
Taxi rate per km./0.62 miles JPY 250.00 $2.22 £1.25 €1.84
City centre bus fare (3km./1.86miles) JPY 250.00 $2.22 £1.25 €1.84
Car hire (up to 1800cc) daily JPY 4,000.00 $35.55 £20.02 €29.51
Fitness club annual fee JPY 50,000.00 $444.37 £250.31 €368.87
Web cafe (30 mins.) JPY 250.00 $2.22 £1.25 €1.84
Private doctor GP (30 mins) JPY 10,000.00 $88.87 £50.06 €73.77

Clothing
Women's shoes JPY 8,000.00 $71.10 £40.05 €59.02
Men's shoes JPY 5,000 $44.44 £25.03 €36.89
Pair of jeans JPY 10,000 $88.87 £50.06 €73.77
Men's suit JPY 15,000 $133.31 £75.09 €110.66
Women's suit JPY 20,000 $177.75 £100.12 €147.55
Men's shirt JPY 3,000 $26.66 £15.02 €22.13
Women's dress JPY 6,000 $53.32 £30.04 €44.26

Data provided by Mr. Christopher John Rhodes, Tokyo, Japan. October, 2005.

[PAULH]

here is a copy of the Japanese Labor Law. All employees, foreign and Japanese are covered under the Labor laws in the event of a labor dispute.

http://info.pref.fukui.jp/kokusai/tagengo/html_e/konnatoki/3sigoto/e_hourei/roudou.html

[Doglover]

Some more job-search lists

EFL, ESL and Other Teaching Jobs in Japan at www.jobsinjapan.com
Information for those seeking university positions (not a job list) at http://www.debito.org/univquestions.html
ELT News at http://www.eltnews.com/jobsinjapan.shtml
JALT Jobs and Career Enhancement links at http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/jobs/
Teaching English in Japan: A Guide to Getting a Job at http://www.wizweb.com/~susan/japan/
ESL Cafe's Job Center at http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/jobcenter.html
Ohayo Sensei at http://www.ohayosensei.com/
NACSIS (National Center for Science Information Systems' Japanese site) career information at http://jrecin.jst.go.jp
The Digital Education Information Network Job Centre at <http://www.edufind.com/index.cfm
EFL in Asia at http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/7947/eflasia.htm
Jobs in Japan at http://www.englishresource.com/index.html
Job information at http://www.ESLworldwide.com
Hokkaido Insider at http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hokkaido/kenhartmann/
World English Jobs at http://www.englishjobmaze.com

[prof]

Make sure you google these to be up to date.

Some are old news.

[Like a Rolling Stone]

[alexcase]

It seems more and more people from the Phillipines are being taken on as ALTS, not sure what their experiences are once they start though- how the other teachers and students take it etc.

TEFLtastic blog- "All the truth that's fit to teach"
www.tefl.net/alexcase

[mikeman400]

Correction to the FAQ

23. What should I bring to Japan?
If you plan to live in cooler regions, obviously you should bring warmer clothes. Summers in the areas from Tokyo on down are very hot and humid (up to 70F degrees in the summer or 35C),


35C is about 95F

[mrbbkk]

I lived there for 14 years and worked there for 13 years between 1988 and 2004

Most apartments have to be paid for 6 months in advance with one month or more being a refundable security deposit and another month being non-refundable key money. The apartment often will have no heater or air-conditioner or furniture.

A similar Gaijin House where you only have to pay 2 or 3 months rent will be smaller and more expensive and are more suitable to those who don't mind the noise or lack of privacy. This is usually more suitable for young , single, male teachers.

You may have to make a trip back to your home country to change from a tourist to a work visa. A job from the outside with a visa will usually have a low salary, but it is a good place for many to start.

I recommend not going with less than 10,000 dollars and I think 15,000 to 20,000 dollars in cash is better. You can easily spend 200,000 to 300,000 a month there without splurging.

Do not go there with only 2000 or 3000 dollars. You will not have enough money to get an apartment or furniture or air-conditioners or heaters and almost every thing is expensive there.

You can easily spend 100,000 yen just on food and transportation is not cheap before you get a job. You can easily spend 20 to 50 dollars a day on transportation while interviewing and that is if you don't need a taxi.

You can easily spend 100 to 200 dollars a day in Japan and sometimes more.

Network and get introductions before you go if possible.

[seklarwia]

mrbbkk:

Some of the costs your quoting are far too high.

[mrbbkk]

I think you make good points

I would rather have too much moneyy than not enough

For some, $5000 may be enough but I have spent that much on one day outpatient surgery 20 years ago.

If Japan is no longer making people do this, it is great. I had to go to Korea once and back to the US once to change my visa to a work visa. They are not stupid over there just slow to make necessary changes.

Alts are Okay but I think teaching 3 hours at a junior college 4 or 5 days a week is a better gig than being an alt and allows you to teach privates in the afternoon.

The recycle center or buying things from rich expats moving to another country are good options

Maybe you eat less than i but when I spend 300 to 500 yen at a restaurant in Tokyo I am still hungry. Some universities or colleges do have cheap cafeterias.

But to answer your question, I have spent 5000 to 10,000 per person at restaurants like TGIF or as much if I am drinking with frineds for 3 or 4 hours.

Usually I had a teiki( train pass) from my company but interviewing in locations all over Tokyo can get expensive.

I think 1500 a day is a lot, and I could easily spend that on food too and easily spend 10,000 a day on a hotel room.

People need to find cheap accommodation very quickly.

Ned not cost 20 a day is true but if i am interviewing at two universities in Chiba,and one in Saitama or one in Yokohama, I could spend over 2 in a day. Further more i might need to take a taxi after I get off the train as the bus is difficult for a non-Japanese speaking newbee.

Anyway I agree more or less with all you say but I would feel much safer with 10,000 than 5000 as one can easily spend 5000 in a month on living expenses and an an apartment, furniture and a visa trip. If you bring 5000, you better have help right away not to overspend on anything.

If you can change your type of visa without leaving Tokyo then this will save money but even if you have to go to Korea it could cost 1000 easily.

There are always medical emergencies too. I never plan on murphy not to show his ugly head.

I think $5000 is more of a minimum amount than a comfortable amount.
But it is not an impossible amount for some.

I'd feel much more relaxed with the extra $5000 or $10,000 and I could take longer to get a better job than just commit to something quickly cause my funds are disappearing.

Some may opt to go with 5000 and some may opt for 10,000 but I would rather have too much than not enough in any country. I think 5000 is fine if you have a visa card to back you up.

I bought a condo and a BMW in Tokyo so I might spend more than a lot of teachers. Money is such a relative thing. I have spend 10K to 30k in a restaurant for three many many times and even spent 500 to 1000 drinking with three or four a few times. I bought new furniture and a new car but some can just spend a little every day. My condo has three air-conditioners and I also had a humidifier and gas heater. But Tokyo is expensive and 5000 will barley get most through two months and I always believe in having at least three months expenses plus money for a return ticket home and some money for medical emergencies so I am much more comfortable with 10,000 than 5000. But if you want o encourage people to come with $5000, I don't disagee 100%. It is just too little for me, personally.

[seklarwia]

Obviously you came over used to a certain lifestyle which is quite extravegant. Most of the people coming over would be able to deal with less in the beginning.

I'm not encouraging people to come over with less money. Just pointing out that if you budget and spend wisely people can do it on a whole lot less than $10,000 or $20,000. If you can afford to spend $5000/month or are qualified and lucky enough to get a high paid job right off the bat, then good for you. But most people are going to have to start at entry-level over here, which is about 250,000Y/month, which is perfectly livable if you live a modest lifestyle.

And in this current flooded market, even those who are qualified are not likely to get any form of college or uni position, without having work experience in Japan first, which likely means entry level positions for a year or two.

And as to medical emergencies... did you not have travel insurance? I have travelled more in my short years, than most have in their entire life, but despite never having had any serious accidents nor having had any serious illness abroad, I have never gone anywhere without basic cover.
And I would definately advice people not to come over without some form of insurance and a credit card (incase yours is insurance where you need to pay upfront and get reimbursed).

[mrbbkk]

I had national health insurance and I paid about 1 million yen a year in residence taxes to the ward office.

A friend of mine recently had colon cancer and his insurance paid 90% but his medical bills so far are about 700K Do the math 25 to 30K per chemo therapy 10% is still 70K

Insurance rarely covers 100% Most insurance does not cover dental work either.

A lot does depend on whether or not you have graduate degrees or connections in Japan. I only made less than 400K my fist year working in japan and made at least 500k every year after my third year there between privates, colleges and corporate classes and that was only teaching less than 30 hours a week

I still think one should have three months income in their home country and even more in a foreign country so $5000 is low but it may be possible for some.

National health insurance is expensive and mandatory in Japan.

[seklarwia]

Not sure how travel insurance works for you, but in the UK it doesn't work on percentages. A normal plan requires that you pay the first, say £100 for example, then they will cover anything over that amount. Or you can opt for a slightly hirer premium and not have to pay any excess at all (so you are covered for 100% of the cost). So whilst we are job hunting, travel insurance (from the UK at least) is adequate to cover any large hospital bills.

And as for your $5000 hospital bill for one day in hospital. Since we only pay a max of 30% of the bill on NHI, that must have been quite some treatment for you to still have paid that amount.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend, but if you would be so kind as to put in what currencies you are dealling in, it would be easier for not only me but other readers to understand. There is a big difference $70k and 70K in yen.

And I wouldn't say that state insurance is so expensive over here. Shakai hoken is a certain percentage of your salary, so if you earn more, you pay more. That's how it worked for us in the UK too, so its nothing new to some of us.
Japanese NHI in your first year is cheap... dirt cheap. In your 2nd year it is calculated on your previous years earnings. So assuming you are still earning the same or more the following year, you should at least be able to still afford it when it goes up.

When you came over was a very long time ago. Times were better then. If you read job pages now, you see many full-time teaching (not ALT) positions going for on average 270,000/month and some of these even require you to have prior teaching experience in Japan. There are few jobs for new, inexperienced teachers that pay anywhere close to 400,000Y these days.

The market is flooded with native speakers of English, so employers can post jobs with low pay but high requirements and still have to beat back all the applicants with a stick.
Having connections and high qualifications is a good thing, but matters little if there simply isn't a job on offer. And you need to remember that a lot of the people coming over here have no connections and little more than a bachelors degree, as they rush over here in hopes of finding a job because they can't get anything back home. The best most of these people can hope for is 250,000-300,000Y. And you'll find that many people with higher qualifcations are now accepting these kinds of pay in their first years here so that they can get a foot in the door and start gaining that ever more important teaching experience in Japan and establishing connections network.

[mrbbkk]

That is nice to know about the travel insurance paying 100% except for a deductible I think that it would be wise to have travel insurance till your national insurance kicked in.

My friend is in dallas Texas and his hospital bill is 700,000 US dollars and 10% is 70 thousand US dollars as in OUCH

At the time my insurance paid 100% of my 5000 bill for my appendicitis operation. I may have had expensive doctors. I think the guy who put me to sleep got 1000.

It seems high to me that I paid 10 million yen over 13 years and was almost never sick.

I could see the leaner times coming so I left six years ago. I know what you mean about if there simply isn't a job on offer. The great jobs were few and far between even when I was there. I am half Japanese and have relatives and friends of relatives there. I also was able to live in my uncle's four bedroom house my first two years there. So I was luckier than most. I think I got out about the right time. My old Junior College will close down soon and just teach K-12 soon as the decreasing number of students has forced some junior colleges to shut down.

I guess I arrived in the good old days, 1988, and was well connected by my second stint in Japan 1992 to 2004. I think most if not all of the good jobs there are filled through introductions from people already working there so networking is everything but as you say it doesn't matter if no one is hiring. I'll be heading to Saudi Arabia very soon and it maybe better for saving money now than Japan, with its free housing and no local taxes. I miss Tokyo and all my friends there but you could see this economic storm coming from a mile away even when I was there. I think what I miss most is the delicious sushi and food in general but shopping in Akihabara or at Yodobashi Camera was also fun as was eating and drinking in Shinjuku and Shibuya and other areas.

I had so many darling students at my private women's junior college. I felt like I should have paid them. At Mitsubishi, we would just go out and drink at an izakaya for 2 or 3 hours once a month and I would make 100 dollars for that and also for classes that got cancelled at the last minute because of students having to work to meet a deadline. It was pretty good in the 80s and 90s. I'm sorry if its not what it use to be. This economic malaise seems to be global now.