Job Discussion Forums

feisty-red · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 29

Hello, I have lurked for a long time. I have not seen this question yet, so here goes:

I was offered placement for ECC and am waiting on my visa. I leave at the end of January.

In the initial email I recieved confirming the offer, there were several attachments. Some for processing the visa and others for a pre-employment Health Checkup. The email said the health statement can be arranged separately upon a final placement.

I got placed last week.

One of the attachments said that by Japanese law you must have the health records to them by a full month before you arrive in Japan. Okay. But then it says they must be dated three months prior? Whoa!! I don't have enough time to do that, the three month deadline has passed.

This was in the attachment sent. Yet in the email I get one about a week ago say that an appointment should be scheduled ASAP. ??? I'm confused. Does this mean I'm out of luck? Anyone? What was your experience?

Does the mandatory health statement and chest x-ray have to done 3 months in advance? Or will I be fine?

Sad

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

ECC is lying to you, there's nothing like that in Japanese law. Be prepared to by lied to by ECC on a daily basis when you get here.

http://www.generalunion.org/ecc/

feisty-red · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 29

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

What I think the "three months prior" means is that the records should be less than 3 months old. That often seems to be a requirement for documents in Japan. It may be a mis-translation of the Japanese.

That makes sense if you think about it- the health check needs to be fairly recent or it is meaningless.

Good luck with ECC- Yamanote Sembei tends to focus on (and maybe exaggerate somewhat) the negative points of various employers, but don't let it make you think you've made a mistake.

feisty-red · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 29

Well that makes more sense!!! Thanks! Very Happy

I just figured no one really bothers to read attachments they send out when done en masse. So perhaps it was an oversight. But yes, a poor translation appears to be a better reason.

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

chirp · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 148

Translation is a very tricky business. Two people could translate the identical paragraph differently. It's not an exact science.

To the OP,

Most companies will ask for some basic health checks before you arrive in Japan and most BoEs (I know this part doesn't apply to you) will require different levels of checkups. All BoEs now require TB tests to be completed prior to your arrival in Japan.

If you have any concerns about what they are asking for, check with ECC. I agree though that it is not "Japanese law", but rather company policy to ask for these checks.

Don't worry about the timing - you're fine.

Good luck!

feisty-red · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 29

What is an OP?

Dipso · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 194 Location: England

Venti · Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 171 Location: Kanto, Japan

feisty, when you have any concerns about important work-related paperwork (or anything work-related at all), call your recruiter first. They're used to getting questions from panicked newbies.

feisty-red · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 29

OP...original poster...doh!!!

And I did contact my recruiter. Unfortunately I can not log into my email now. Sad

Computer appears to be on the fritz. Or maybe yahoo is just messed up now.

Firestarter · Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 55

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

When I came in I worked for a small, not especially good eikawa and they said nothing about any health checks. I work for a BoE now and I just had one two days ago, which is apparently mandatory for all employees, once a year. It consisted of a sight test, a chest examination, a blood pressure test, a pis s test, and an Xray. We also got weighed and our height taken. I missed out on a blood test because they only do them every five years or something, ie. 25, 30, 35 years old.

It was nothing to worry about. I hope they actually give us feedback if something is wrong but I imagine its just to satisfy their curiosity. Besides a 'oh, very, very good' for my blood pressure I didn't learn anything other than that I should stop eating so much fried chicken.

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

feisty-red · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 29

What exactly is a subshift and how do they work? They told us you show up to a branch and then get sent where ever you needed. And you might not be needed.