Job Discussion Forums

aubstew · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 10

In a recent post someone said that it's best to arrive in Japan with 480,000 to 600,000 yen even with a job in hand. My boyfriend and I plan on going right after we finish graduate school and simply won't have that much money. Has anyone gone with little money (maybe 1,000 to 1,500 US dollars each) and gotten by? Any stories are appreciated. Thanks!

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

When I came to Japan I had (only) $2,500 with me. However, I had a job with AEON set up and was provided housing during training, an apartment with deposits and key money paid (and no rent taken out until the first paycheck), and transportation provided from Tokyo (Omiya, actually) to my school destination. I would not recommend you come to Japan with such little money unless you have a job lined up. The housing and transportation costs incurred while looking for a job can bankrupt you quickly. That's not to say you couldn't find a job the first week you're here, but I'm not sure you would want to risk it. And, while there are many jobs (full- and part-time) in the Tokyo area, not many will provide apartments with all key money and deposits paid for. A great number will offer "accommodation assistance," which often means they will supply you with the contact information of a real estate agent. More often than not you will have to pay significant move-in costs.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Aubstew

I would not recommend you come with less than $3000-4000 when you arrive, becuase unlike the US, salaries are paid monthly here, you will not likely see a pay check for up to 6 weeks after you arrive, assuming you find a job straight away. If you get a job at NOVA for example, you will be on a probation income, most probably need to avail yourself of a start up loan of about 100,000 yen which they take out of your first pay checks on ttop of a reduced income. Most places will require key money which you wont have, a gaijin hostel will cost 50-60,000 yen a month so that is $500 just for accomodation before you have even thought about food and living costs etc.

The average starting salary in japan is 250,000 yen and you can expect to save about $500 (60,000yen) of that after expenses are taken out, which means you will need to spend about 160,000-170,000 yen or rent, food utilities, not to mention finding a job, transportation, food, clothing etc for attending interviews.

For an idea of current costs in Japan (Tokyo) have a look at the following site- this will give you an idea of what you will spend

http://www.pricechecktokyo.com

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Let's see how your US$1500 fares...

You land in Tokyo. Getting to downtown requires transportation. Taxis are $200, and unless you have a booking with a hotel which offers a free bus ride, it's safe to assume you need the Skyliner train (1900 yen).

Hotel needed for the night will probably run you 7000 yen.

You obviously need a place to stay while you go job hunting.
With no guarantor, you probably can't afford to pay 2-5 months' equivalent in rent just to move in on your own, so you have two options for longer term stay:
1. plan on extremely few places without such "key money" (example: LeoPalace21, which still requires the full rent up front for whatever period you plan to stay. One month rent = 73,500 (perhaps plus a 42,000 service charge)
2. rent a gaijin house (minimum 60,000 yen/month, plus 20,000 to 25,000 deposit)

SUMMARY SO FAR:
1900
7000
60,000
20,000
--------
88,900 yen just to get into Tokyo from the airport and find living quarters (no meals yet)

Next, you will have to eat, so figure on 30,000 yen/month for groceries.
If you think you can live on McDonalds-type food, forget it:
breakfast = 600 yen, lunch = 600 yen
by this time you may want a cheapo restaurant, 1000 yen/meal
so, daily costs = 2200 yen (assuming you can stand this type of fare each and every day of the week)
So, total monthly meal expenses would be 2200 x 30 = 66,000
Hmm, buying your own groceries saves you 50%.
(Oh, sure, you can get those 150 yen rice balls at 7-Eleven, but are you going to eat those every day? Can your hard-working western body survive on just a fist-sized lump of rice/seaweed/fish stuffing (plus drink at 150 yen)? I think not.)

SUMMARY SO FAR:
88,900
30,000
--------
118,900 yen for ride into Tokyo, shelter and food for a month

You are going to need to get around the city. Unless you plan to pedal your way on a secondhand bike across the expanse that houses 12 million Japanese, you're going to need public transportation. A monthly subway/train pass will run about 15,000 yen.

How are employers going to contact you? You'll need a phone. Two options are available:
1. Use the gaijin house phone. You can't really depend on this to take messages for you while you are away. It's a boarding house, after all.
2. Buy a cellular phone. The phone itself is dirt cheap, from zero to 800 yen, but your service contract will require 5000 - 10,000 yen just to start, plus 5000 - 8000 yen/month in basic charges. Each call costs money, even for local calls. And even though you may have e-mail on this handy little phone, it'll cost you to use it, too. (Of course, you can read some Japanese in order to make most cell phones work, can't you?)

SUMMARY SO FAR:
118,900 transport to downtown, shelter, food
15,000 public transportation
5000 installation charge for cell phone
5000 first month's basic phone charge
--------------------------------------------------
143,900 yen/month

And, you haven't even started looking for that first job!

At this point, you have spent US$1200.

With no fun time entertainment (movies, drinking, clubbing, sightseeing), all which require money, you can spend all of your waking hours hunting for work. How? The Japan Times costs 150 yen, and only one edition per week (Monday's) has ads, so you are going to need Internet access. Your cell phone may provide some, but navigating the Net through a handheld device with a screen 1 inch x 1 inch is not productive or efficient. Your thumb will develop serious cramps after 5 minutes of pushing buttons. So, you will have to find an Internet cafe. Charges vary, but plan on 400-1000 yen per first half hour. How much time do you need to surf the ads? Maybe 1-2 hours? Ok, let's assume 1000 yen for an hour. How often? Twice a week maybe? That means 2000 yen per week, or 8000 yen per month. You'd better find an Internet cafe that gives you a free Coke with that online time!

143,900
8000
----------
151,900 yen/month (US$1265)

Landing that first job. Let's assume you can find work in the first month. (This is a big "if"; many people search for 2 or 3 months.) But, your resume and cover letter are spectacular, and you interview the socks off the competition. (Remember that in a city of 12 million, 1% of the people are foreigners, so you will have to deal with 120,000 other foreigners looking for work. Granted not all of them want to be teachers, but you get the idea.)

One detail, however...where are you going to interview? Within the confines of Tokyo, where your public transportation pass lets you go for free? Or are you going to find an interesting place outside Tokyo where you will have to pay more just to get to the interview? This could be as close as Yokohama, and as far away as Hokkaido or Kyushu. There goes money for plane or train fare.

Ok, so you land the big job! Congratulations! Do you start tomorrow, or (more likely) in a couple of weeks? Well, what is your visa status? If you have a working holiday visa (sorry, Americans can't get one), you can start work right away. Otherwise, you need a work visa, which can take 2-4 months. Hmm, how much are you spending on that gaijin house, grocery bill, cell phone, and transportation pass every month?

Well, let's assume your employer is reputable and lets you slide past the legal requirement that you need a work visa to start work. He starts the paperwork and lets you work illegally on your tourist visa. When is your first paycheck? Depends on his payroll schedule, which may not give you any money for 4-8 weeks.

So, you will have to come up with 60,000 (rent), 30,000 (food), 5000 (phone service), and 15,000 (transport) = 110,000 yen per month until you get paid.

So, if you need one more month to get paid, you will have spent...
151,900 + 110,000 = 261,900 yen (US$2182)

And, all this assumes the following:

1. You landed a job inside the first month in Japan.
2. You spent absolutely nothing except on what is listed here. No snacks, no newspapers, no entertainment/sightseeing, no laundry, etc.
3. You trust the employer to sponsor your visa without problems.
4. You have that spectacular resume & cover letter and interviewing skill.
5. You are willing to work only within Tokyo.
6. You found a place to move into (without key money) on day 2 after your arrival.

Celeste · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2003 10:44 pm Post subject:

Aubstew-
Your other option is to get someone back home (Oh bank of Mom!) to co-sign for a line of credit or high limit credit card for you. And then find the bank machine in you area that you will be able to access it from. You will not save any money for several months because you will be paying down this debt, but you will be able to get set up un Japan.

aubstew · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 10

Thank you to all of you for sharing your wisdom. We were planning on trying to secure a job before we went. But we also were planning on going in late December/early Jan, which I hear is not the best time of year. You've all given me a lot to think about. Thanks.

Aubree

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You heard right about Dec/Jan. Can't understand why you'd figure the end of the year would be good for finding work. In Japan, people get 1-2 weeks off at that time of year. Maybe you didn't know.

Here's a little more food for thought. Found this guy's web site about how he went looking for an apartment in Tokyo. Took him a whole month before he found what he liked. Lot of pictures of apartments and shops.
http://www.greggman.com/japan/apts/tokyo%20apts.htm

aubstew · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 10

Thanks Glenski,

That's a great site. We didn't necessarily think the end of the year would be a good time to find work, that's just when we need work. Now I'm thinking about Taiwan. Do you anything about finding work in early January in Taiwan? You've been a big help, thanks.

Aubree

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Sorry, I know nothing about Taiwan. I suggest you post in the Taiwan forum. Best of luck.

Lee_Marrero · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Posts: 66 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

Whatever you do steer clear of Korea!! Unless your a masochist!! LOL

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

heres a good page with info on teaching in Korea, Taiwan and Japan

http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jonb/

Hope this helps

aubstew · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 10

Thanks PaulH,

That is a great site. It helped a lot. I'm going to show it to my boyfriend. Thanks to all of you. You've helped me from encountering a potential finiancial disaster in Japan.

Aubree

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Aubstew

Just one thing I want to mention:

In Japan the visa goes with you even if you quit your employer- you can work on it until it expires. however this is not so in Taiwan. I understand th employer controls your visa, you must remain with the same one for the entirety of the contract and you have to get permission from your employer if you want to change sponsors. If you quit your job your employer can cancel your visa and you risk deportation. Im not 100% sure on this but it would be a good idea to check your employer and contracts before you sign with anyone.

aubstew · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 10

Eek that's kind of scary. Thanks for the tip. Smile

eslintaiwan2002 · Joined: 22 Feb 2003 Posts: 10

You will not find much luck in Taiwan in Jan. It is right before Chinese new year and things really start to slow down during that time. The whole place shuts down for a week during Chinese new year which is normally late Jan. early Feb.