Relocations

Japan

Overview
Japan, and Tokyo especially, is one of the largest business centres in the world, and along with that comes a large and buoyant recruitment market. Tokyo is a very clean, tidy and safe city, and easy to live in – however learning even a small amount of Japanese can greatly enhance your quality of life. City living is relatively expensive, especially in Tokyo, but again, once you have settled in and know your way around, it doeasn’t have to be. You may find locating western produce difficult sometimes, and Japan can involve more of an adjustment that other Asian cities, but if you can embrace local culture, food and people, living in Japan can be a very enjoyable experience indeed. You can find almost any luxury brand you can think of in Japan – clothes, cars, and jewelry. Transport is very efficient, and largely rail / underground based. Taxi’s in plentiful supply, but quite expensive. There are a whole host of places to live, both close to the various CBD’s and further out.

Visa
Work visa’s are issued for a period of either 1 year or 3 years, and must be backed up by company sponsorship. Company’s taking you to Tokyo will likely look after the application process, and there are varying categories of visa, with different requirements. Unlike most other Asia countries, if you leave your employer in Japan, you are free to join another, and work until the expiry of your visa i.e. it is not entirely job / company linked after approval. You can get more information on Work Visa’s in Japan form the following link: http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/en/visa/visa-work.html

Housing
Types of housing differ greatly in Japan, and so do costs. If you want to live centrally, prices can be very high, and this will need to be considered. If you don’t mind traveling to and from work for some distance, the cost lowers, and value for money increases. It is advisable to have a good look around the various options when you arrive. You may have to adjust to living in a smaller space than you are used to, or to traveling some distance to and from work. Akasaka, Shibuya and Shinjuku are popular examples of locations where expats live.

Cost of living
Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but as usual, once you get used to living in the city, it doesn’t always have to be. Public transport is cheap, regular, and convenient. There are plenty of taxi’s around Tokyo, but they are expensive – they run on LPG gas as per the law. Groceries needn’t be too expensive, and wining and dining can be relatively cheap all the way up to very expensive, depending on where and what you eat and drink. Day to day living isn’t really much different from London or New York. Owning a second hand car can be surprisingly inexpensive.

Schools
It is likely that you will have to opt for an international school, wherever you live in Japan, and these can be expensive. Please follow the attached link for a list of possibilities across Japan: http://japan.english-schools.org

Sports / Leisure
There are many sports and leisure options in Japan. Skiing in winter, water sports, hiking and trekking for the out door types. All varieties of racquet sports are available. There are expat and local football and rugby teams, and of course martial arts in several guises. There are many international standard gyms. Theme parks abound in Tokyo, with Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea to name but two. There are regular horse race meets, and many international events every year.

Tax
Tax in Japan will be between 5% and 40% depending on earnings. Annually, all taxpayers complete a tax return and file it, paying it themselves annually.