Japanese American moving to Japan
Just finished a trip to Japan that really confirmed my will to move to Japan.
I was born in Japan but moved to America at 3. My father was born in the states and has both American and Japanese passport. My Japanese passport expired a few years back. I understand that renewing my passport is the first step of moving back.
I’m looking to move back to Japan after finishing college this year (Computer Science major). I’m fluent in both Japanese and English. Can read and write as well. My question here is. How should I go about starting the move.
Should I move over first then find a job?
In that case how much savings would be sufficient?
My understanding is that it takes 2-4 weeks to find an apartment to live in and that it has to be done in person. Where would I live/ put all my stuff while waiting?
Also will I have to renounce my American citizenship if I want to renew my Japanese passport?
Thank you in advance.
3 comments
You won’t have to renounce either citizenship as you were both with both. Answer the questions on the passport renewal application truthfully and there is no problem. Renouncement is only for those who are naturalizing fron another citizenship.
If you want to look around a place before you move in cheapest option in the interim is probably a share house.
I managed to find an apartment before ever landing in Japan, just had to sign the paperwork in person. I just had a hotel room for a week while I got that in order.
For stuff, if all you have is whatever you can fit in your suite cases then that’ll fit in the hotel, otherwise if you’re shipping stuff, overseas moving companies can hold stuff for a period of time while you sort out your apartment, or do what I did and send it all via slow boat so it takes a couple months to arrive in the country anyway.
If you get a passport, it’s probably easier to find a job here (after moving) than it is to find one while still in America, so move first. As for how much you need, like as much as you can save. Look around on suumo, gaijin pot, etc at apartments to figure out how much rent is gonna be for what you need/want in the area you’re moving too, factor in food costs, utilities, NHI costs, etc. and then math that all out with how many months you think it might take you to land a job.