Hey there! みなさん こんにちは！
My wife and I are planning to move to Japan in a little under a year – we both just visited for our honeymoon after wanting to travel for ages. Back when I was in high school, around a decade ago (I’m 25) I was lucky enough to take two years of Japanese classes with an incredible teacher. I still practice, so I’m able to read and write katakana & hiragana, kanji still escapes me but hopefully not for too long.
anyhow, my partner may be lucky enough to transfer within her company over to Tokyo. I’m currently unemployed, but am hoping to start working soon after the progress of my Multiple Sclerosis treatment. I’m also hoping to take language classes as well.
I was mainly posting to ask – for people with MS, or just in general looking from the perspective of someone with a disability- how is navigating life in Japan with our disadvantages? I noticed, that while visiting, my symptoms improved drastically. Luckily MS hasn’t effected my limb mobility, so I was able to get much more exercise than I ever thought possible. Plus, a healthy diet was much easier to maintain. Are there perhaps trickier aspects of living there that I could’ve missed? or other upsides?
Also, I’m interested in hearing about people’s experiences with the medical system. I’ve been doing my own research, and it comes off as a lot easier and less back-breaking than the system here in America. plus, there’s the downside of doctors in America being very dismissive while you’re already shoveling out tons of money to them. I’m very curious on how Japanese doctors tend to treat their patients.
thank you to those who’ve read, I appreciate your time 🙏🏻
3 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
—
**Moving to Japan with Multiple Sclerosis**
Hey there! みなさん こんにちは！
My wife and I are planning to move to Japan in a little under a year – we both just visited for our honeymoon after wanting to travel for ages. Back when I was in high school, around a decade ago (I’m 25) I was lucky enough to take two years of Japanese classes with an incredible teacher. I still practice, so I’m able to read and write katakana & hiragana, kanji still escapes me but hopefully not for too long.
anyhow, my partner may be lucky enough to transfer within her company over to Tokyo. I’m currently unemployed, but am hoping to start working soon after the progress of my Multiple Sclerosis treatment. I’m also hoping to take language classes as well.
I was mainly posting to ask – for people with MS, or just in general looking from the perspective of someone with a disability- how is navigating life in Japan with our disadvantages? I noticed, that while visiting, my symptoms improved drastically. Luckily MS hasn’t effected my limb mobility, so I was able to get much more exercise than I ever thought possible. Plus, a healthy diet was much easier to maintain. Are there perhaps trickier aspects of living there that I could’ve missed? or other upsides?
Also, I’m interested in hearing about people’s experiences with the medical system. I’ve been doing my own research, and it comes off as a lot easier and less back-breaking than the system here in America. plus, there’s the downside of doctors in America being very dismissive while you’re already shoveling out tons of money to them. I’m very curious on how Japanese doctors tend to treat their patients.
thank you to those who’ve read, I appreciate your time 🙏🏻
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/movingtojapan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I know pretty much nothing about MS but I know a plethora about the medical system in Japan. If your medical situation is mild then I’d say it probably won’t be so bad. If it’s not then you’re not going to have it easy. I’ve always had to leave Japan for anything moderate/severe as doctors have always been incompetent or lacked the necessary testing. I’ve known a number of expats like me who have left Japan for the same reason. Some have been proficient Japanese speakers.
No personal experience with MS but have read that many find that symptoms become worse in the heat. So you may want to consider that summers are hot in Tokyo and there will be a lot of walking and exposure to the heat on a daily basis. Not saying it is a reason not to come, but perhaps something to plan for.
I have read that some people with MS really like phase change cooling vests for this reason. They sell these in Japan, but the temperature rating of the ones in the US are much much better.
Edit: Also, personal cooling fans are popular and readily available in Japan.