Comments by "Yo2" (@yo2trader539) on "Are Japanese Countrysides Welcoming To Foreigners?" video.

  1. I've know idea whether the girl in the video attended US schools on military bases or local Japanese schools in Okinawa and Fussa (Yokota). But everybody in Okinawa knows that 1/4 of Okinawa civilians were killed in the War. Many in strongly resent US military bases, especially with so much crimes. For historical reasons, dependents of US military will always be treated differently from locals. It's actually stupid and naive for anybody to think otherwise.
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  2. That's a good observation. Over-tourism or 観光公害 ("Tourism Pollution" in Japanese) is a real issue for locations like Kyoto, Kamakura, or Hida-Takayama. Local residents clearly want less foreign-tourists, because they are simply overwhelmed. Most of us were quite happy when the country was closed to foreign visitors because we were able get around the country with relative ease. And we didn't have to deal with increase in crime, drunk tourists, poor behaviors, etc. So nobody is crying that China banned group tourism to Japan. People actually feel relieved, as Chinese group tourists are the worst. (The rich ones are very sophisticated in taste.) Tourism and hospitality industries do require foreign-tourists, but I think there needs to be an annual cap. We just don't have the capacity or infrastructure to deal with 30 million visitors per year, especially when many of them are concentrated in certain cities/regions. And frankly, when I visit Kyoto and hear only foreign languages, it's really disappointing. It completely destroys the ambiance of Kyoto. I've no idea how countries like UK, France, Greece, or Italy are able to handle all the tourists from all over the world.
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  3.  @jody024  Fun Fact: We produce more rice than we consume...and it's been government policy for decades to reduce rice production. It's called GENTAN (減反) in Japan.
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  4.  @Ramslamtheman  We don't have that prejudice in Japan, especially as watermelon is an expensive summer delicacy.
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  5. I was surprised they chose Akita to open the Language/Culture school. While Akita's culture, scenery, and food is superb, Akita-dialect is quite unique for people outside of Akita. I'm sure the language school teaches Standard Japanese, but I'm not so sure whether locals speak it on a daily basis.
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  6. Staying for a few months as long-term tourist would be better. I don't think Tokyo is the best place for freelancing. Tax-filing gets complicated after 180 days in country...or when you become a "taxable resident." Currently, the JPY is weak relative to other currencies, so you can live comfortably with 3,000 Euros or JPY 475,000, as long as you don't live in the most posh areas with high-rent. When I was in Tokyo, expats in IT, Consulting, and Finance used "Ken Corporation" to find rentals suited for expat needs. But I'd recommend fully-furnished service apartments on monthly contracts. Generally speaking, it is a illegal for Japanese banks to open a bank account for non-residence. To be a legal resident, you need to obtain work/study/spousal visa. As for mortgage, no Japanese bank will lend to somebody without employment or proof of stable income. And most of the time, they would require Permanent Residency to offer a mortgage (in addition to a full health checkup and life insurance.) Honestly, I'd rather recommend Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia...for the same budget. You can survive in Tokyo with only English, but you will have a difficult time outside of touristy places. And a lot of the government paperwork will be in Japanese.
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